The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1904-12-06

lEEzPREss:
Inmates. so that our people may know
as nearly as possible with what they
musf compete. .-...
irrigation.
During the two and a half years
that have elapsed since the passage
or the reclamation act rapid progress
has been made in the surveys and
examinations of the opportunities for
reclamation in the 10 states and three
territories of the arid west. Con-
struction has already been begun on
the largest and most important of
the irrigation works, and plans are
being completed for works which will
utilize the funds now available. The
operations are being carried on by
the reclamation service, a corps Of
engineers selected through COMPETE
tive civil service examinations. This
corps includes experienced consulting
and constructing engineers as we'll as
various experts In mechanical and le-
gal matters. and Is composed largely
OF men who have spent most of their
lives in practical affairs connected
with irrigation. The larger problems
have been solved and it 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. Sc
lected for their thorough knowledge
and practical experience. Each pro-
Ject is taken up on the ground by
competent men and viewed from the
standpoint of the creation of pros
porous homes, and Of promptly re-
funding to the treasury the cost of
construction. The reclamation act
has been found to be remarkably COM
plete and effective, and so broad in
Its provisions that a 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 returned to be
used over again.
Forests.
- 10 thS SdiUiiidl VI Tic
forest-reserve policy of this admins
tration that the reserves are for use.
Whatever interferes with the use of
their resources is to be avoided by
every possible means. But these re-
sources must be used in such a way
as to make them permanent.
The forest policy of the government
is Just now subject of vivid public
interest throughout the west and to
the people Of the United States in
general. The forest reserves them
selves are Of extreme value to the
present as well as to the future well
fare of all the western public-land
states. They powerfully affect the
luseuand disposal of the public lands.
They are Of special Importance be-
cause they preserve the water supply
and the supply of timber for domes-
tic purposes. and so promote settle
ment under the reclamation act. In
deed. they are essential to the well
fare Of every one or the great intr-
'ests of the west.
Forest reserves are created for two
principal purposes. The first is to
preserve the water supply This is
their most important use. The prin-
cipal users of the water thus pre-.
served are irrigation ranchers and
settlers. cities and towns to whom
their municipal water supplies are of
the very first Importance, users and
furnishers of water power, and the
users of water for domestic, manufac-
turing. mining and other purposes.
All these are directly dependent upon
the forest reserves
The creation of a forest service in
the department OF agriculture will
have for it's important results:
First A better handling of all for
est work. because it will be under a
single head, and because the vast and
Indispensable experience of the de-
partment in all matters pertaining to
the forest reserves, to forestry in
general. and to other forms of pro-
duction from the soil. will be easily
and rapidly accessible
Second. The 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 of the west than has been the
case hitherto.
Third. Within n 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 national
forests. Under similar circumstances
the forest possessions of other great
nations form an important source of
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 agri-
culture. and I myself have urged il
more than once In former messages
Again I commend II to the early and
favorable consideration of the con-