The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1904-12-08

connected With irritation. The lasger
problems have been solved and 1t now
remains to execute with care. economy
and thoroughness the work which has
been laid out. All important details are
being carefully considered by boards Of
consulting engineers, selected for their
thorough knowledge and practical ex-
petience. Each project Is taken up on
the ground by competent men and viewed
from the standpoint Of the creation OF
homes. and Of promptly re-
funding to the treasury the cost of con-
struction. The reclamation act has been
found to be remarkably complete and eff
fective, and so broad in its provisions
that q wide range of undertakings has
been possible under it. At the same
time. economy is guaranteed by the fact
that the funds must ultimately be re-
turned to be used over again.
Forests.
It 10 the cardinal principle Of the forest
reserve policy of this administration that
the reserves are for use. Whatever in
terferes with the use of their resources
is to be avoided by every possible means.
way as to make them permanent.
The forest policy of the government Is
just now a subject of vivid public inter-
est throughout the west and to the peo-
pie Of the United States in general. The
forest reserves themselves are of eX-
IRENE value to the present as we'll as to
the future welfare of all the western
feet the use and disposal Of the public
lands. They are Of special importance
because they preserve the water supply
and the supply of timber for domestic
purposes, and SO promote settlement un-
der the reclamation act. Indeed, they are
essential to the welfare Of every one of
the great interests of the west
est reserves is nearly everywhere heart
lily recognized. yet in few localities
there has been misunderstanding and
complaint The following statement is
therefore desirable:
The forest-reserve policy can be sue
cessful only when it has the full support
of the people of the west. 1t cannot
safely. and should not in any case. be
imposed upon them against their will.
But neither can we accept the views Of
those whose only interest in the forest is
temporary; who are anxious to reap what
they have not sown and then move away,
leaving desolation behind them. On the
contrary, 1t is everywhere and always
the interest of the permanent settler and
the permanent business man. the man
with stake in the country. which must
be considered and which must decide.
have repeatedly called attention to
the confusion which exists in govern
ment forest matters because the work is
scattered among three independent or
ganizations. The United States is the
only one of the great nations in which
the forest work of the government is not
concentrated under one department. in
consonance with the platnest dictates Of
good administration and common sense.
The present arrangement Is bad from
every point of view. Merely to mention
At is to prove sthatzit should he terminal
s1d atonce. AY&I have repeated ly recon-
.mended.a ali the forest work of the gov
department of agriculture. whefe tke
giarEeF partsuf.. that svynrl llye adv done.
where practically all OF the trained for
esters Of the government are employed,
where chiefly in Washington there As
comprehensive first-hand knowledge of
the problems of the reserves acquired
on the ground, where all problems relat-
ing to growth from the soil are already
gathered, and where all the sciences
auxiliary to forestry are at hand for
prompt and effective cooperation. 80
The Postal Service.
In the post Office department the service
has increased in efficlency, and conditions
as to revenue and expenditure continue sat
isfactory. The increase Of revenue during.
the year was $9.35S, 1Sl.10. or So per cent,
the total receipts amounting to S1l3, 1882, :
62434. The expenditures were s152 262, 116 20,
an increase OF about nine per cent. over The
previous year, being thus &. $40. 2.36 in OK
cess Of the current revenue Included in
these expenditures was total appropria-
ton of 81. 956 6s7. So for the continuation and
extension Of the rural free delivery service,
which was an increase Of 81 902, 237. IS over
the amount expended for this purpose in
the preceding fiscal year. Large as this
expenditure has been, the teneficent results
attained In extending the free distribution
Of malls to the residents Of rural districts
have Justified the wisdom Of the outlay.
Statistics brought down to the LIST Of Octo-
Der, 1904, show that on that date therelwerc
27,13S rural routes established, serving ap-
proximately 12,0O0000 of people in rural dis
tricts remote from post offices, and that
there were pending at that time 1859 petit
lions for the establishpent Of new rural
routes. Unquestionably some part of the
general increase in receipts is due to the
Increased postal facilities which the rural
service has afforded. The revenues have
also been aided greatly by amendments in
the classification Of mail matter and the
curtailment Of abuses of the second-class
mailing privilege. The average increase In
the volume of mail matter for the period
beginning with 1907 and ending June, 1905
Chat portion for 1905 being estimated), is
4O.47 per cent, as compared with 25.l6 per
cent. for the. period Immediately preced-
ing. and 15.92Sfor the four-year period i'm
msdiately preceding that. -
National Quarantine Law. 80
II is desirable to enact proper national
quarantine law It II most undesirable
that state should on its own initiative
enforce quarantine regulations which are
in effect a restriction upon interstate and
commerce., The question
should properly be assumed by the govern
ment alone. The surgeon general of the
national public health and marine hospital
service has repeatedly and convincingly
set forth the need for such legislation.
Currency.
The attention Of the congress should be
especially given to the currency question.
and that the standing committees on the
matter in the two houses charged with the
duty, take up the matter Of our currency
and see whether 1t is not possible to secure
an agreement in the business world for
lettering the system: the committees
should consider the question Of the retire.
ment Of the greenbacks and the problem
Of securing In our currency such elasticity
a. is consistent with safety. Every silver
dollar should be made by law redeemab.e
In gold at the option Of the holder.
r." Merchant Marine.
I especially commend to your immediate
attention the encouragement Of our mer-
chant marine by appropriate legislation.
ITO