Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1908-12-10

Thanks to our own rcckiessness
In the use of our splendid forests
We have already crossed tho verge Of
timber famine In this country, and no
measures that we now take can. At least
for many years. undo the mischief that
has already been done But We can pre-
vent further mischief being done; and II /
would be In the highest degree reprchen- |
sihle To let any consideration Of tenn |
porury convenience or temporary cost |
Interfere with such action. especially as |
regards the national forests which the |
nation can now. at this very moment.
control
The lesson Of deforestation In China |
IN a lesson which mankind should have |
learned many times already from what
has occurred in other places Dcnuda-
tion leaves naked soil. then outlying
cuts down to the bare rock and mean
while the rock waste buries the bottom
lands. when the soil Is gone. men
must go. and the process does not take
long
Plea for Inland Waterways.
Action should be begun forthwith. dur
Ing the present session Of the congress.
for the Improvement OF our inland water
ways-action which will result in giving
u- not only navlgabie but navigatcd
rivers.
tntii the work Of river Improvement Is
NNAttfANfn IN n ult1ftm way u can not
have results that will meet the needs Of
this modern nation. The plan
which promises the best and quick
est results is that OF per
manent commission authorized TO co-or-
dinate the work Of all tho government
departments relating to waterways. and
TO frame and supervise the execution of
comprehensive plan. u'rrier such
commission the actual work Of construc-
tion might be entrusted 20 the reclama-
tion service. or TO the military engineers
acting with a sufficient number OF civili-
ans 20 continue the work In time OF war
or II might be divided between the rec
iamatlon service and the corps OF en-
gineers. Funds should be provided from
current revenues II II Il deemed wise
otherwise from the sale OF bonds. The
essential thing Is that the work should
30 forward under the best possible plan.
and with the least possible delay. The
time for playing with our waterways is
past. The country demands results.
The president urges that nationa,
parks adjacent TO national forests be
placed under the control Of the forest
service of the agricultural depart.
ment: he also points out the benefits
derived from pure food legislation.
The message continues:
Needs OF the Secret Service.
Last year an amendment was incor-
poratcd In the measure providing for the
secret service. which provided that there
should be no detail from the secret Serv-
Ice and no transfer thercfrom. The
amendment In question was % benefit to
no one excepting to criminals. and
u seriously hampers the government In
the detection Of crime and the securing
Of justice. The chief argument in
favor of the provision was that
the congressman did not them
selves wish to be- investigated by the
secret service men. Very little Of such
Investigation has been done In the past:
but II Is true that the work OF the secret
service agents was partly responsible for
the Indictment and conviction Of a sen
ator and a congressman for land frauds
In Oregon l do not believe that IL IL
In the public interest 10 protect criminals
In any branch Of the public service. and
exactly as We have again and again dur
ing the past seven years prosecuted and
convicted such criminals who were In
the executive branch OF the government.
30 In my belief We should be given ample
means To prosecute them IL found In the
legislative branch. but II this Is not
considered desirable special exception
could be made in the law prohibiting the
use of the secret service force in inves-
tigating members Of the congress.
Postal Savings Banks.
I again renew my recommendation
| for postal savings banks. for deposit
| ing savings with the security Of the
| government behind them. The object
| IL to encOurl Ee thrift and economy in
| the wsge-earner and person OF mod
| crate means. II is believed that In the
aggregate vast sums of money would be
| brought into circulation through the in
strumentality OF the postal savings
banks.
Parcel Post.
In my last annual message l COM
mended the postmaster generals
recommendation for an extension OF the
parcel post on the rural routes The
establishment OF local parcel post on
rural routes would be TO the mutual
benefit OF the farmer and the country
| storekeepor. and IL is desirable that the
routes, serving more than 1900. 600
| people should be utilized to the fullest
| practicable extent
Education.
With the limited means hitherto pro-
| vided. the bureau of e ducation has
rendered efficient service. but the con-
| gress has neglected to adequately sup
ply the bureau with means to meet the
| educat tional growth of the country.
| earnestly recommend that this un-
fortunate state Of affairs as regards
| the national educational Office be reme-
died by adequate appropriations. This
recommendation is urged by the repre-
| sentatives of our common schools and
| great state universities and the leading
educators who all unite in requesting
favorable consideration and action by
| the congress upon this subject.
The president points out the neces-
sity of better organization of the vari-
Gus bureaus responsible for the public
health, and urges the placing of all
soldiers homes under the jurisdiction
OF the war department.
Statehood.
| On the question OF statehood the
president says:
! advocate the immediate admission of
| New Mexico and Arizona as states. This
/ should be done at the present session Of
| the congress. The people OF the two ter
| ritories have made II evident by their
| votes that they will not come in as one
state. The only alternative is TO admit
them as two. end trust that this will be
| done without DELAY.
| Interstate Fisheries.
| call the attention OF the congress to
| the Importance of the problem OF the
/ fisheries in the interstate waters. On the
| Great Lakes We are now. under the very
wise treaty OF April IL OF TINS year, en-
| deavoring TO come to an international
| agreement for the preservation and sat
| isfactory use OF the fisheries OF these wa
| ters which can not otherwise be achieved.
| Lake Erie. for example. has the richest
| fresh water fisheries in the world: but II
| is now controlled by the statutes of two
| nations. four states, and one province,
| and this province by two different ordi-
| nances in different counties All these
| political divisions work at cross pur-
| poses. and In no case can they achieve
| protection to the fisheries. on the one
hand. and Justice to the localities and in
| dividuals on the other.
Foreign Affairs.
This nations foreign policy is based
| on the theory that right must be done
| between nations precisely as between
| individuals. and in our actions for the
| last ten years we have In this matter
proven our faith by our deeds. We
have behaved. and are behaving. to-
wards other nations, as In private life
an honorable man would behave to-
wards his fellows.
latin-American Republics.
The commercial and material prog
ress OF the 20 Iatin-American republics
| q worthy NJ the careful attention ~