Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-12-05

$40 acres ia Nebraska and to the pro-
posed extension of it TO other states.
II is argued that family cannot he
| supported on 160 acres of arid grazing
| land. This is obviously true. but nei-
| Their can Il family be supported on 640
| acres of much of the land TO which it
is proposed to apply the grazing home
| stead. To establish universally any
such arbitrary limit would be unwise
at the present time 1t would proba-
bly, result on the one hand in enlarging
the holdings of some of the great land
owners and on the other in needless
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 10
give each settler land enough to sup
port his family and no more. While
/ this work is being done and until the
lands are settled the government should
take control of the open range. under
reasonable regulations suited TO local
needs. following the general policy al
| ready in successful operation on the
| forest reserves. 1t is probable that the
present grazing value of the open pub
| lie range is scarcely more than half
what it once was or what it might cas-
| lily be again under careful regulation
The forest policy of the administra
ton appears to enjoy the unbroken
support of the people. The great users
of timber are themselves forwarding
the movement for forest preservation.
All organized opposition TO the forest
reserves in the west has disappeared
Since the consolidation of all govern
ment forest work in the national forest |
service there has been Il rapid and not |
able gain in the usefulness of the for |
est reserves TO the people and in public |
appreciation of their value. The ma |
tionaI parks within or adjacent to for |
est reserves should he transferred TO |
the charge of the forest service also.
Mississippi LeVees.
The national government already
does something i'll connection with the
construction and maintenance of the
great system of levees along the lower
course of the Mississippi. In my judg-
ment, it should do much more.
Merchant Marine.
To the spread of our trade in peace
and the defense of our flag i'll war
great and prosperous merchant marine
is Indispensable. We should have ships
of our own and seamen of our own to
convey our goods 10 neutral markets
and in case of need to re-enforce our
battle line. 1t cannot but be Il 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
Il good thing that American merchants
and manufacturers should have TO send
their goods and letters to South Amer
lea via Europe if they wish security
and dispatch. Even on the Pacific.
where our ships have held their own
better than OH the Atlantic, our mer-
chant flag is now threatened through
the liberal aid bestowed by other gov
ernments on their own steam lines. |
ask your earnest consideration of the
report with which the merchant ma
rine commission has followed its long
and careful inquiry.
jamestown Tercentennial.
l again heartily commend to your ia
celebration of the settlement ut James
town, Va. Approaching the desirable ,
ity of this commemoration, the congress
passed an act March 3, 1903, authOrZ- !
ing i'll the year 1907, on and near the :
waters of Hampton Roads, III the state /
of Virginia, an international naval .
marine and military celebration in hon .
or of this event By the authority vest {
I
lamatiOn of said celebration and have
issued i'll conformity with its inst,uc- ,
tons invitations to all the nations of I
the earth to participate by sending &
their naval vessels and such military I
as may be practicable. G
This celebration would fail of its full 2
purpose unless it were enduring in its {
results ana commensurate with the im- I
portance of the event to be celebra ted, I
the event from which our nation dates I
its birth. | earnestly hope that this q
already Endorsed by the q
congress of the United States and by I
he legislatures of sixteen states since i
he action of the congress, will receive h
such additional aid at your hands as S
will make it worthy of the great event L
t is intended to celebrate and thereby h
enable the government of the United G
states to make provision for the exhi- b
Jition of its own resources and like r
wise enable our people who have I'M g
the work of such a celebra- 9.
ion to provide suitable and proper en- +
and instruction in the his q
oric events of our country for all who II
nay visit the exposition and to whom 81
We have rendered our hospitality. V
Pensions. II
1t is matter of unmixed satisfac- "
ion once more TO call attention to the o
EXCELLENT work of the pension bureau, IL
or the veterans of the civil war have =
greater claim upon us than any other ID
lass of our citizens. To them first of al
ii among our people honor is due ID