Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1907-12-06

laws evils such 40 child labor, % the
over-working Of women. 80 the fail
ure 10 protect employees from los Of
life or limb. can Be effectively resehsA
any more than the evils OF rsbatss and
tock-watseing can be reached without
good laws. To fan to stop these prao-
tees By legislation means 70 force
honest men into them, because other
wise the dishonest who surely will
take advantage Of them will have
everything their own way. II the states
will correct these evils. we'll and good:
but the nation must stand ready TO aid
them.
Inland Waterway Systems
Should BE Developed.
The conservation Of our national re-
sources and their proper use constitute
the fundamental problem which under
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 foresight.
we must look ahead. AS a nation we
not only enjoy a wonderful measure OF
present prosperity but II this prosper
ity is used Alright II is an earnest OF
future success such as no other nation
will have. The reward Of foresight fol
this nation is great and easily foretold.
But there must be the look ahead.
there must be a realization Of the fact
that to waste to DESTROY our NEUTRAL
resources, to skin and exhaust t. land
instead Of using il so as TO increase its
usefulness. will result In und rmining
in the days Of our children the very
prosperity which we ought by rl~ht TO
hand down to them amplifled and devel
oped. For the last few years through
several agencies, the government has
been endeavoring to get our people to
look ahead and to substitute planned
and orderly development OF our re-
sources in place Of haphazard striv-
ing for immediate profit. Our great
river systems should be developed as
national water highways: the Missis-
sippi with its tributaries. standing first
in importance and the Columbia Sec
ond, although there are many others OF
Importance on the Pacific and Atlantic
and the gulf slopes. The national gov
NJ
and I hope beginning will be made
in the present congress; and the great
est Of all our rivers. the Mississippi.
should receive especial attention. From
the Great Lakes to the mouth of the
Mississippi there should be a deep wa
terway. with deep waterways leading
from II to the east and the west Such
waterway would practically mean
the extension OF our coast line into the
very heart Of our country II would be
OF incalculable benefit to our people. II
begun at once Il can be carried through
In time appreciably to relieve the con-
gestion Of our great freight-carrying
lines OF railroads. The work should be
Systematically and continuously carried
forward In accordance with some we'll
conceived plan. The main streams
should be improved to the highest
point Of efficiency before the improve
ment Of the branches is attempted; and
the work should be kept free from
every faint Of recklessness or jobbery."
Attention is called to the work Of ir-
rigation and reclamation Of govern
ment lands. In the same connection he
asks for revision Of the public land
laws along the lines proposed by the
public lands commission. Believes the
government should increase its efforts
to conserve our forests and should in
crease by purchase the existing forest
preserves. On the subject Of the natural
resources OF the nation he says:
IN 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
II Is obvious that these fuels should be
conserved and not wasted, and II would
be well to protect the people against
unjust and eXtortionate prices. so far
as that can still be done. What has
been accomplished in the great oil
fields Of the Indian Territory by the
action Of the administration offers a
striking example of the good results
OF such policy. In my judgment the
government should have the right 10
/ keep the fee of the coal oil and gas
fields in its 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 lin
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 duan-
tity by the several corporations The
present limitations have been absurd.
excessive and serve no useful purpose
and often render ii 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.