Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-09-03

atAQuAN w
stopped. BY pursuing a rational
course, we can produce from our own
soil and refine in our own factories
all of the sugar needed for our use. 1t
is readily to be seen that the cultiva-
tion of sugar beets in the arid and
semi-arid regions will be source of
unfailing and expanding wealth in the
future. To fail to utilize to the ut
most our opportunities to develop this
great industry and retain within our
own borders all or nearly all of the
enormous sum of one hundred mill
lion dollars annually, now sent abroad,
would seem to be the part of ineXpres-
sible folly.
CLOSELY related to the subject Of ir-
rigation is the work of forestry pres
ervation The two subjects go hand
in hand. We have pursued a some
what reckless policy with regard to
the forests of the United States, In
some sections of the country, in fact,
in almost every section, we have de-
nuded our lands of timber in what
now seems to have been almost a wan
ton fashion. We have thought only
of today, having no proper regard for
the future. The demand of the coun-
try for timber needed to build our
lcllNdANs NpilHAi uNt Nhl NiRlNN anu
homes has been tremendous. We have
cut away our forests and paid no at
tention to the necessity of taking steps
for their ultimate restoration. We now
sec what some of the older countries
in their experience have seen, that it
is necessary to adhere to a rational,
semitic forestry system, not only in
the interest of our future forests, but
in the interest of the important sub
iccts of irrigation and navigation. 1t
is but a truism that If the forests are
swept away, the rainfall quickly flows
into the streams and Is wasted into the
sea, whereas. il the trees are properly
preserved upon the watersheds, the
rainfall and melting SHOWS are stored
in natures reservoirs and are gradual
ly fed into the streams for the benefit
of both agriculture and navigation.
1--WE have not fairly begun to appre-
cate the full value of our streams and
rivers. We have not fairly begun to
appropriate them to the benefit of our
industry and commerce.
The waters which come down from
the sides Of these mountains may be
converted into electrical power and
carried hundreds OF miles with but
little loss to the initial energy and ap-
propriated to lighting and heating
cities operating mines and driving the
wheels of industry To have thou
sands of miles of rivers which may be
made navigable with little expense to
the government compared with the
benefits flowing from their use in car
rying commerce There are thousands
of miles of rivers which are navigable
in degree, but which should be deep
ened and improved so as to meet our
growing needs 1t is impossible to
give too much emphasis to the i'm
portance of this subject our rivers
are the natural highways of COM
merce and the growing density of our
population and the increase of our
make ii essential that there
should be additional facilities to in
sure Cheap and ready transportation.
The capacity of The ruilways of the
country Is already taxed 10 the ut
most and the rapid development of
traffic makes it necessary that we
should largely augment the means OF
carrying it in the future Moreover
there is not a better equalizer of rates
than water competition, Water trans
portation is a perpetual and certain
guarantee against monopoly on the
part of common carriers
1--WE are earnestly carrying forward
the construction Of the Panama canal
a work of great impor-
tance not only to our commerce, but to
the commerce Of the world. lmpor-
tant as this matter is II Is not more
important than the Improvement of
navigation upon many of our rivers.
The Improvement of navigation upon
them may well go hand in hand with
work upon the great canal. The one
is in a very considerable degree the
Of the other. This is
large subject and must be considered
in a large way.
Upon such an occasion as this, I
would not venture to obtrude politics;
nothing could be more inappropriate.
The fact is that we have surfeit of
politics What we need most is more
business and less politics. Unless the
business affairs of the people are ar
rested by unwise policies. unless the
seeds of distrust are sown among
ourselves, unless commercial unrest Is
encouraged by doctrinalres, we shall
continue to expend our Industries and
the great west win continue to grow
and fulfill her mighty destiny. Can
we stand prosperity? We are In the
midst of prosperity the like of which
was never before seen. Can we utilize
it to our benefit? Can we retain It, or
will we distrust each other and in
volve it all In hopeless confusion?
There never was an hour when It was
more important that we should be
governed by sober judgment. We
should sedulently cultivate a tolerant
spirit and spirit Of justice towards
each other. We should not forget
that confidence is the sure foundation
of prosperity and progress, and we
should have a care that we do not un-
dermine It.
"Our rapidly multiplying industries
and increasing population give rise to
new questions which tax the wisdom
and patriotism Of our people. In re-
cent years we have out of the evils
which inhered In our commerce be-
tween the state, under the sharp and
certain condemnation Of the written
law. We have sought 10 extirpate
them In the interest OF fair play We
have proceeded advisedly. not blindly,
to destroy the bad and preserve the
good. We are bringing to the solu-
tion Of these and other problems an
enlightened judgment and exalted
purpose We are solving them and
will continue to solve them according
to the principles of justice and IN the
interest of wholesale trade aud COM
merce. The American people do not
go far astray. because there Is ma
tional conscience which never sleeps,
and their conclusions are reached by
It's unfaiIing light"
Following his address here. the vice
president will speak before the Union
League club. OF San Francisco. which
has arranged a public reception In his
honor
While the distinctive objects OF the
congress are 10 save the forests, store
the floods. reclaim the deserts and
make homes on the land, the scope Of
It's deliberations viii be broad enough