The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-12-06
RESIDENTS PROBLEMS CONFRONTING THE NATION

A 4 4 A tureIy. information which is accessible to the officer or emplaye by reason of his official position. Most breaches of public trust are already covered by the law, and this one should be. It is impossible, no matter how much care Is used to prevent the occasional appointment to the public service of man who when tempted proves unfaithful; but every means should be provided to detect and every effort made to punish the wrong doer. So far us in my power lies each and every such wrongdoer shall be re- 1entlessly hunted down; in no instance in the past has he been spared; In no in- stance in the future shall he be spared His crime is a crime against every hon. est man in the nation. for it is a crime against the whole body polite. Yet in dwelling on such misdeeds. 1t is unjust not to add that they are altogether excep- tional, and that on the whole the em- pioyes of the government render upright and faithful service to the people. There are exceptions, notably in one or two branches of the service; but at no time In the nations history has the public service of the nation taken as a whole stood on a higher plane than now, alike as regards honesty and as regards ef- feiency
 Public Land Laws.
 
 condition of the public land laws Recent developments have given new urgency to the need for such changes as will fit these laws 10 actual present conditions The honest disposal and right use of the remaining public lands is of Fundamental importance. The iniquitous methods by which the monopolizing of the public lands Is being brought about under the present laws are becoming more gen. orally known, but the existing laws do not furnish effective remedies. The recom- mendations of the public lands commits sion upon this subject are wise and should be given effect.
 The cration of small irrigated farms under the reclamation act Is a powerful offset to the tendency of certain other laws to foster or permit monopoly of the land. Under the act the construction of great irrigation works has been proceed ing rapidly and successfully. the lands re- claimed are eagerly taken up, and the prospect that the policy of national irri- gation will accomplish all that was ex- pected of 1t is bright The act should be extended 10 include the state of Texas
 The reclamation act derives much of its value from the fact that it tends to secure the greatest possible number of homes on the land. and to create com munities of freeholders, In part by set clement on public land. in. part by fore ing the subdivision of large private hold gov ernment irrigation works. The law re- quires that no right to the use. of water for land In private ownership shall be sold for tract exceeding 160 acres to any one land owner This provision has excited active and powerful hostility. but the success of the law itself depends on the wise and firm enforcement of 1t. We can not afford to substitute tenants for freeholders on the public domains.
 The greater part of the remaining pub lie lands can not be irrigated They are at present and will probably always be of greater value for grazing than for any other purpose. This fact has led to the grazing homestead of GAO acres in Ne brasla and to the proposed extension of 1t to other states. It is argued that a family can not be supported on 160 acres of arid grazing land. This Is obviously true, but neither can family be sup ported on $40 acres of much of the land to which 1t Is proposed to apply the grazing homestead. To establish univer- sally any such arbitrary limit would be unwlse at the present time. It would probably result on the one hand in en- larging the holdings of some of the great land owners, and on the other in need- less suffering and failure on the part of a very considerable proportion of the bona fide settlers who give faith to the implied assurance of the government that such an area is sufficient. The best use of the public grazing lands requires the careful examination and classification of these lands in order to give each settler land enough to support his family and no more While this work Is being done, and until the lands are under reasonable regulations suited to local needs, follow ing the general policy already in suc- cessful operation on the forest reserves. It Is probable that the present grazing value of the open public range is scarcely t4 x.rl,r f 1t might easily be again under careful regulation.
 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 for forest preservation. All organizd oppo- stion to the forest reserves in the west has 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 appreciation of their value. The national parks within or adjacent to for est reserves should be transferred to tSie charge of the forest service also.
 Mississippi Levees.
 The national government already does something in connection with the con struction and maintenance of the great systems 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 our flag in war a great and prosperous merchant marine is in dispensable. We should have ships of our own and seamen of our own to con vey our goods to neutral markets and in case of need to re-enforce our battle line. It 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. It Is not a good thing that American merchants and manufac- turers should have to send their goods and letters to South America via Europe if they wish security and dispatch. Even on the Pacific, where our ships have held their own better than on the Atlantic, our merchant flag is now threatened through the liberal aid bestowed by other governments on their own steam lines. I ask your earnest consideration of the report with which the merchant marine commission has followed its long and carS- full inquiry.
 Jamestown TercentenniaI.
 again heartily commend to your favor able consideration the tercentennial cele- bration of the settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. Appreciating the desrability Of this commemoration, the Congress passed an act. March 3, 1905 authorizing in the year 1907 and near the waters or Hampton Roads, in the state of Virginia,