The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-12-03

TO the people at large for permitting
such action whether in the white
mountains, in the southern Alleghen-
les. or in the Rockies and Sierras. A
big numbering company, impatient for
immediate returns and not caring to
look far enough ahead, will often de-
+ Der in a region, hoping afterwards to
4 move on to some new country. The
shiftless man of small means. who
does not care to become an actual
home-maker but would like immedf-
ate profit, will find it to his advantage
| it over to such a big company and
| leave it valueless for future settlers
| A big mine owner, anxious only to
| develop his mine at the moment, will
care only to cut all the timber that
he wishes without regard to the flu
| ture-probably not looking ahead to
| the condition of the country when the
| forests are exhaustedS any more than
he does to the condition when the
| mine is worked out. I do not blame
! these men nearly as much as blame
the supine public opinion, the indiffer-
ent public opinion, which permits
| their action to go unchecked. OF
| course to check the waste of timber
| means that there must be on the part
! of the public the acceptance of a
! temporary restriction in the lavish use
| of the timber, in order to prevent the
| total loss of this usas in the future.
III
| private life who actually advocate the
continuance of the present system of
unchecked and wasteful extrava gance,
using as an argument the fact that to
check it will of course mean inter-
ference with the ease and comfort of
certain people who now get lumber at
less cost than they ought to pay. at
the expense of the future generations.
Some of these persons actually de-
mand that the present forest reserves
h.. fhv-nr 20
cause. forsooth. they think that there
by the price of lumber could be put
down again for two or three or more
years. Their attitude is precisely like
that of an agitator protesting against
the outlay of money, by farmers on
manure and in taking care of their
farms generally. Undoubtedly if the
average farmer were content abso-
lutely to ruin his farm, he could for
two or three years avoid spending any
money on it, and yet make a good deal
of money out IF it. But only 4 savage
would, in his private affairs. show
such reckless disregard of the future:
yet it is precisely this reckless disre-
gard Of the future which the oppon-
ents of the forestry system are now
endeavoring to get the people of the
United States to show.
The only trouble with the move
ment for the preservation OF cur. for
ests is that it has not gone. nearly far
enough. and was not begun soon
enough 1t is a most fortunate thing, |
however that we began it when we
did. We should ACQUIRE in the APP
palachian and White mountain re-
possible to acquire for the use of the |
nation. These lands because they |
form a national asset. are as emphati- !
cally national as the rivers which they |
feed. and which flow through so
many states before they reach the |
ocean. |
Tariff on Wood Pulp.
There should be no tariff on any
forest product grown in this country; |
and, in especial, there should be no |
tariff on wood pulp: due notice of the |
change beingoof course given to those |
able them to adjust themselves to the
new conditions. The repeal of the
duty on wood pulp eshould if possible
be accompanied by an agreement with
Canada that there shall be no export
duty on Canadian pulp wood.
In the eastern United States the
mineral fuels have already passed
into the hands of large private own
ers, and those of the west are rapidly
following. 1t is obvious that these
fuels should be conserved and not
wasted, and it would be we'll to pro-
tect the people against unjust and
extortionate prices so far as that can
still be done. What has been accom-
plished in the great oil fields of the
Indian Territory by the action of the
administration. offers a striking ex-
ample of the good results of such
policy. In my judgment the govern
ment should have the right to 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 congress
will not adopt this method. the coal
deposits should be sold under limita-
tons. to conserve them public utili-
ties the right to mine coal being sepa-
rated from the title to the soil. The
regulations should permit coal lands
to be worked in sufficient quantity by
the several corporations. The present
have been absurd, excess
sive. and serve useful purpose. and
often render it necessary that there
should be either fraud or else
abandonment of the work of getting
out the coal.
The Panama Canal.
Work on the Panama canal is pro-
ceeding in highly satisfactory man
ner. In March last, John F. Stevens,
chairman of the commission and chief
engineer, resigned, and the commits
sion was reorganized and constituted
as follows: Lieut. Col. George w.
Toethals, corps of engineers, U. S.
army, chairman and chief engineer;
Maj. D. d. Gaillard, corps of en-
yineers, U. S. army; Maj. William L.
olDeIL' corps u enslAeelS' ~ .. army | I
Civil Engineer H. H. Rousseau, U. S. | ,
navy; Mr.. j. C. S. Blackburn; Col w.
=. Gorgas. U. s. army, and Mr.. Jack ,
son Smith, commissioners. This !
change of authority and direction
vent into effect on April 1. without
perceptible check to the !
of the work. In March the !
otal excavation in the Culebra cut,
where effort was chiefly concentrated,
vas S15,270 cubic yards. In April
his was increased to. S79,527 cubic ,
ards. There was a considerable de-