Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-29
TAFT FOLLOWS
IN FOOTSTEPS
OF ROOSEVELT
WORK OF BOTH BALLINGER
AND PlNCH0T ENDORSED
LONG EXPECTED SPEECH MADE
AT SPOKANE
Chief Executive Tells What He viii
Recommend In Message, but
Says Action Is Up to
Congress
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(Continued from Page onel
the water supply and its effect upon
the climate. The regulation of the
water supply. of course. prevents ero-
sion of the soil and the wasteful de-
struction of the best part of the soil,
which is carried down the rivers with
the floods.
Il do not stop to discuss at length the
forestry question. The wonderful
progress made by Mr.. Pinchot, with the
earnest support of Mr.. Roosevelt and
Secretary Wilson, at times has met the
denunciation of persons in this vest
ern country on the ground that prop
erty was being taken which congress
intended for individuals and was being
withheld from them.
Pinchot's Plan Endorsed
But 7 think general opposition to
Mr. Pinehots plans has disappeared
and that the great body of American
people recognizes the benefits Of the
reform in reference to forestry and
greatly regrets that it was not begun
years before. Congress has come fully
to recognize the necessity for pursuing
forestry reform by making liberal ap-
preparations for the purpose.
1.-The forest lands of the United
States ought. to be surveyed and care
fully preserved, and its jurisdiction in
respect to them clearly defined.
THE regulation of forests in private
ownership within state boundaries is
not plainly within the scope of federal
jurisdiction, and it should be under
taken by the states. I do not think the
states have taken up the matter with
as much energy as they ought, and
have not improved the opportunity
which was given them by way of eX-
ample by the forestry bureau of the
United States. The question whether
the federal government. with the pur-
pose of equalizing the flow of water in
navigable streams and to promote nav
igation during the entire year, may en-
ter upon a plan of regulating existing
forests and reforesting certain de-
nuded territory in the states, l need
not now discuss. The subject would
involve a wider discussion than l have
time to give it.
Reclamation Has Been Rapid
1.-THE plan of the government to re-
claim the arid and semi-arid lands
manifested in the reclamation act has
been carried out most rapidly by the
bureau charged with its execution.
Il had the honor the other day in
Colorado of opening the most ambitious
of these prOjects-at least the most
difficult of them-the Gunnison tunnel,
which is to bring water into valley
in Colorado known is the Uncom-
paghre valley, with some 100000 acres,
and to put it In a condition to grow
fruit and cereals.
"There are some thirty projects
which have been entered upon by the
reclamation bureau, and 1 believe all
IL -. I.9 an 1I for
excellent adaptation, for the purpose for
which they were erected, and for the
speed with which the work has been
done 1t is said, however, that in the
planning of a number OF these enter
prises the enthusiasm of the projectors
has carried them to point where they
begin to feel embarrassed in the mat
ter of resources with which to com
plete the projects, and begin to show
that prudence was not observed by
those engaged in executing the
act: that the projects were too many
and more than could be completed IN
a reasonable time after their beginning
because of a lack of funds.
"The reclamation act provides for
the expenditure of funds made up by
the sale of public lands and reimbursed
from time to time by the nstallments
to be paid by the settlers who take up
the irrigated land, and also provides
that no part of project is to be con-
tracted for and begun until the money
for the completion of that part of the
project contracted for shall be in the
reclamation fund.
Ten Millions Needed
"Now. it appears that It will take
$4,000 900 or more, which is not avail
able in the reclamation fund at pres
ent. fully to complete the projects, and
It also appears that a great number of
nersons. by reason of the beginning of
the projects, have been led into the
making of settlements with eXpendl-
lures Of time and labor with the hope
and upon the reliance that such recla-
nation enterprises would be carried
through in a reasonable time.
Il think there is no doubt that il
was the intention of congress that
projects should not be multiplied in
such a way that they could not be COM
pleted within a reasonable time with
the reclamation funds provided by the
sale of public lands, and it probably
would have been wiser TO adhere strict
lv to the limitation thus construed
even though the language of the act
by dividing up the projects into parts
on terms seemed to permit the begin
ming of more projects than there was
likely to be money enough to complete
within a reasonable time.
"The pressure was doubtless very
great, and the reclamation service
Welded to the pressure within the letter
of the law, and now find themselves in
the situation described. The work has
been well done and reflects great credit
upon the engineers who have had
charge of it.
immediate Action Urged
or2,,t sornethiny must be done To re.
lieve the present situation. which is one
of disappointed hopes to many settlers
upon the arid lands who counted upor
an early completion of the projects un.
dertaken and invested their money anc
spent their time, and seemed to be nC
nearer the goal of satisfactory irriga'
ton than they were when the projects
were begun.
81 think It wise to apply to congress foi
relief by urging the passage of an enabling
act which shall permit the secretary of th,
interior to issue bonds in the sum of $40,
900 900 or more TO complete all the project
now projected. These bonds should be re
deemed from the money paid into thu
reclamation funds after the completion o
the projects.
From conversation with the senator!
who have visited much of the reclama
tion work and given an examination
to progress / infer that such a pro
| Dosal as this seems to them to be the
! best way out of the present difficulty