The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1904-12-06

unlawful 1or any person or corporation
to offer. grant. give solicit. accept or
receive any rebate. concession or discrlni-
nation in respect of the transportation
OF any property in interstate or foreign
commerce whereby such property =iiafi
~ any device whatever De transported af
less rate than th-t named in The tariffs
published by tht carrier must be- enc
forced For some time after the enact
ment on the act 90 regulate commerce II
remained mo0tcd question whether that
act conferred upon the interstate COM
merce commission the power after 10 had
found o challenged rate 10 be unreason-
able TO declare what thereafter should
prima facie be the reasonable maximum
rate for the transportation In dispute
The supreme court finally resolved that
question in the negative. so that as the
law now stands the commission simply
posscfs the bare power TO denounce
particular rate as unreasonable. While /
am of the opinion that az present u
would be undesirable. 10 a we're not inn
practicable finally % clotho the commis-
sion with general authority 10 fix rail-
road rates ! DO believe that. as a fair
security 90 shippers. the commission
sheuld De vested with the power where
"a given rate has been challenged and
after FUN hearing found 90 be unreason-
able. TO decide subject 20 judicial re-
view what shall be reasonable rate TO
take IT'S place the ruling of the com
mission TO take NAtNA lINNNfNiNANANf anu
90 obtain unless and until 10 Is reversed
by the court OF review. The government
must IN increasing degree supervise and
regulate the workings OF the railways
engaged IN interstate commerce; and such
increased supervision 81 the only alterna-
live TO an increase Of the present evils
on the one hand or still more radical
policy on the other, In my judgment the
most important legislative act now need
ed az regards the regulation Of corpora
1 .ious IS this act 10 confer on the inter-
state commerce commi ssion the power to
revise rates and regulations. the revised
rate to al once 20 into effect. and TO stay
In effect unless and until the court Of re-
view reverses H.
Department Of Agriculture.
The department Of agriculture has grown
into an educational institution with fac
atty OF 1900 specialists making research
into all the sciences Of production The
congress appropriates. directly and indi-
rectly, S6O0OU00 annually to carry on this
work II reaches every state and territory
! IN the union and the islands Of the sea late
ly come under oui flag Cooperation Is had
with the state experiment stations. and
! with many other Institutions and individ-
uals The world is carefully searched for
new varieties OF grains, fruits. grasses
vegetables, trees and shrubs, suitable to
various localities In our country; and
marked benefit TO our producers has re-
suited.
! The activities OF our age In lines OF re-
search have reached the ullers OF the soil
and inspired them with ambition 20 know
more Of the principles that govern the
/ forces OF nature with which they have TO
deal Nearly half OF the people OF this
country devote their energies 20 growing
] things from the soil Until recent date
! little has been done to prepare these mill
| lions for their life work. In most lines OF
human activity college trained men are
I the leaders The farmer had ne oppor-
/ tunity for special training until the con-
gress made provision for It 40 years ago.
/ During these years progress has been made
/ and teachers have been prepared. over
! O. 900 students are In attendance at our state
agricultural colleges. The federal govern
ment expends Sl0.o0OO00 annually toward
this education and for research IN Wash
ingtou and IN the several states and terri
tories. The department Of agriculture has
given facilities for postgraduate work 10
800 young men during the .ast seven years,
preparing them FOR advanced lines Of work
So the department and ~ the state institu-
lions
Irrigation.
During the two and a half years that
have elappd since the passage of the
reclamation act rapid PROGRESS has been
made in the surveys aud examinations OF
the opportunities for reclamation in the
u states and three territories OF the arid
west Construction has already been be-
I gun or the largest and most important
OF the irrigation works and plans are be-
ing completed for works whicL viii util-
ize the funds now available The opera
tiOns are being carried on by the recla-
nation service. a corps Of engineers Sc.
/ lected through competitive civil-servict
examinations This corps includes ex.
perienced consulting and CONSTRUCTING
engineers as well as various experts In
I "a nd a.
posed largely OF men who have spent
most Of their lives in practical aiairi
connected with irrigation. The large
problems have been solved and II nov
remains TO execute with care. economy
and thoroGghness the work which hal
been laid out All important details ar
being carefully considered by boards o
consulting engineers, selected for thei
thorough knowledge and practical ex
perience Zach project is taken up Of
the ground by competent men and viewe'
from the standpoint OF the creation 0
prosperous homes. and OF promptly re
| funding TO the treasury the cost OF con
struction The reclamation act has bee
found to be remarkably complete and ef
/ fe0tiye and 50 broad In It's provision
that e wide range OF undertakings ha
been possible under IT, A. the sam
/ time economy is guaranteed by the fac
that the funds must ultimately be re
turned 10 be used over again
Forests.
IL is the cardinal principle Of the forest
reserve policy OF this administration tina
she reserves are for use. Whatever In
, terferes with the use OF their resource
is TO be avoided by every possible meant
But these resources must be used I'm sue
way as 40 make them permanent.
I The forest policy Of the government
b Just now "a subject of vivid public intel
est throughout the west and 90 the pee
! pie OF the United States ~ general n
b forest reserves themselves &c OF el
treme value 10 the present as wen as
/ the future welfare OF ali the wester
I puhiic-land states. They powerfully a
l feet the use and disposal OF the publ
/ lands. They are OF special importan'
because they preserve the water supp
and the supply OF timber for domest
I purposes, and so promote settlement ul
der the reclamation act Indeed, they al
4 essential TO the welfare of every one
I the great interests OF the west
I Although the wisdom OF creating 70
est reserves Is nearly everywhere hear