, 1906-09-04
PRESIDENTS LETTER
TO WATER CONGRESS


kSOuNluuSu llom po6C IL
gators should give particular atten-
ton to this problem and others of the
same kind. You should, and | doubt
not that you will, give your e%ffectual
support to the officers of the govern
ment in making the reclamation law
successful in all respects, and partic-
ularly in getting back the original in
vestment, so that the money may be
used again and again in the compile
ton Of other projects thus in the
general extension of prosperity in the
west. Until 1t has been proved that
this great investment of $4O,OOO,000 in
irrigation made by the government
will be returning to the treasury, 1t is
useless to expect that the people OF
the country will consider direct appro-
priations for the work. Let us give the
reclamation service a chance to utilize
the present investment a second time
before discussing such Increase. l
Hook forward with great confidence to
the result.
The Forest Service.
BY the side of the reclamation ser
vice there has grown up another ser
vice of not less interest and value to
you of the west. This Is the forest
service, which was created when the
charge of the forest reserves was
transferred from the interior depart
ment to the department of agriculture.
The forest policy of the administration,
which the forest service is engaged in
carrying out, is based, as l have often
said, on the vigorous purpose to make
every of the forest reserves
contribute in the highest degree to the
permanent prosperity of the people
who depend upon them. If ever the
time should come when the western
forests are destroyed, there will dis
appear with them the prosperity Of the
stockman, the miner, the lumberman
and the railroads, and, most important
of all, the small ranchman who cult
Yates his own land. l know that you
are with me in the intention to pre-
serve the timber, the water, and the
grass by using them fully, but wisely
and conservatively. We propose to
do this through the freest and most
cordial cooperation between the gov
eminent and every man who is in SYM
pathy with this policy, the wisdom of
which no man who knows the facts
can for a moment doubt.
Task Not Finished.
1t is now less than two years since
the forest service was established. 1t
had a great ask before ito create
or r~eorganize the service on a hundred
forest reserves and to ascertain and
meet the very different local conGi'
tons mt local needs all over the west.
This task is not finished, and Of course
it could not have been finished in so
short a time. But the work has been
carried forward with energy and in,
Itelligence, and enough has been done
to show how our forest policy is work
ing out.
Control of Forest Fires.
The result of first Importance to you
as irrigators is this: The forest ser
vice has proved that forest fires can
be controlled, by controlling them.
Only one-tenth of 1 per cent Of the
area of the forest reserves was burned
over in 1905. This achievement was
due both to the forest service and TO
the effective assistance of seattlers
and others in and near the reserves.
Everything the government has ever
spent upon its forest work is a small
price to pay for the knowledge that
the streams which make your prosper
ity can be and are being freed from
the ever-present threat of forest fires.
Stockmen And the Reserves.
The l~ong-standing and formerly bit
ter differences between the stockmen
and the forest officers are nearly all
settled. Those which remain are in
process of settlement. Hearty cooper
ation exists almost everywhere be-
tween the officers of the forest service
and the local associations of stockmen,
who are appointing advisory commit
tees which are Systematically consult
ed by the forest service on all ques-
tions in which they are concerned.
This most satisfactory condition of
mutual help will be as welcome to you
as it is to the administration and to
the stockmen. To the stOckmen it
means more, and more certain, grass;
to you, because of the better protec-
ton and wiser use of the range, it
means steadier stream-iow and more
water.
The sales of forest-reserve timber to
settlers, miners, lumbermen, and other
users are increasing very rapidly, and
in that way also the reserves are sue
cessfully meeting a growing need.
Promote Development.
Lands in the forest reserves that are
more valuable for agriculture than for
forest purposes are being opened to
settlement and entry as fast as their
agricultural character can be ascer-
Itained. There is therefore no longer ex-
o,ra gou .orinm +bof tho raSoryaS ra-