The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-02-24
ERON OTHER PENS
THE VALUE OF SWAMP LAMBS

The drainable swamp lands Of the
United States cover more than 100. GOO
square miles, and an eminent American
geolog1st pronounces them a great as
set comparable to the dormant wealth,
of the nation stored up in coal beds and
sheets published by the survey show
about 400 extensive swamp areas. scat
tered throughout all the principal sec
lions OF the United States For is wears
now the geological survey has been car
rytng on investigations under appropri-
atoms made by congress for gauging
the streams and determining the water
supply Of the United States and for the
investigation Of underground currents
and artesian wells and the preparation
OF reports upon the best methods of
utilizing the water resources" No more
can any project for the drainage of wet
lands be accomplished without a knowl-
edge Of the flow Of all streams within a
wide contiguous basin than can any
project OF irrigation. Scientific prelim-
mary investigations must first COM
pletely master the situation, so that the
size and number of the channels in q
given swamp sufficient to carry Off the
water accommodating during flood sea-
sons may be accurately determined:
the requirement obviously is to make
the available channels hold larger guam
titles then than they are ordinarily able
to carry.
Whatever may be the conditions of
our politics-however deplorable the no
torious evils long existing In political
civil service, what. .er may have been
the gross corruption in great American
municipalities, the public work of the
United States government, whether
performed under the army engineers
or by those of the coast survey and geo
logical survey, has been almost uni
fornly a matter Of solid satisfaction
from the beginning. Oberlin M. Carter
was an exception. The public works of
the United States. and the services
which have planned and executed them.
will compare In their respective fields
with those of the best in the world.
And this is no small matter for our ma
tfonal safety. prosperity and pride and
faith in the Naturalization Transcript.
THE COST OF THE CANAL.
Much comment is current upon the
increased estimates of the cost Of the
panama canal. the major part of which
appears to be more hasty than judic-
ious. It is quite true that the estimates
have Increased, though they vary con-
siderably. and none Of them is by any
means positive. It is safe to assume
that the canal will cost more than was
supposed at the time OF our purchase
of it. But that will not be surprising,
Indeed, from almost any point Of view
it would be surprising IL such were not
the case It is seldom that any great
work, public or private. is completed
at cost not exceeding the original es-
Innate. It would be little short OF
miraculous were that to be accomplish
ed in the case of work in which there
was from the beginning so large a mar
gin of unavoidable uncertainty.
There are various specific reasons fol-
the increase Of cost. One is found In
changes of plans. These changes were
found to be desirable as the work pro-
| ceeded, and the making of them In
| volved the abandonment of some work
| which had already been done and the
| mourning of unexpected expenses. II
would be absurd to say that the desira-
bility of such changes should have beer
perceived In advance. when in the very
nature of the case 1t could not be, AND
| it would be worse than absurd to say
| that changes, however desirable or es-
sential they might be, ought not to be
| made lest the original estimates of cosi
| be exceeded. 1t would be simply Grim
| inaI to construct such a work as this
canal In any other than the best way
! New York Tribune