The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-12-08

VI the chief marks of any people call
Ing itself civilized Nothing should be
permitted to stand in the way of the
preservation of the forests. and it is
criminal to permit individuals to pur-
chase little gain for themselves
through the destruction of forests
when this destruction is fatal to the
well being of the whole country in the
future.
Inland Waterways.
Action should be begun forthwith,
during the present session of congress,
for the improvement of our inland wa
terways- action which viii result In
giving us not only navigable but
navigated rivers. We have spent
hundreds of millions Of dollars upon
these waterways. yet the traffic on
nearly all of them is steadily dec1in-
ing. This condition is the direct re-
suit of the absence of any compre-
hensive and farseeing plan of water
way improvement. Obviously we can
not continue thus to expend the rev
enues of the government without re-
turn. 1t is poor business to spend
money for inland navigation unless
we get it.
Such shortsighted vacillating and
futile methods are accompanied by de-
creasing water borne commerce and
Increasing traffic congestion on land,
by increasing floods and by the waste
Of public money. The remedy lies in
abandoning the methods which have
50 signaily Fa4ied and adopting new
onSs In keeping with the needs and
demands of our people.
In report on measure introduced
at the first session of the present con-
gress the secretary of war said, 1.-THE
chief defect in the methods hitherto
pursued Lies In the absence of execu-
tive authority for originating compre-
hensive plans covering the country or
natural divisions thereof" In this
Opinion l heartily concur.
| Until the work of river Improvement
| Is undertaken in modern way 1t can
not have results. that will meet the
needs Of this modern nation. These
needs should be met without further
llilly-dallying or delay. The plan which
promises the best and quickest results
Is that of q permanent commission au-
thorized to coordinate the work Of all
the government departments relating
to waterways and to frame and super
wise the execution of comprehensive
plan. The time for playing with our
waterways is past. The country de-
mands results.
National Parks.
! l urge that all our national parks adj
iacent to national forests be placed
completely under the control of the
forest service of the agricultural de-
lpartment, instead of leaving them, as
they are now under the interior de-
partment and policed by the army.
Pure Food.
The pure food legislation has already
worked a benefit difficult to overesti-
mate.
Secret Service.
Last year an amendment was incor-
porated In the measure providing for
the secret service which provided that
there should be no detail from the Sc
cret service and no transfer therefrom
ut Is not too much to say that this
amendment hes been Of benefit only.
and could be Of beneft only. to the
criminal elasseH- The amendment In
question was Of benefit to no one eK-
cepting to criminals. and It seriously
hampers the government 10 the detec.
tion Of crime and the securing OF Jus
lice. 1t prevents the promotion Of EN-
ployees IN the secret service. and this
further discouragas gcoa EFFORT IN it.