The Washington herald., 1908-05-15

for the public good. and in this matter
It can only be accomplished by govern
mental cooperation. And what is done
should be done quickly, SIS the time Is
/ fast approaching when our forests viii
81 so nearly gone Il viii be too late"
4 General Discussion.
At the closing OF Mr. Longs address.
there was a general discussion OF the
topics. In which practically all present
participated This lasted until after noon.
when an adjournment was taken until
2.SO o'clock In the afternoon.
Promptly at the appointed hour. Presi-
dent Roosevelt, preceded by his military
aid, Capt Mccoy, entered the room and
called the afternoon session 10 order. He
then announced that Gov. Deneen. of
/ Illinois, would preside during the after
noon.
Al this juneture It was announced that
Gov. Fort. Of New Jersey. had received
intelligence which required mis- presence
In Trenton Immediately. and he asked
/ that the speech which he intended to de-
/ liver be incorporated In the proceedings
/ Of the conference. This was done.
Hon. William Jennings Bryan then
moved that all governors and invited
guests who for some unavoidable reason.
were unable to deliver their speeches as
/ scheduled, should submit them Ia writ
ing. and that they be embodied in the
proceedings. The motion was carried.
The President then brought out the
| first laugh. and also showed how good
chairman can handle things to his Own
liking. Mr.. Long, Of Kansas. moved that
the ruling limiting the discussion speeches
to twenty minutes be eliminated
This ruling was made by the President
on Wednesday at the opening session In
order Il expedite matters. and when be
saw NJ. Long was endeavoring TO upset
1t he disposed OF the matter with bland
smil and the remark: "The Chair hears
40 second"
The ruling brought prolonged laughter.
Pardee on California.
Ex-Gov Pardee. Of California. was then
called on. and spoke on California's rivers
and forests He said in part:
III Northern California. the stream and
forest problems consist entirely, or prac-
tically 50. in protection. preservation. and
conservation Upon the solving OF these
problems depend the following most I'M
portant matters for the future of the
State:
Il Electric power
'2. Irrigation.
''3. Navigation OF the rivers.
"4. Reclamation Of swamp and over
/ flowed river lands.
'5. Lumber and timber
"The streams from which power may
be obtained have been, within the last
/ few years. filed upon in such numbers.
under the lax laws Of California and the
/ United States, that the fear is expressed
| in many directions that the power has
/ been already pretty well taken up.
''The action Of the United States gov
ernment, however. In regulating the use
Of these streams, ought 20 prevent an ab-
solute and oppressive monopoliZation Of
them.
Irrigation is necessary TO enable the
! Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys, TO
/ become thickly settled and properly utiI-
/ lied. Under natural conditions, this
whole stretch OF country was given over,
/ in the northern and central parts. 10
grain farming; in the southern part, 10
sheep and cattle ranges Because of the
| uncertainty OF sufficient rainfall. grain
farming was carried on in great holdings.
reaching as high as 5000 acres. The re-
suit was very sparse population in the
/ northern and central parts OF the valley:
while In the southern part the population
was still scantier,
Irrigated and intensively cultivated,
/ the 100000 acres Of Sacramento and
/ San Joaquin valley lands viii be easily
worth $50 per acre; a total value OF
! 81. 500. cocoon.
/
made to yield as great a low-water sup
ply as possible. the President has very
wisely made national forest reserves
along their headwaters. These reserves.
eleven in number. lying along the crests
and higher slopes Of the Sierras, cover
an area Of about 100000 acres. nearly
one-sixth Of the whole State. and guar
antee the preservation OF a large part OF
| the Sierra forests. They will also go far
| toward conserving the waters OF the
mountain streams for power and irrige-
/ ton purposes.
/ The United States Reclamation Service
/ has given considerable attention TO the
matter Of reservoirs for the purpose Of
| impounding the food-waters Of the va
rious streams.
1T is estimated that two acre-feet OF
water per annum are amply sufficient 10
/ irrigate the lands in the Sacramento and
San Joaquin valleys
1T is estimated that the retaining Of
/ the 10000 acres Of unreclaimed swamp
and overfiowed lands will enhance them
1 in value from the SO per acre they are
now worth to at least $3.50 per acre. and
/ will also increase the value of the lands
/ which are already reclaimed. but which
are now annually threatened with over
| flow.
The pine lands of California, especial
| ly those OF the northern part, suffered
| greatly, before the establishment OF the
/ forest reserve policy, from the depreda-
tions OF sheep and cattle.
From this necessarily hasty and in
complete survey of California's river and
forest resources, It is apparent that,
while, because the State is new and but
thinly populated-having only 100000
people on 100000 coo acres OF territory
| her natural resources have not been. as
in some Of the other States. nearly. If
not quite. annihilated nevertheless, her
| people have made quite extensive inroads
into her forests
Taken Suddenly III.
H. A. Jastro was then called, but as he
had been taken suddenly Ill. William c,
Barnes. OF California, read Mr.. Jastro' S
paper which was devoted 10 grazing and
stock raising. While he took up the gen
eral grazing problems of the West, he
confined himself principally to conditions
in New Mexico. Arizona, and California.
There he said the necessity Of conserving
the water for its utilization on arid lands
In that region went hand in hand with
the equally important one OF preserving
what is left of the once splendid grazing
lands, which the careless prodgality of
the early settlers had almost ruined.
He went into a general history of graz
ing and stock raising in those sections,
! and closed by citing certain phases OF
/ legislation, which he advocated as neces-
-ar-r 10 ornnlfrra Il cnr-tain oc.r difior,s