The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1906-03-09
not OUTSIDE OF UHTED STATES
rasTFT2N sTATEs8fEN REGARD
WEST as ANOTHER COUNTRY.
Teller Of Colorado Tells the Senate Of
the National Benefit From Inter
nal western Improvement


Every now and then there is sharp
passage at arms in congress between
the east and the west In fact some
Of the rather prominent men OF con
sress still seem to think that the west
is separate country, and not IN
reality q. part Of the United States and
entitled to the same consideration that
is shown the Mississippi valley Ine
Atlantic coast or the New England
States An instance Of this kind Oc-
4urred the other day when Senator
Teller Of Colorado was addressing the
senate. He resented the intimations
that the funds used in connection with
the IRRIGATION reclamation service had
been given as a bounty. TO the west
In the first place, since the money IS
all paid back to the government, ne
stated that It was simply in the na-
ture OF a loan, and further he con
tended that the irrigation law was OF
as much Importance to the east as 70
the west. that il was national in char
acfer and that it would benefit not
only the section where it was applied,
hut rehexIy every other section In
fact the west was somewhat tired OF
this idea which seemed to obtain
among some eastern statesmen, OF be
ing considered as an outside depend
= ency Of the nation
That the commercial interests Of
the east, If not its statesmen, are alive
to the desirability Of promoting the
settlement and internal improvement
of the west, is shown by the very COM
prehensive action taken recently by
the national board Of trade in Wash
fngtOn, a powerful association, com
posed Of representatives from most OF
the great commercial bodies OF the
N1.-r. -sra~0
resents a combined capital Of billions
of dollars employing several hundred
thousand workers; it has been a
strong factor in urging legislation on
various important internal works; Il
was the first Of the great commercial
bodies of the east to advocate the pas
sage Of the national irrigation law and
it has a regular standing committee
on forestry and irrigation
In the matter Of forestry legislation
the national board Of trade recon-
mended the passage Of the bill pro-
viding for the consolidation Of the
various forestry branches Of the gov
eminent into the bureau of forestry
Of the department Of agriculture This
bin was enacted into law at the las
session Of congress
The national board Of trade ha:
stood against the practice Of exchang
ing worthless scrip" land in thu
national forest reserves for valuable
public lands outside Of the reserves
and has repeatedly recommended tn'
repeal Of the law permitting this prac
tice This law was repealed at tn'
last session Of congress
At the last meeting Of the natiOna
board, opposition was expressed Z
what was known as the $40 acr
homestead biIls-increasing the home
stead entry in parts Of South Dakota
Colorado and in Montana from 10
acres to $40 acres; these bills were al
defeated at the last session Of con
gress-
Much. however. remains to be done
The national board of trade has con
sistentIy advocated the saving Of tn
great public domain for the use Of tn
real homemaker as against the Ian
and timber grabber and the specula
tor. Trade and commerce will IN
crease as population increases, an
our national land policy should 3
administered to preserve our remain
ing half billion acres Of public land
for those who will build homes upO
them. As laws which tend to OveI
come this policy the national boar
has continuously, since its meeting
January, 1902, urged the repeal
the timber and stone act, the con
mutation Of the homestead act an
the deseret land act, in accordanS
with the recommendations OF u
president in his annual messages
congress.
A public lands commission appOin
ed blythe president, consisting Of Y
A. Richards, commissioner OF II
general land Office, Frederick ]
Newell. chief. engineer OF the reclam'
ton service and Clifford PinchOt, Chi
Of the bureau on forestry, has durlI
the course Of two years made a stuC
of the public lands condition and n
brought in a report which has BET
forwarded to congress by the pres
dent with a special message recon
mending the repeal Of the timber al
stone act and the substitution OF
rational forest policy by selling on
the stumpage from the public umo
lands. retaining the lands for futu
timber growth recommending {
radical amendment Of the cOmmut
ton clause Of the homestead act Al
a like amendment Of the desert la
act in such manner as to require act
al residence and Improvement und
both OF the latter named law
amounting to their practical repeal
The provisions Of this report g
highly satisfactory to the forestry
irrigation committee Of the natioT
board Of trade, which believes II
their enactment into law, strictly c
forced, would do away with land a
timber grabbing and promote the
policies on this subject for which {
board has consistently striven
The. present indefensible land p
y icy the United States is resulting
an ay0tual money loss to the govel
nent of tens OF millions Of doll;
annually in the denuding Of our =
tersheds and the destruction Of
chances for a future timber supply,
the building up Of Tordly landed IS
ties in the west of tens and hundr'
of thousands OF acres in single own
ships, instead Of providing for
creating Of thousands Of small ~
hOmes-in short in the mismana
ment and waste Of the greatest
sources ever possessed by any nat
on earth
The attention Of our lawmakers
congress should be urgently called
the fact that while they are attem
ing economy in the expenditure
money, they are allowing laws 70
-=~sHr nv n