Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-07

has been thoroughly organized. especial
pains being taken to secure under the civil
| service rules a body OF skilled. experienced
ana efficient men. Surveys and examina-
tons are progressing throughout the arid
/ States and Territories. plans for retaining
| works being prepared and passed upon by
boards OF engineers before approval by the
secretary OF the Interior In Arizona and
pre-en1inently needed, construction has al
| ready been begun.
In other parts Of the arid West various
projects are well advanced towards the
! craving up OF contracts, these being de-
layed In part by necessities Of reaching
agreements or understanding as regards
| rights OF way or acquisition Of real estate.
| MOST OF the works contemplated for con-
| struction are Of national Importance. in
| voiving interstate questions or the securing
, OF stable self-supporting communities in
the midst OF vast tracts Of vacant land.
Inc Nation as whole Is Of course the
gamer by the creation Of these homes
adding as they do to the wealth and stabili-
| " or the country. and furnishing home
market for the products of the East and
| south. The reclamation law. while perhaps
| not ideal, appears at present to answer the
| larger needs for which 1t is designed. Fur
| tner legislation is not recommended until
the necessities Of change are more APP
| parent.
| AieScTVaC1Ou OF tOreStS.
The study Of the opportunities of reclama-
ton OF the vast extent of arid land shows
that whether this reclamation is done by in
dividuals. corporations or the State. the
| sources of water supply must be effectively
| protected and the reservoirs guarded by
| the preservation of the forests at the head
| waters Of the streams. The engineers MAX
Ing the preliminary examinations continu-
| ciz =,
| remaining public lands at the headwaters
| OF the important streams of the West be
| reserved to insure permanency of water
| supply for irrigation. Much progress in
| forestry has been made during the past
year. The necessity for perpetuating our
| forest resources, whether in public or pri-
! vate hands. Is recognized now as never be-
| fore. The demand for forest reserves has
| become fnsistent in the West because the
! West must use the water, wood, and sum-
mer range which only such reserves can
supply. Progressive lumbermen are striv-
| ing, through forestry, to give their business
| permanence. Other great business interests
| are awakening to the need of forest preser-
walton as business matter
Inc Governments forest work should
| ce1ve from the Congress hearty support
| ana especially support adequate for the
! protection of the forest reserves against
| ire The forest reserve policy of the Gov
eminent has passed beyond the expert
mental stage and has reached a condition
| where scientific methods are essential to its
successful prosecution. The administrative
features of forest reserves are at present
| unsatisfactory. being divided between three
! Bureaus Of two Departments
1t Is therefore recommended that all mat
| ters pertaining to forest reserves except
NOSE involving or pertaining to land titles.
| ne consolidated in the Bureau of Forestry
Of the Department of Agriculture
| Cotton Weevil.
The cotton-growing States have recently
been Invaded by a weevil that has done
| much damage and threatens the entire cot
ton industry 1 suggest to the Congress
the prompt enactment of such remedial
legislation as its judgment may approve.
Patents to Foreigners.
In granting patents to foreigners the
proper course for this country to follow is
| to give the same advantages to foreigners
here that the countries In which these for
elgners dwell extend in return to our cit
liens: that Is, to extend the benefits of our
patent laws on inventions and the like
where IN return the articles would be nat
entable In the foreign countries concerned
where an American could get a correspond
ing patent in such countries.
Indian Affairs.
The indian agents should not be depend
ent for their appointment or tenure of
office upon considerations Of partisan poll
tics; the practice of appointing. when pos
sible. ex-army officers or bonded superin-
tendents to the vacancies that occur is
working well: Attention is invited to the
widespread illiteracy due to lack of public
schools In the Indian Territory PROMPT
heed should be paid to the need of educa-
ton for the children in this Territory.
safety-Appliance Law.
In my last annual Message the attention
Of the Congress was called to the necessity
Of charging the safety appliance law. and
1t Is gratifying to note that this law was
amended in important respects With the
increasing railway mileage of the country.
the greater number of men employed, and
the use or larger and heavier equipment
the urgency for renewed effort to prevent
the loss of life and limb upon the railroads
OF the country. particularly to employees. is
apparent. For the inspection of water craft
and the Life-Saving Service upon the water
the Congress has built up an eIabora te
body of protective legislation and A thor
oush metnod OF inspection and is annually
spending large sums of money 1t is en-
couraglng to observe thatathe Congress is
alive to the interests of those who are EN-
pioyed upon our wonderful arteries of com
merce-the railroads-who so safely trans
port mllllonS or passengers and billions of
tons OF freight. The federal inspection of
SAFETY appliances for which the Congress
Is now making appropriations. is a service
analogous to that which the government
has upheld for generations I'm regard IN
vessels. and 1t Is believed will prove of
great practical benefit, both to railroad en-
ployes and the travelling public AS the
greater part of commerce is interstate and
exclusively under the control of the Com
gress the needed safety and uniformity
must be secured by national legislation
Pensions.
No other class of our citizens deserves SO
well OF the Nation as those to whom the
Nation owes its very being, the veterans of
the civil war. Special attention is asked
to the excellent work of the Pension Blu
reau in expeditng and disposing of pension
claims. During the fiscal year ending July
1, 1908. the Bureau settled 251,9 claims
an average Of S25 claims for each working
day of the year. The number of settle
ments since July 1. 1903. has been in ex-
cess OF last years average. approaching
LOCO claims for each working day, and it
is believed that the work of the Bureau
will be current at the close Of the present
fiscal year.
Extension of Civil Service Rules.
During the year ended June 80 last 25,56s