The weekly herald. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 1906-19??, 1908-09-10
DIR CONGRESSMAN on THE PA
10 DuRO PARK,


there appears an address by Con-
gresham John II, stephens, Of this
district, on Forestry"
Mr.. stephens has been very much
interested, from the very beginning
% the movement, in the establish
ment OF the Palo Duro National
Park. In his address on this occa-
sion he made use Of his opportunity
to bring the park question before the
vast gathering Of men interested up
on such a subject.
1t was well done and undoubtedly
will have salutary effect upon those
who heard II, We want the park
and we have q strong and persistent
advocate therefor in Mr., stephens,
The address Is worth reading, and
that all may have an opportunity to
read It we reprint It in full, as fol-
lows:
Address-Hon, ]. II. stephens, OF
Vernon, Texas, on Forestry"
Ladies' and Gentlemen: The city
of Shreveport Is to be congratulated
for having so elegantly provided for
and entertained It's guests on this
occasion. believe that this organ
ization will prove OF great benefit to
fne state OF Louisiana, Arkansas
oklahoma and Texas. The organi-
cation OF these states for the purpose
OF improving the navigation OF Red
river will greatly aid your congress-
men and senators in securing funds
from the general government to for
ward your enterprise and 1t will also
aid the states and cities directly BEN
emitted to cooperate with the gov
eminent in improving the river,
Congress Is considering bills to
create forest reserves in the Appa-
lachian and White Mountains, which
reserves will cost more than $1,000
600. They have a strong organiza-
lion which has promoted these hlIIs
"a will, believe, finally secure
for them the parks chat 'ngy des'ie'
They have already succeeded in OBJ
tanning from congress a small APP
proprlation for a survey of these
parks, aud this will be an opening
wedge TO the larger appropriations
for purchasing the land for the
parks. The opponents of these ollls
for these parks claim that they are
unconstitutional; ] do not agree WITH
this contention. believe that inc
general welfare clause OF the Con
stitution covers the purpose Of these
bills, and then | am certain that Il
would come under the clause regu'
latino the interstate commerce, eth
or nv land or water. Many streams
heading these mountains form nayi
gable rivers before reaching the sea
as In the case with the TENNESSEE
river, and If we have the constitu
tional right in congress to dredg'
rivers and take from the river the
sand and debris then we can Ger
tainlv keep the same debris from
washing from the mountain side IN
IN the streams by purchasing tho
lands and creating forest reserves
out of these lands, A single eXpen
dlture for purchasing lands woulC
save annual expenditure in dredging
the rivers. II we can spend money t
keep dirt from washing into a rive
then we can spend money also K
keen II out OF the river. The prop
ositions are the same, and no on
doubts the constitutional right o
congress to dredge its rivers, for tn
purpose Of navigation and irrigation
20 hand in hand and are essentia
TO each other. Forests on the head
OF streams prevents the washing o
the soils into the streams, and thu
filling and destroying the navigator
and also causing destructive over
flows along the river valleys, result
ing in the loss OF crops and improve
ments OF great value, as well as tn
loss of life by causing sickness; sue
diseases as typhoid fever, along tn
oyarflnwpd streams
Government Forests.
If the government can, and II
does, legally spend millions OF dol
lars to dredge out rivers, then 10
the same reasons it can plant forest
on the heads of the same rivers.
the government can, and it does le
gally spend millions Of dollars to il
rigate arid lands on the heads G
rivers by building large reservoir
So as to prevent the waters fror
Overlooking the lowlands, and usin
them locally for raising crops by IL
rigation, then it can prevent the oN
erflowing of the lowlands below b
creating forests above. In othe