The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-10-09
"A Bond Issue for Irrigation Projects
TO Placate the Tariff Bitten West.

President Taft, in a speech at Spok-
ane on Tuesday, set forth clearly and
definitely his views of the conserya-
ton of natural resources, particularly
In regard to the disposition by the
Government of water sites and coal
lands in the public domain. The
Presidence also announced his pur-
pose to recommend to Congress
bond issue OF $4,000, 900 for the COM
pletfon Of certain. projects for the
reclamation Of arid lands. It is pos
sible his announcement Is not con-
:ected with considerations of political
strategy and expediency. Mr.. Taft's
defense Of the Aldrich tariff has given
offense to many Western Republicans.
The West does not enjoy the blessings
of excessive taxation and the conse-
quent increase in the cos, of living
any more that the advocates in the
East of moderate tariff.
The reclamation of the arid lands
OF the West may be wise and neces-
sary policy, contributing to the well
fare of the nation and adding to the
general prosperity. Upon the assum-
ption that the West ought, for the
good of the whole country, to have its
arid wastes reclaimed and made ari-
able and fertile. the East and South
are logically entitled also to the con-
sideration of the national Govern
ment to reclamation projects in the
watery regions of the Southern and
Eastern States? The people of these
sections have to bear the burdens of
the Aldrich tariff as well as their
Western brethren. Why not open the
doors of the Federal Treasury TO
them? The East and South are not
hostile to Irrigation projects for the
benefit OF the West. They do not un-
derstand, however. why their snb-
merged lands should not receive the
tender consideration Of Mr. Taft.
We have said that President Tart
exposition of his conservation policy
was clear and definite. But that pol
Icy will not be satisfactory to the
public. 1t will not provide adequate
safeguard against monopoiistfc COLI
troll, unless the restrictions imposed
by the Government upon the acqui-
| sition of water sites and the control
| of coal lands be thorough and COM
| prehensive. In respect to the coal
lands in the public domain, Mr.. Taft
suggests the lease of the right to
take coal from these hands at a spec
| flied compensation per ton, or to sep
crate the surface of the land from its
mineral contents and to sell the coal
deposits outright to the miner. As
regards waterpOwer sites, Mr.. Taft
recommnds that resstritctioms be i'm
posed for the use Of such sites equit-
able to both the investor and the pub
lie. The Secretary Of tse Interior, he
states, has no power, under existing
laws, to prescribe and enforce restric-
tons essentiaa To the protection O,
the public Legislation by Congress
Is necessary, and the President states
that he viii recosnn,end the passage
OF a law authorizing Ehe Secretary OF
1 M
om terms agreed upon by the Secre-
tary and the purchaser.
| The proposed law &mght TO be ex-
plicit In its provisions $50 that monop-
olistic control OF water power will not
be possible under the terms of any
agreement between xhe Secretary ot
the Interior and the purchasers ~t
power sites Mr. Taft says that fvr-
feiture ought 20 be the penalty to
prevent monopoly of ownership ot
coal lands OF coal rights. That pen
agreements for the disposition OF
water-power sites. Furthermore, the
Sherman Antitrust act, which has
been on the statute book for eighteen
years, ought to be invoked against
any water power mOnOpolists or coal
monopolists who use the resources OF
tre public domain to pluniier the peo-
| pie. And until Congress has enacted
| The legislation which Mr.. Taft say, is
III 'iSpenSoblr TO Safepuard puhlio m
teiests tie Government ought to go
slowly in opet ing publ. lands to set
tcment. especially when there ,s
'e"son to suspect that any inter ss,>
viii take advantage of Existing Law 6
To establish monopoly Baltimore
sun.