The Mena weekly star., 1907-12-05

= .ha ,sras.nt convress: and the great est of all our rivers. the Mlssissippl should receive especial attention T t
 the Great Lakes to the mouth or 'ne Mississippi there should be ueep "A terway, with deep waterways ieaui'n from 1t to the cast and the wes'. o ouen waterway would practically mean tha ertension of our coast line into the very heart Of our country. It would pc of incalculable benefit to our people IT begun at once it can be carried throush in time appreciably to relieve the con gestion of our great freight-carrylns lines of railroads. The work shoulo ps systematically and continuously car1i.u forward in accordance with some weA- conceived plan. The main streams should be improved 10 the highest point of efficiency before the improve ment of the branches Is attempteo' anu the work should be kept free rom every taint of recllessness or jobbery.
 Attention is called to the work or IT rigation and reclamation or govern ment lands In the same connection ne asks for a revision of the public land laws along the lines proposed by the public lands commission. Believes the government should increase It's enorts to conserve our forests and should m crease by purchase the existing forest preserves On the subject of the natural resources of the nation he says;
 Tn the eastern United States the mineral fuels have already passed Into the hands of large private owners, and those of the west are rapidly following. It Is obvious that these fuels should be conserved and not wasted, and 1t would be well to protect the people against unjust and extortionate prices so Tar as that can still be done. What has been accomplished in the great oil hx a action of the administration offers striking example of the good results of such a policy In my judgment the government should have the right to keep the fee of the coal. oil and gas fields in It's own possession and to lease the rights to develop them under proper regulations: or else. If the con gress will not adopt this method, the coal deposits should be sold under linn itations, to conserve them as public utilities. the right to mine coal being separated from the title to the soil The regulations should permit coal lands to be worked in sufficient Quan- tity by the several corporations. The present limitations have been absurd. excessive, and serve no useful purpose, and often render 1t necessary that there should be either fraud or else abandonment of the work of getting out the coal"
 Progress of the Work
 On the Panama Canal.
 Work on the Panama canal is pro- ceeding in a highly satisfactory man. ner. In March the total excavation in the Culebra Cut. where effort was chiefly concentrated, was s15,27o cubic yards. In April this was increased to s79.527 cubic yards. There was con- siderable decrease in the output for May and June owing partly to the ad- vent of the rainy season and partly to temporary trouble with the steam shovel men over the question of wages. This trouble was settled satisfactorily to all parties and in July the total sx- cavation advanced materially and in August the grand total from all points in the canal prism by steam shovels and dredges exceeded all previous United States records. reaching 1.274,- 404 cubic yards In September this rec ord was ecupsed and a total of 1.517.- 412 cubic yards was removed Of this amount 1.4S1.3o7 cubic yards were from the canal prism and 3e,105 cubic yards were from accessory works. These re- suits were achieved in the rainy sea- son with a rainfall in August of 11.s9 inches and in September of 11.65 inches. Finally. in October. the record was again eclipsed. the total excavation be- inS ltoocstNS NuDiC lIuly traordinary record, especially in view of the heavy rainfall, which was III inches. In fact. experience during the last two rriny seasons demonstrates that the rams are a less serious ob- stacle to progress than has hitherto been supposed.
 Work on the locks and dams at Gatun. which began actively in March last. has advanced so far that it is hal locks can be begun within IS months
 Last winter bids were requested and received for doing the work of canal construction by contract. None of them was found to be satisfactory and all were rejected. It is the unanimous opinion of the present commission that the work can be done better, more cheaply. and more quickly by the gov ernment than by private contractors. Fully so per cent. of the entire plant needed for construction has been pur- chased or contracted for; machine shops have been erected and equipped for making all needed repairs to the plant; many thousands of employees have been secured; an effective organi- zation has been perfected; a recruiting system is in operation which is capable of furnishing more labor than can be used advantageously; employees are well sheltered and well fed salaries paid are satisfactory. and the work Is not only going forward smoothly but 1t is producing results far in advance of the most sanguine anticipations. Under these favorable conditions. change in the method of prosecuting the work would be unwise and unjusti- nable. for it would inevitably disorgan- ize existing conditions. check progress. and increase the cost and lengthen the time of completing the canal
 President Recommends
 Postal Savings Banks.
 T commend to the favorable consid- eration of the congress postal saw ings bank system. as recommended by the postmaster general The primary object is to encourage among our peo- pie economy and thrift and by the use of postal savings banks to give them an opportunity to husband their re- sources. particularly those who have not the facilities at hand for depositinE their money in savings banks. Viewed. however. from the experience of the past few weeks. it Is evident that the advantages of such an institution are still more far-reaching. Timid depos- itors have withdrawn their savings for the time being from national banks; in- dividua1s have hoarded their cash and the workingmen their earnings; all of which money has been withdrawn and kept in hiding or in the safe de- posit box to the detriment of pros perity Through the agency of the pos- tai savings banks such money would be restored to the channels of trade. to the mutual benefit of capital and labor.
 T further commend to the congress the consideration of the postmaster