Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-12-06

is TO prove that II should be terminal.
ed al once, As have repeatedly
recommended, all the forest work OF
the government should be concentrat.
ed In the department OF agriculture,
where the larger part OF that work Is
already done. whore practically all
OF the trained forosters OF the gov
eminent are employed. where chiefly
In Washington there Is comprehensive
first.hand knowledge Of the problems
of the reserves acquired OF the
ground, where all problems relating
To growth from the soil are already
gathered, and where all the sciences
auxiliary 10 forestry are at hand for
prompt and effective cooperation,
These reasons are decisive In them
selves, but Il should be added that the
great organizations OF citizens whose
interests are affected by the forest re-
serves, such as the National Live
Stock association, the National Wool
Growers association, the American
mining congress, the National irriga'
tion congress, and the national board
of trade, have uniformly ,emphatical'
| ~. uuu ulpNl VI lhNni ltptu'NuiN 'N
pressed themselves In favor of placing
all government forest work In the de-
partment OF agriculture because OF
the peculiar adaptation OF that depart
ment for It. II Is true also, that the
forest services OF nearly all the great
nations of the world are under the re
spective departments of agriculture,
while In but two of the smaller ma
tions and In n colony are they un'
der the department Of the interior,
This Is the result Of long and varied
experience and II agrees fully with
the requirements Of good administra
ton In our " case.
The creation Of a forest service In
the department ~ agriculture will
have for It's important results:
First. A better handling Of all for
est work, because 1t will be under q
single head, and because the vast and
indispensable experience Of the de
partment in all matters pertaining tt
the forest reserves, to forestry In gen
eral, and to other forms of production
from the soil, will he easily and rapid
ly accessible.
Second. ~he reserves themselves
being handled from the point Of view
of the man in the field, instead OF the
man in the Office, will be more easily
and more widely useful to the people
hitherto.
Third. Within a comparatively
short time the reserves will become
self,supporting, This is important,
because continually and rapidly in
creasing appropriations will be neces
sary for the proper care OF this ex
ceedingly important interest of The
nation, and they can and should be
offset by returns from the natlone
forests. Under similar circumstances
the forest possessions of Other grea'
nations form an important source o
revenue to their governments.
Every administrative officer con
cerned is convinced Of the necessity
for the proposed consolidation of for
est work In the department Of ag''cul
ture, and ! myself have urged il nor,
than once in former messages. Again
I commend it to the early and favor
able consideration of the eCuscess
The interests of the nation at larg,
and Of the west in particular have suf
fered greatly because Of the delay.
Public Lands.
| call the attention Of the congress
again to the report and recommends
ton of the commission on the publ,
lands forwarded by me TO the secon'
session of the present congress. TIL,
commission has prosecuted it's inyes
legations actively during the past sea
son, and a second report Is now IN al
advanced stage of preparation.
I Game Preserves.
In connection with the work Of Thu
forest reserves | desire again To urg'
upon the congress the importance .
authorizing the president 10 set asid,
certain portions of these reserves o
other public lands as game refuge.
for The preservation Of the bison. III
wapiti, and other large beasts One
so abundant in our woods and mourn
tains and on II great plains, an,
now tending toward extinction. Ever,
support should be given to the altthori
ties of the Yellowstone park Ia thoi
/, successful efforts at preserving tn,
large creatures therein and OF yer,
little expense portions of the publ
domain in other regions which ar
wholly unsuited to agricultural settle
ment could be similarly utilized. w,
owe II to future generations to keol
alive the noble and beautiful creature
which by their presence add such dis
tlnctive character TO the American
wilderness. The limits of the Yellow
stone park should be extended south
wards. The Canyon OF the Colorad,
should be made a national park: an,
/, the national-park system should In
clude the Yosemite and as many a
possible Of the groves Of sianr tree
In California.
Il Pensions.
!, The veterans OF the civil war hav
|, q claim upon the nation such ~ n
other body OF our citiz ans LOSSES
Tho pension bureau has never in it
history been managed In n more satis
/. factory ann than is now the cast
!. indians.
The progress OF the Indians towar
. civilization, though not rapid, is pei
haps all that could be hoped fer 1
view OF the circumstances. With
the past year many tribes have showI
In a degree greater than ever befor,