The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1907-12-06

hcartiest cooperation with his fell
lows. exactly as the business man has
learned 10 work: and ne must prepare
to use 10 constantly better Naniax
the knowledge that can be obtained
from Agricultural colleges. while he
must insist upon a Practical curriculum
in the schools iii which his caiidFea
are taugnt.
The grala producing industry Ct the
county. one of the most Important
In the United States. deserves special
consideration at the hands OF the con-
gress. Our grain Is sold almost eG-
clusiyely by grades. To secure sat
isfactory results In our home mar
kets and TO facilitate our trade
abroad. these grades should approx
mate the highest degree OF uni
formity and certainty. The present d.
verse methods OF Inspection and grad
Ing throughout the country under dr.
ferent laws and boards, result in con-
fusion and lack OF uniformity. des~
truying that confidence which is nee
essary for hsatthfui trade. Complaints
against the present methods naye con-
tinued for years and they are growing
In volume and intensity, not only in
this country but abroad. | therefore
suggest TO the congress the a~dyisabaltty
OF a national system OF inspection 2
grading of grain entering into Inter-
state and foreig'. commerce as a REM
edy for the present evils.
Inland Waterways.
The conservation of oar natural re-
Eources and their proper use constitute
the funlamertal problem wHich unqer-
lies almost every other problem of our
national life. we must maintain for
Our civilization the adequate material
basis without which that civilization
cannot exist. We must show fose-
sight, we must ook ahead. AS a ma
ton we not only enjoy a wonderful
measure Of present prosperity, but III
this prosperity is used Alright It IS
an earness OF future success such as
no other nation viii Rave, The reward
Of foresight fo- this nation is great
and easily fo6told. But there must
be the look ahead. there must be q
realization of the fact that Ia waste.
Ia destroy, our natural resources, 10
skin and exhaust the land instead of
using it so as TO increase it's useful
ress, VIII result In undermining in the
days of our children the very pres
perity which we ought By right To hand
down 10 them amplifed and developed.
For the last few years. through several
agencies, the government has been en-
~deavoring to get our people TO look
ahead and TO substitute a planned and
orderly development of our
In place of a ~haphazard striving for
immediate profit.
Our great river systems should be- de- !:
veloped as national water highways: /:
the Mississippi, with lis tributaries, /.
standing first In importance, ana the /:
F: Columbia second, although there are /.
many Others of importance ON the Pa .
cittc. The Atlantic and the gut slopes. /:
: Ihe national government should under {:
take this work, ana | hope a beg inning /:
VIII be made In the present congress. +.
and the greatest of all our rivers. the /.
: mississippi, should receive especial at /:
tention- /:
From the great lakes to the mouth of
the Mississippi! there should i've a aeep
water way, with deep waterNays leading
from II TO the east and the west Such n
waterway would practically mean the eG-
tension OF our coast line tnt0 the very
heart of our country. The government
dams should be used to produce hundreds
OF thousands of horsepower as IN Incl
Gent 10 improving nav saEon; for the an
nual value of the unused water power OK
the United States per haps exceed Is the an
nual value OF the products Of All our
mines. As an incident 10 creating the deep
waterway down the Mississippi, the gov-
eminent should build along It's whole
lower length levees which taken togo her
with the control OF the ~hcadwaters. will
at once and forever put a complete stop
10 all threat of floods In the immensely
fertile Delta region. | have appointed nm
inland waterways commission To tudy
ana outline a comprehensive scheme of
development along all the lines indicated
Later ! shall lay lis report before the
congress.
Reclamation Work.
Irrigation should be far more extensively
developed than at present. not only in the
states of the great plains and the Rocky
mountains, but I'm many others. as. for
Instance. in large portions Of The south
Atlantic and gulf states, where il should
go hand In hand with the recla nation of
swamp land The federal government
should seriously devote Itself IN This t9Gk
realizing that utilization of waterways
and water power, forestry, irrigation. and
the reclamation Of lands threatened
with overflow, are all interde-
pendent parts OF he same problem.
Public Lands.
The land law system which was de-
signed to meet the needs OF the fertile and
well-watered regions of the middle west
has largely broken down when applied To
the dryer egion of the great plains, the
mountains, and much OF the Pacific slope,
wnefe a farm OF 100 acres Is Inadequate
Tor self-snpport- In these regions the sys-
tenn lent Itself to fraud.Nand much land
passed out of the hands of the govern
ment without passing into rhe hands Of
the home-maker. The department 81 the
interior and the department of jus tice
Joined in prosecuting the ofTeuGers against
the law; and they have accomplished
much. while where the admin. stration of
the law has been defective IL has been
changed. But the laws theneives are de-
receive. Three years ago a public lands
"a HEIti&AAeI 10 HtEAkf3.ES
the law, and defects. and "A
remedy. Their examination specifically
showed the existence OF great fraud upon
the public domain, and their r~eromnenea i.
tions Tor changes In the law were made
with the design Of conserving the natural
resources OF every part of the public
lands by putting Il TO It's best use. Espe~
ctal attention was called to the prevention
or settlement by the passage OF great
areas OF public lane into the hands Of nj
rev men. and 20 the enormous waste
caused by unrestricted grazing upon the
open range The rec commentators OF the
public lands commission are sound, for
they are especially I'm the interest Of the
actual hofne~maker. and where the small
nome-maker can not at present uti. ize
the land they provide tina the govern
ment shall keep control of IL 80 that II
may not be menopolized by a few men.
The congress has not yet acfed ursou
these recon ndatio but they are 80
Just and proper. SO essential 10 our ma
uonal welfare. that | feel confident, IL
the congress Will take time Ia consider
them. that they will ultima tely be adopt
ed.
Some such legislation as thar proposed
~ essential In order 10 preserve the great
stretches OF public grazing land which
are unnt for cultivation under present
methods and are valuabie only for the
forage which they supply, These
stretches amount In all TO some 800. aa9. oa
acres. and are open to the free grazing Of
cattle. sheep. horses and goats, without
restriction. Such a system. or rather
such lack or system. means THAI The