The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1909-01-28

statement OF Idcts anu pTilcipics, ieaN-
ting the executive to recommend the
specific steps to which these facts and
principles inevitably lead According
ly call your attention to some OF the
larger features Of the situation dis
closed by the report and TO the action
thereby clearly demanded for the gen
eral good.
Waters.
The report says:
Within recent months II has been rec
egnized and demanded by the people.
through many thousand delegates fpm
all states assembled In convention In dif-
ferent sections OF the country. that the
waterways should and must be improved
promptly and effectively as means OF
maintaining national prosperity.
The first requisite for waterway I'M
proyement Is the control OF the waters In
such manner as to reduce floods and reg
ulate the regimen of the navigable riv-
ers The second requisite is development
Of terminals and connections In such man
ner as TO regulate commerce.
Accordingly urge that the broad
plan for the development of our water
ways, recommended by the inland wa
terways commission, be put In effect
without delay. 1t provides for a COM
prehensive system Of waterway I'M
provement extending to all the uses OF
the waters and benefits to be derived
from their control. including naviga.
tion, the development Of power, the ex-
tension Of irrigation, the drainage Of
swamp and overflow lands, the pre-
vention of soil wash and the purifca-
ton Of streams for water supply. 1t
proposes to carry out the work by CO
ordinating agencies In the federal de-
partments through the medium OF an
administrative commission or board.
acting In cooperation with the states
and other organizations and individual
citizens.
The work Of waterway development
should be undertaken without delay.
Merltorious projects In known con-
formity with the general outlines OF
any comprehensive plan should pro-
ceed at once. The cost Of the whole
work should be met by direct appro-
priation II possible, but II necessary
by the issue OF bonds In small denomi-
nations.
1t Is especially important that the
development Of water power should be
guarded with the utmost care both by
the national government and by the
states In order to protect the people
against the upgrowth Of monopoly and
to insure to them q 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.
| urge that provision be made Tor
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 fre must
be dangerously weakened. II we com
pare the actual fire damage on similar
areas ON private and national forest
lands during the past year. 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 ana
stream fiow In It's bearing upon the I'm
portahce Of the forest lands In nation
al ownership. without an understand
| ing OF this Intimate relation the con-
seryation Of both these natural re-.
sources must largely fail.
The time has fully arrived for recog'
mixing In the law the responsibility to
the community. the state and the ma
ton which rests upon the private own
ers OF private lands. The ownership
OF forest land is a public trust The
man who would 10 handle his forest
as to cause erosion and 10 injure
stream dow must be not only educated.
but he must be controlled.
The report OF the national conserva'
ti0n commission says.
Forests In private ownership cannot BE-
| conserved unless they are protected from
/ fre. We need good fire laws. well an
forced Fire control II impossible with
out an adequate force Of men whose sole
duty is nrs patrol during the dangerous
season.
hold as nrst among the tasks be-
fore the states aud the nation 10 their
respective shares ia forest conserva'
ton the organization Of eficient nre
patrols and the enactment Of good IRE
laws on the part Of the states.
The report says further;
Prss~nt ar laws prevent rsforsststion
u cut over land and the p~rpstasfion Of
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