New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-01-23

of public grazing land me NUMBER OF PEI
sons engaged in agricultural Iurs1its Is more thaE
We grow one-ffth Of the worlds wheat crop,
threefths Of its cotton crop ana douT-nIs OF ~
corn crop. We plant nearly 1V,ooVgo9, acres t 81
II bushels an acre; 100 100000 of corn yield.
Ing average Of p bushels an n % 6S o9 ana hais
We had January 1885, II oo9ooo &C cattle IT. worth
100000 swine, worth ks5s' 10000. The census Of
1900 showed $l37 100000 worth or poultry In THIS cou
try, which produced in 1899 293.0000o0 dozen eggs
There has been slight increase IN the aNi ,dsS
the increase in acreage nor the Yield an has
kept with our Increase IN populatloH- . itn
Of orr food supply must be grown on soil.
Good business sense demands that definite land
policy be formulated. The National CohseIF dtIoli
Commission believes that the following will serve
part Of the Rub bile lands ssr Sso tb f be
terests Of the whole people - II, rub,i, lands Is
necessary for their administration In the interests
TIiTdT5]e timber the minerals and the surface
of the public lands should be disposed OF separately
Fourth-Publc lands more valuable for conserv-
ing water supply, timber and natural beauties or
wonders than for agriculture should be held for
the use OF the people from all except mineral entry
Fifth-Tite to the surface Of the remaining non
mineral public lands should be granted only to
sixth"Pendng the transfer Of tile to the re;
naming puDlc iaus 1SH @ 800 - sIIo.aJ
by the government and their use should 2e alo"eo
in way to prevent or control waste and monopoly
FORESTS.
our industries which subsist wholly or MANY o
upon wood pay the wages of more than IS'"V
men and yoInen. . -.
one-fourth Of the United States The original
forests covered not less than $50. 100000 acres
The yearly growth OF wood IN our forests TPgs
not average more than Il cubic teet an 600 dI
gives total yearly growth OF less than tV"oo9'-
Under right management our forests Will yield
over four times az much nov. we can reduce
waste in the woods and in the mill at least one
third with present as well as future pT Praser
tive treatment will reduce by one-hfth the guam
practically sion forest fires at cost year
Iy Of one-ffth the value Of the merchandise TIM
Der burned.
WATERS
Our mean annual rainfall is. about thirty inches
the duartty about Oo000000J cubic feet year
OF the 20 900 900 cubic feet annually flowing
into the sea- less than per cent IS restrained and
than per cor some 10 per cent Of that in the
arid and semi arid regions is used for irrigation
than per cent for power
For municipal and community water supply
there are protected catchment areas aggregating
over 10000 acres and over S5o.V0Vo are invested
in waterworks. with nearly as muGh more IN the
sppurtenant catchment areas and other Lands
The Popn!ation so sup2ea s ao 7 zoo GEO 600
cubic The better managed systems protect
water is controlled and the storm product used.
but there is large waste after the water enters
For irrigation II IS estimated that there are
$3.50 600 900 invested dams bitches. reservoirs and
other works for the partial control of the waters,
and that 500 900 900 cubic rect are annGay " o.
verted to irrigable lands. aSgregatlng some wv"
square miles. The waste IN the pubic ana PIT
t6sn p per cent OF the water actually available
for irrigation OF the arid lands is restralned anu
The water powe- now. in use Is $4,000 horse
power; the amount running over goVeInnenI oAi L
amount reasonably available equals or exceeds the
e operate ever9 3 dTivs everv spindle prope
every train and boat anti light every city town
The direct yearly damage by floods since 1850 has
increased steadily from S45.00GO TO over $ZtsV1VO
the indirect loss through depreciation or pTopeTsy
Is great while large loss arises IN inpeaed traHl'
The first requisite FOR waterway improvement is
the control OF the waters in such manner as 10 re-
gable rivers. The second requisite Is develophent
Broad plans should be adopted providing for a
system OF waterway Improvement extending 10 all
Of the waters and benefits TO be derived from
their control including the Qualification of the water
and abatement or Hoods Tor the behehI OF h1tlsA
ton; the extension OF irrigation: the development
wash; the publication OF streams for water supply
and the drainage and utilization OF the waters OF
swamp and overflow lands.
NATIONAL EFFICIENCY.
Since the greatest OF national assets is the
health and vigor Of the American people. our eff
fcency must depend national vitality even more
than on the resources of the minerals. lands. for
ests and waters
The average length Of human life in different
countries varies from less than twenty-five TO more
than fifty years This span of life is increasing
wherever sanitary science and preventive medicine
are applied 1t may be greatly extended
10000. Stopping three-tourths OF the loss OF life
from this cause, and from typhoid and other preya-
diseases. increase
average length OF life over fifteen years
There are constantly about 3oG0o9 persons seri-
consumptives. More Than half this illness is pre-
If We count the value OF each life lost at only
S.I0 and reckon the average earning lost by i'll
ness 500 year for grown men. find that
disease in the United States would exceed 81 300
gN.geO year In addition, we would decrease suf-
fering and increase happiness and contentment
and strengthening of life which it measures. can
be secured through medical investigation and
practice, school and factory hygiene. restriction
OF labor by women and children. the education OF
the people in both public and private hygiene and
through improving the efficiency of our health ser
government has several agencies exercising
health functions which only need TO be concern
health service worthy of the nation,
that its natural resources be conserved BY proper
To this end the states and the nation can do
greater part OF these resources is in private hands
Private ownership Of natural resources is a public
OF the people a whole. The states and nation
should lead rather than follow In the conservative
and efficient of property Upoer their immediate
control. Bat their first duty is TO gather and dis
tribute knowledge of our natural resources and
of the means necessary to insure their and
ssrvation to impress the body Of the people with
the Cooperation of all. No agency. state. federal
corporate or private can do the work alone.
immediate and vital concern. Our welfare depends
conservation. The pressing need is for d gem
may unite in EFFORT to achieve this great end
The lack OF cooperation between the states them
selves, between the states and the nation and be-
tween the agencies Of the national government, Is
the people. An organization through which ali
agencies, state national municipal associate and
serve the foundations OF our prosperity is indis-
pensabe to the welfare and progress OF the nston.
agency is essential Many states and associations of
permanent conservation commissions r. remains
for the nation to do likewise, In order that the
may join In the accomplishment of this great DUR