Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-05

j.
against every honest man IN the nation, for
II Ii crime against the whole body polite
Yet In dwelling en- such nis6eeds. It u
unjust not to add that they are Altogether
exceptional and that on the whole the en-
ployes of the government render upright
and faithful service to the people There
are exceptions. mutually in one or two
In the nations history has the public serv-
Ice of the nation taken as a whole stood
on a higher plane than now, alike as re-
CARDS honesty and rs regara steniian ~ the
condition of the public land laws. Recent
developments have given new urgency to
the need for such changes as VIII Mt these
laws to actual present conditions. The hon.
est disposal and right use OF the remaining
public lands is of fundamental Importance.
The Ubiquitous methods by which the mo-
nopolizing of the public lands ~ pelns
brought about under the present laws are
becoming more generally known, but the
existing laws do not furnish effective RENE
dies. The recomm endations OF the pubic
lands commission upon this subject are
wise and should be given effect.
The creation of small irrigated farms m
der the reclamation act Is a powerful on
set to the tendency OF certain other laws
to foster or permit monopoly of the land
Under that act the construction OF great
irrigation works has been proceeding rap,
idly and successfully, the lands reclaimeo
that the policy Of national irrigation Will
accomplish all that was expected OF II 10
bright The act should be extended to in
clude the state Of Texas -.
The reclamation act derives much or It's
value from the fact that 1t tends to secure
the greatest possible number OF homes on
the land, and to create communities %
freeholders, in part by settlement on pup
lie land, in part by forcing the SUBDIVISION
of large private holdings before they can
get water from government rrigauoh
works. The law requires that no right TO
the use of water fer land IN private owner
I fa, +rnn
acres to any land owner. THIS pro
vision has excited active and powerful nos
tiity but the success of the law Itself de-
ponds on the wise and Arm enforcement OF
it. We cannot afford to substitute tenants
for freeholders on the public domain
The greater part of the remaining public
lands cannot be irrigated. They are at
present and will probably always be OF
other purpose. This fact has led to the
grazing homestead of $40 acres in Nebraska
and to the proposed extension OF It 70
other states. 1t is argued that 1amily
cannot be supported on ITO acres or ara
grazing land. This is obviously true; but
neither can a family be supported on 64O
acres of much of the land to which II is
proposed to apply the grazing homestead
To esta blish universally any such arbitrary
limit would be unwise a the present time.
1t would probably result on the one hand
in charging the holdings Of some of the
great land owners. and on the other mana
in needless suffering and failure on the
part OF very considers BILE proportion OF
the bona fide settlers who give faith to the
implied assurance of the government that
such an area is sufficient. TIE best use OF
the public gra zing lands requires the care
full examination and classification CT these
lands in order to give each settler land
enough to support his family ana no more
While this work is being done, and until the
lands are settled, the government should
take control of the oEen range. under rea-
bfe eo1tla local
following the general policy already in sue
cessful operation en- the forest reserves 1t
is probable that the present grazing value
of the open public range is scarcely more
than haT of what it once was or what 1t
might easily be again under careful regu-
lation.
The forest policy OF the administration
appears to enjoy the unbroken support of
the people The great users of timber are
themselves forwarding the movement Tor
forest preservation. All organized oppo-
sition to the forest reserves in the west mas
disappeared. Since the consolidation of all
government forest work in the national
forest service there has been a rapid and
notable gain in the usefulness of the forest
reserves to the people and In public appre-
citation of their value. The national parks
within or adjacent TO forest reserves should
be transferred to the charge OF the forest
service also.
The national government already does
something in connection with the construc-
of levees along the lower course of the
Mississippi: in my judgment it should do
much more.
Merchant Marine.
To the spread of our trade in peace and
the defense OF cur flag in war a great and
prosperous merchant marine is indispen-
sable. We should have ships of our cwn
and seamen of our own to convey our goods
to neutral markets. and in case of need 70
reinforce our battle line 1t cannot but be
a source of regret and uneasiness to US
that the lines of communication with our
sister republics of South America should
be chiefly under foreign control. 1t is not
good thing that American merchants and
manufacturers should have TO send their
goods and letters TO South America via Flu
rope if they wish security and dispatch.
Even on the Pacific, where cur ships have
held their own better than on the Atlantic.
our merchant flag is pow threatened
through the liberal aid bestowed by other
governments on their own steam lines. L
ask your earnest consideration of the re-
port with which the merchant marine COM
mission has followed it's long and careful
inquiry.
jamestown Tercentennial
I again heartily commend to your favor
able consideration the tercentenniaI cele-
bration of the settlement at Jamestown.
Virginia Approaching the desirability of
this commemoration, the Congress passed
an act, March 3. 1905, authorizing in the
year 1907, on and near the waters of Hamp-
ton Roads. in the state of Virginia. an in
ternational naval, marine and military cele-
bration in honor of this event. BY the au-
tnority vested in me by this act I have
made proclamation of said celebration, and
have issued, in conformity with its instruc-
tons, invitations TO all the nations of the
earth to participate. by sending their naval
vessels and such military organiza tons as
may be practicable This celebration would
fail of Its full purpose unless it were en-
during In its results and commensurate
with the Importance of the event to be Gel
ebrated the event from which our nation
dates its birth. | earnestly hope that this
celebration, already Endorsed by the Con-
gress of the United States, and by the leg
islatures of sixteen states since the action
OF the Congress will receive such addi-
t&onal aid at your hands as will make 1t
worthy CT the great event it is intended to
celebrate, and thereby enable the govern
ment of the United States to make pro-
vision for the exhibition of its own re-
sources. and likewise enable our people who
have undertaken the work of such ceie-
bration to provide suitable and proper en-
tertainment and instruction in the historic
events of our country for all who may visit
the exposition and to whom we have ten
dered our hospitality.