Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1908-12-10

in the use Of our splendid forests,
we have already crossed the verge OF a
timber famine In this country, and no
measures that we now take can, at least
for many years. undo the mischief that
has already been done. But we can pre-
vent further mischief being done; and 1t
would be in the highest degree reprehen-
sible to let any consideration OF tenn
porary convenience or temporary cost
interfere with such action. especially as
regards the national forests which the
nation can now. at this very oment
control.
The lesson OF de~forestation in China
is a lesson which mankind should have
earned many times already from what
has occurred in other places. Denuda-
ton leaves naked soil; then outlying
cuts down to the bare rock; and mean
while the rock-waste buries the bottom
lands. When the soil is gone, men
must go; and the process does not take
long.
Plea for Inland Waterways.
Action should be begun forthwith, DUR
ing the present session of the congress,
for the improvement of our inland water
~ways-action which will result in giving
us not only navigable but navigated
rivers.
Until the work of river Improvement is
undertaken in a modern way 1t can not
have results that will meet the needs OF
this modern nation. The plan
which promises the best and quick
est results is that of a per-
manent commission authorized to co-or-
dinate the work of all the government
departments relating to waterways, and
to frame and supervise the execution OF
a comprehensive plan. Under such a
commission the actual work of construc-
ton might be entrusted to the reclama-
ton service; or to the military engineers
acting with a sufficient number of civili-
ans to continue the work in time of war;
or it might be divided between the rec
lamation service and the corps of en-
gineers. Funds should be provided from
current revenues if it is deemed wise
otherwise from the sale of bonds. The
essential thing is that the work should
go forward under the best possible plan,
and with the least possible delay. The
time for playing with our waterways Is
past. The country demands results.
!, The president urges that national
parks adjacent to national forests be
l placed under the control of the forest
service of the agricultural depart
r ment; he also points out the benefits
derived from pure food legislation.
The message continues:
Needs of the Secret Service.
I Last year an amendment was incor-
. porated in the measure providing for the
secret service, which provided that there
. should be no detail from the secret serv-
5 ice and no transfer therefrom. The
5 amendment in question was of benefit to
e no one excepting to criminals, and
1t seriously hampers the government In
the detection of crime and the securing
a of justice. The chief argument In
e favor of the provision was that
I the congressman did not them
a selves wish to be Investigated by the
q secret service men. Very little of sucf
n investigation has~been done in the past
o but it Is true that the work of the secre'
) service agents was partly responsible FOL
Q the indictment and conviction OF a sen
Il ator and a congressman for land fraud
y in Oregon. / do not believe that 1t /!
: in the public interest to protect criminal
n in any branch of the public service, AM
u exactly as we have again and again dur
u ing the past seven years prosecuted an
convicted such criminals who were II
u the executive branch of the government
y so in my belief we should be given ampl
g means to prosecute them If found in tn
le legislative branch. But If this Is no
1T considered desirable a special exception
= could be made in the law prohibiting tn
p use of the secret service force in tnves
"a tigating members of the congress.
Postal Savings Banks.
I again renew my recommendation
for postal savings banks, for deposit
a ing savings with the security OF TN
Il. government behind them. The obJec
o. Is to thrift n economy l
IN the wage-earner and person of moo
10 crate means. 1t is believed that in tn
Sc aggregate vast sums of money would
III | In,,ubE Sptn ejaculation through the IL
Is strumentality of the postal saving
Va banks.
Parcel Post.
as In my last annual message I con
mended the poStmaster-general
recommendation for an extension OF TT
I'D parcel post on the rural routes. III
al establishment of a local parcel post c
re rural routes would be to the mutui
a. benefit of the farmer and the count1
to storekeeper, and it is desirable that II
he routes, serving more than 10000
people, should be utilized to the fulle
L. practicable extent.
Education.
"a With the limited means hitherto pr
ly yided, the bureau of e ducation HI
he rendered efficient service, but the CO..
to gress has neglected to adequately su'
cir ply the bureau with means to meet Il
Iss educational growth of the countr
ne I earnestly recommend that this u
lie fortunate state of affairs as regar
n the national educational Office be rem
er- died by adequate appropriations. Th
be recommendation is urged by the repr
sentatives of our common schools al
ng great state universities and the leadil
1r- educators, who all unite in requestil
X favorable consideration and action
the congress upon this subject.
me- The president points out the nece
10. sity of better organization of the va
i'd GUS bureaus responsible for the pub,
be, health, and urges the placing of
ne soldiers homes under the jurisdicti
m of the wal department.
ng Statehood.
ny On the question of statehood t
of president says:
a I advocate the immediate admission
If New Mexico and Arizona as states. IT
9TH should be done at the present session
YER the congress. The people of the two t
the ritories have made it evident by tn
votes that they will not come In as c
state. The only alternative is to adj
: them as two and l trust that this will
done without delay.
Interstate Fisheries.
I call the attention of the congress
-elv the Importance OF the problem of
rts fisheries in the interstate waters. On
IA Great Lakes we are now, under the W
re- wise treaty of April II of this year,
in deavoring to come to an internatio
no agreement for the preservation and S
,rta tsfactory use of the fisheries Of these '
,yer tiers which can not otherwise be achiev
Lake Erie, for example, has the rich
fresh water fisheries in the world; hui
FAR is now controlled by the statutes of