The Washington times., 1908-09-01
SECRETARY WILSON
RETURNS FROM TRIP
Sets Forth His Views on
Conservation of Our Ma
tural Resources.

Secretary of Agriculture Wilson has
returned to his desk, after an absence
Of about two months in the West
during which time he looked into analrs
involving his department in number
of States.
The Secretary came home, TO ind ms
desk piled with business, but he mas
set forth some views on the question
Of conservation OF natural resources
especially relating to the forests ana the
water supplies of the Western States
Prosperity Bulletin
In addition to this, he brings most
cheering prosperity bulletin. Ine WesI
doesn't know much about the alleseu
business troubles. It's farmers nave
rosenifcent erops growing and are sell
ing the old crops, and preparing TO sen
the new one. for high prices. Weather
and crop conditions this season have
been excellent. and the new crop, the
secretarv believes, will have a most
buovant erect on financial and COM
nercial conditions all over the couh-
trv He confidently looks for a contnu-
a4ion of the Improvement In business
which has been apparent everywhere
FOR the last few months, and Tor us
forward movement at an accelerated
speed. .,.,,
But when he turned to the question
Of natural resources, the Secretary was
not pleased with what he had learned
In the first place. he had found I@naI @
many streams in the mountain Cou4tI CoIi ,
are drying up, the fesuIL u = 4jv12
away the forests. There was a - -
Tvhen some students Of forest ana WaIei
Conditions questioned whether the -
TDovaI of forests would have any Selloe Sellos
erect on the streamsi t1l o4I lilS T., [agcent
e0ce of the mountain west III yST-S,-s ,SSo-,e
time has settled this question: .t{Io lt{l =
Ss No longer doubt that the denudaUoLl
az the mountains has direct anu H'Os'
serious effect on the streams
Water Supply
ssvr roIorado.' % said Secretary wilson
ST learned that two of the ols Oeol
spear factories have been closed uo"H
because OF the slack supply or Wa'eI
Thev raise their sugar beets out Iheio
., tho irrigated areas, and when lhe
water supplv is seriously reduced, the
beet crop is Immediately cut on
The beet sugar interest in COLORADO
sn5 Trtsb is nowadays become q most
tr7nortant one. and anything Whlch al
fActs II is looked upon as Of the great
est commercial significance. SecISsaIS Ses-1-Is
Wilson is more than eyer Coil' - =
Sl1over,ent for preservation or the 4oI :
ests. forests mean conservation VI
water and water means both HI453
ton and power
Increase in Productiveness.
Generally speaking" said the Secre-
tsrv .,the information of our depart
uent shows that in recent years theIe
has. beeu a considerable increase In the
,rod11ctiveness of the soil. I'VE have
investigated this carefully, and theFe
IS no doubt that the acre yield or crops
is showing a most significant increase
We attribute II to better farming meth
DDS. to assimilation Of the scientific In
formation about crop rotation, caring
for the soil, etc, which the department
and the agricultural colleges have plac-
ed at the command OF the farmers, and
10 a general effort at intelligent preser-
walton Of the elements which enable the
soil to do its best work
Taft's Chances.
Speaking of political conditions. Secre-
tarv Wilson said that the drift in the
West is all for Taft, and he expressed
strong conviction, based on his inquiries
in a number of States. that Mr.. Taft
VIII carry all the States that President
Roosevelt carried four years ago. so far
as concerns the West The feeling that
Republican rule will bring back general
prosperity, and assure its continuance.
Is a powerful influence with the voters.
Later in the campaign the Secretary
will 90 out for a speaking tour, in the
course of which he viii talk for the
Republican ticket. especially in New
England.