The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-10-06

for dry farming and smaller one to
the irrigated districts. Loyal and
earnest cooperation is needed be-
tween the national reclamation SER
vice and the state governments, that
are trying to reclaim lands under the
Carey act, and no conflicts should oc-
cur or jealousies exist. Title for gov
eminent land under government irri-
cation projects should be granted
more quickly than they are at present,
and, If necessary, our national laws
should be changed so as to bring this
about. Title should follow more as a
result of cultivation and use than of
length of time necessary for the set
tier to live upon the government lands.
before title is granted. We see the
Importance and necessity of this ex-
emplified every day by the success
with which settlers meet in taking up
lands under the Carey act projects.
{ - So Forest Reserves.
1t Is pleasing to note also that dur
ing the past year a great impetus has
been given to the increase of our
forest reserves and the conservation
of. our natural resources. The mag
nificent work of President Roosevelt
In starting a movement that shall not
only increase the forests of the west.
but shall preserve the natural wealth
already possessed, should have the
nearly commentator of every west
ern citizen. 1t means great things
Tor our future. and the members of
TINS congress know better than any
one else how essential is such an UNI
'dertaking. 1t is a part of a great
scheme that when worked out will
transform the Trans Mississippi Sec
ton into marvellous picture Of
prosperity.
but agriculture is not the only re-
SOURCE of the states between the Pa
clnce ocean and the Mississippi river.
me mining industry of the mountain
commemorative has experienced a. de-
velopment as marked as that of the
Farming communities. New machin-
cry and new methods have revolution
lied the mines. Every shaft is work
ed in a. more systematic and profitable
manner than at any time since the
'4sers crossed the backbone of the
continent.
Transportation Is Chief Problem.
out of this remarkable advancement
or the Trans-Mississippi country
comes one great problem that over
shadows all others now before us. I'M
portant as are the various interests
which we are trying, to- build up, and.
close as, are they. to our, national. life,
| the, present day question before the
Transmississippi country is that of
transportation for its constantly riS-
ing abundance of production. The one
thing that the farmer and the miner
want to know today is how to get the
material he produces most cheaply and
most directly to a world market, Only
two methods are open, by river trans
portatlon and by railway. There are no
vast inland seas. no great bays or
lakes to furnish a passage for all this
wealth of grain and minerals, There
are rivers that flow for hundreds of
miles, but offer only an Indifferent
method OF transportation. 1t is pleas
ing to see that the government is TAX
ing an interest in the possibilities of
this form of transportation and that
the waterways are receiving attention
1t has been one of the efforts of this
congress to urge and secure assistance
along this line. The government
owes it to the people who occupy these
fertile acres to give every possible
aid in deepening and broadening the
rivers that can carry our products to
deep waters. 1t owes to these states
and territories a more determined eff
fort than ever before to improve the
western -harbors to which may be
| shipped western products. The great
granary and mineral territory of the
United States is going to have it's
rights in waterway improvement, or
know the reason why.
| s31~ss@s5 Waterways
| In making these improvements We
of the Transmississippi country are
most interested in those streams and
harbors that touch our own states.
| We are particularly DESTROYS that the
navigation of the Missouri and lower
Arkansas rivers be improved until
there shall be a worthy advance to the
transportation of our western pro-
ducts. Along these streams are grow
ing cities and improved farms, and
the government owes it to the men
who are making prosperous country
of what was once open plain that they
be given every possible encourage
ment. -.
However, only comparatively small
portion of the Transmississippi co an
try can be reached by navigable
streams. We must depend upon the
iron rail as a highway to market for
the greater portion of our products
The railroads came into the western
states and found them a trackless
desert. Today the most splendid lin
tied trains in the world fash across
well improved and wonderfully devel-
oped areas. Transcontiaental lines
connect the Pacific coast with the At