The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-12-04

three or more years. Their attitude IS precisely like that of an agitatof protest ing against the outlay of money by Tar mers on manure and in taking care of their farms generally. Undoubtedly, II the average farmer were content abso- lutely to ruin his farm. he could for two or three years avoid spending any money on 1t, and yet make a good deal of money out of 1t, but only savage would, in his private affairs, show such reckless disregard of the future; yet it Is pre- cisely this reckless disregard of tne 1u- ture which the opponents of the forestry system are now endeavorinS to get the people of the United States to show. The only trouble with the movement for the preservation of our forests is that IL has not gone nearly far enough, and was not begun soon enough. It is a most fortu- nate thing. however, that we began It when we did. We should acquire in the Appalachian and White Mountain re- gions all the forest lands that it is possi- ble to acquire for the use of the nation. These lands, because they form national asset. are as emphatically national as the rivers which they feed, and which flow through so many states before they reacn the ocean.
 Tariff on Wood Pulp.
 There should be no tarff on any forest product grown in this country; and, In especial. there should be no tariff on wood pulp; due notice of the change being of course given to those engaged in the business so as to enable them to adjust themselves to the new conditions. The repeal of the duty on wood pulp should If possible be accompanied by an agree- ment with Canada that there shall be no export duty on Canadian pulp wood.
 Mineral Lands.
 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. It Is obvi- ous that these fuels should be conserved and not wasted, and it would be well to protect the people against unjust and cx- tortonate 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 a policy In my judgment the gov ernment 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 Congress will not adopt this method, the coal deposits should be sold under limitations. to conserve them as public utilities, the right to mine coal be- lP SepdTaieu IrOIn the tllle to rHe boll. The regulations should permit coal lands to be worked in sufficient quantity by the several corporations. The present limi- tations have been absurd, excessive and serve no useful purpose. and often rem der 1t necessary that there should be either fraud or else abandonment of che work of getting out the coal.
 The Panama Canal.
 Work on the Panama canal is proceed ing in highly satisfactory manner. In March last, John r. Stevens. chairman of the commission and chief engineer re- signed. and the commission was reorgan- ized and constituted as follows Lieut. Col. George w. Goethals, Corps of Engi- neers, United States army, chairman and chief engineer; Maj. D. D. Gaillard, Corps of Engineers, L. g. A.; MaJ. Will liam l.. Sibert, Corps of Engineers, U. $. A; Civil Engineer H. H. Rousseau, U. g.. N. MT. J. c. s. Blackburn, Col. w. C.. Gorgas, U. s. A., and MT. Jackson Smith, commissioners. This change of authority and direction went into effect on April 1 without causing a perceptible check to the progress of the work. In March the total excavation in the Culebra cut, where effort was chiefly concentrated, was S15,- 270 cubic yards. In April this was in creased to S70527 cubic yards. There was a considerable decrease in the output for May and June owing partly to the advent of the rainy season and partly to tenn porary trouble with the steam shovel men over the question of wages. This trouble was settled satisfactorily to all parties, and in July the total excavation ad- vanced materially, and in August the grand total from all points in the canal prism by steam shovels and dredges ex- ceeded all previous United States records, reaching 4,404 cubic yards. In Septem- Der this record was eclipsed and a total of 1,517, ,412 cubic yards was removed. Of this amount 1,4S1, ,3G cubic yards were from the canal prism and 36.105 cubic yards were from accessory works. These results were achieved In the rainy season with a rainfall in August of 11S9 inches and in September of II. .65 inches. Finally, in Oc- tober, the record was again eclipsed, the total excavation being 1,S6S,729 cubic yards 0 truly extraordinary record, espe- cial1y in view of the heavy rainfall which was III inches. In fact, experience dur ing the last two rainy seasons demon strates that the rains are a less serious obstacle 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 1t is thought that masonry work on tn e locks can be begun within IS months. In order to remove all doubt as to the satisfactory character of the founda- tions for the locks of the canal, the Secretary of War requested three emi- nent civil engineers, of special experi- ence in such construction Alfred Noble, Frederic P. Stearns and John R. Free man. to visit the 18th mus and mak e borough personal Investigations of the sites. These gentlemen went to the isthmus in April and by means of test pits which had been dug for the purpose, they inspected the proposed foundations and also examined the borings that had been made. In tn cir report to the Secretary of War, under date of May 2, 1907, they said: We found that all of the locks, of the dimensions now proposed, will rest upon rock of such character that 1t will furnish a safe and stable founda- tion" Subsequent new borings con ducted by the present commission. have fully confirmed this verdict. They sho that the locks will rest on rock for their entire length. Tine cross sec tion of the dam and method of con- truction vii, be such as to insure against any slip or sloughing off. Sim ilar examination of the foundations of the locks and dams on the Pacific side are in progress. l believe that the locks sh ould be made of width of 12O feet.
 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 caeaply, and more quickly by the gov ernment than by private contracts. Full