The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1909-01-23
Common Sense Needed.
Waters.


Within recent months Il has been -ee-
osni]ed and demanded - tie u.ot.la
/ through many thousand DELEGATES f-o-s
AL states assembled IA convention Ia an
Ie1snt sections 81 the country. that tie
waterways should and must De irnrro,-..l
promptly and effectively a. means ~
maintaining natio..al prosperity
Inc nrst requisite Tor waterway i'm
/ proNemcnt j. the control OF tie waters .u
sucn manner as 90 reduce foods ana re--
ulate the regimen OF the nasigsbl- rfV-
era The second requisite Is developrnent
OF terminals and connections in such man
ner as 10 regulate commerce.
Accordingly I urge that the broad
plan Tor the development OF our water
ways, recommended by the sland va.
ter"ays commission. be put IN effect
without delay. II provides for a com
prehensive system OF waterway i'm
provement extending to all the uses II
the waters and benefits 10 be- derived
from their control including naviga-
ton. the development OF power. the ex-
tension OF Irrigation. the drainage of
swamp and overflow lands the ure-
Vention Of soil wash and tie purifca
ton OF str-a ms for water supply. IL
proposes 10 carry out the work bv co
originating agencies IN the federal de
partmeRts through the medium OF an
administrative commission or board
acting Ia cooperation with the states
ana other organizations and individual
citizens
The work Of waterway development
should be- undertaken without delay
Meritorions projects IN known con
formity with the general outlines OF
any comprehensive plan should pro
coed nj once. The cost Of the whole
work should he met by direct appro-
priaiiOn II possible. but II necessary
10y the issue Of bonds In small denomi-
nations.
IL is especially important that the
development Of water power should be
guarded with the utmost care both bv
the national government and by the
states in order TO protect the people
against the upgrowth OF MONOPOLY and
10 Insure 10 them a fair share in the
benefits which will follow the develop
ment OF this great asset. which belongs
to the people and should be controlled
by them.
Forests.
|
both protection and more rapid devel-
opment of the national forests. Other
wise, either the increasing Use Of these
forests by the people must be checked
| or their protection against fire must
be dangerously weakened II we com
pare the actual fire damage on similar
areas on private and national forest
/ lands during the past wear. the govern
ment fire patrol saved commercial tim.
Der worth as much as the total cost OF
caring for all national forests at the
present rate FOR about ten years.
especially commend TO the congress
the facts presented by the commission
as TO the relation between forests and
strea m flow I'm Its bearing upon the i'm
| portance Of the forest lands in nation
nj ownership. Without an understand
Ing Of this Intimate relation the con
servation OF both these natural re-
sources must largely fall.
Lands
With our Increasing population the
time Is not Tar distant when the prob.
lem OF supplying our people with food
VIII become pressing. The possible
additions TO our arabic area are not
great. ana II VIII become necessary To-
I obtain much larger crops from the
land. as r. nov done IN more dcnsely
settled countries. 10 do this we need
better farm practice aud better strains
OF wheat. corn and other crop plants
with a reduction ia losses from soil
erosion and. ffop insects. animals aud