Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1908-12-11

anu our childrenS children to perform
at once 1t Is to save the forests of
this country. for they constitute the
nrst and most important element In
the conservation OF the natural re-
sources Of the country.
ShortsighteI persons, or persons
blinded to the future by desire to
make money In every way out Of the
present. sometimes speak as II no
great damage "ould be done by the
reckless destruction Of our forests. 1t
Is difficult to have patience with the
arguments of these persons Thanks
20 our own recklessness 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, ut least for many
years. undo the mischief that has al
ready been done But We can prevent
further mischief being done, and 1t
would be In the highest degree repre-
hensible to let any consideration of
temporary convenience or temporary
cost interfere with such action, espe-
cially rs regards the national forests,
which the nation can now ut this very
moment control.
1.-THE president here cites In support
Of his contentious the great destruc-
tion wrought In China by the denuda-
tion Of the forest areas
What has thus happened In northern
China. what has happened In central
Asia. In Palestine, In north Africa, In
parts OF the Mediterranean countries
Of Europe. will surely happen in our
country II we do not exercise that
wise forethought which should be one
OF the chief marks Of any people call
Ing itself civilized. Nothing should be
permitted TO stand In the way Of the
preservation Of the forests. and 1t Is
criminal to permit indIv iduals to pur-
chase little gain for themselves
through the destruction Of forests
when this destruction Is fatal to the
we'll being Of the whole country IN the
future.
Inland Waterways.
Action should be begun forthwith,
during the present session Of congress,
for the improvement Of our inland wa
terways-a action which will result In
giving US not only navigable but
naviGated rivers. We have spent
hundreds Of millions Of dollars upon
these waterways. yet the traffic on
nearly all Of them Is steadily declin-
Ing. This condition Is the direct re-
suit Of the absence Of any compre-
hensive and farsccing plan Of water
way improvement. Obviously we can
not continue thus to cxpend the rev.
cnues Of the government without re-
turn. 1t Is poor business to spend
money for inland navigation unless
We get II.
Such shortsIghted. vacillating and
futile methods are accompanied by de-
creasing water borne commerce and
increasing traffic congestion on land,
by increasing floods and by the waste
Of public money. The remedy lies In
abandoning the methods which have
SO signally failed and adopting new
ones In keeping with the needs and
demands Of our people.
In n report on a measure introduced
at the first session Of the present con-
gress the secretary Of war said, "The
chief defect In the methods hitherto
pursued lies In the absence of execu-
tive authority for originating compre-
hensive plans covering the country or
natural divisions thereof" In this
opinion l heartily concur.
Until the work Of river improvement
Is undertaken In modern way 1t can
not have results that will meet the
needs Of this modern nation. These
needs should be met without further
dilly-dallying or delay. The plan which
promises the best and quickest results
Is that Of permanent commission au-
thorized to coordinate the work Of all
the government departments relating
to waterways and to frame and super
wise the execution Of comprehensive
plan. The time for playing with our
waterways is past. The country de-
mands results.
National Parks.
urge that all our national parks ad-
jacent to national forests be placed
completely under the control Of the
forest service Of the agricultural de-
partment. instead Of leaving them, as
they are now, under the interior de-
partment and policed by the army.
Pure Food.
The pure food legislation has already
worked q benefit difficult to overesti-
mate.
Secret Service.
Last year an amendment was incor-
pOrated III the measure providing for
the secret service which provided that
there should be no detail from the sc.
cret service and no transfer therefrom.
1t Is not too much to say that this
amendment has been Of benefit only,
and could he Of benefit only, to the
criminal classes. The amendment In
question was Of benefit to no one ex-
eeptlng to criminals, and 1t seriously
hampers the government In the detec-
tion Of crime and the securing OF JUS
tice. II prevents the promotion Of en-
ployees In the secret service. and this
further dlscourages good effort. In its
present form the restriction operates
only to the advantage Of the criminal.
IT the wrongdoer.
The chief argument IN favor Of the
provision was that the congressman
did not themselves wish to be investi-
gated by secret service men. Very lit
tie OF such Investigation has been done
In the past, but 1t Is true that the work
OF the secret service agents was partly
responsible for the Indictment and con-
victiOn Of senator and n congressman
for land frauds In Oregon. do not
believe that 1t Is In the public interest
u protect criminals In any branch oi
the public service. and exactly as We
have again and again during the pas'
seven years prosecuted and cOnyicted
such criminals who were In the execu
tive branch Of the government so IL
my belief we should be given ample
means to prosecute them II found II
the legislative branch But II this Ii