Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-01-22

and they can be done best Of all by
the direct and simple application Of
homely common sense. The appIiea-
ton Of common sense 20 common
problems for the common good. under
the guidance OF the principles upon
which this republic was based. and by
virtue Of which II exists, spells per-
petuity for the nation. civil and in
dustrial liberty for it's citizens. and
freedom Of opportunity In the pur-
suit Of happiness for the plain Amer
lean, for whom this nation was
founded, by whom it was preserved,
and through whom alone II can be
perpetuated. Upon this platform
larger than party differences, higher
than class prejudice. broader than
any question of profit and loss-there
Is room for every American who re-
Allies that the common good stands
first
The National Conservation Com
mission wisely confined its report to
the statement of facts and principles.
leaving the executive to recommend
the specific steps to which these facts
and principles inevitably lead
Control Waterways.
The report says:
Within recent months 1t has been
recognized and demanded by the peo-
pie, through many thousand delegates
from all states assembled in conven-
ton in different sections OF the coun-
try. that the waterways should and
must be improved promptly and eff
fectively as a means OF maintaining
national prosperity.
The first requisite for waterway
improvement Is the control OF the wa
ters in such manner as to reduce
foods and regulate the regimen Of
the navigable rivers. The second re-
quisite is development Of terminals
and connections In such manner as to
regulate commerce.
Accordingly, urge that the broad
plan for the development OF our wa
terways. recommended by the Inland
Waterways Commission. be put In
effect without delay. II provides for
comprehensive system Of waterway
Improvement extending to all the
uses of the waters and benefits to be
derived from their control, inelud-
ing navigation, the development OF
power, the extension Of irrigation,
the drainage Of swamp and over iow
lands. the prevention Of soil wash,
and the publication Of streams for
water supply. 1t proposes to carry
out the work by coordinating agen-
cies In the federal department
through the medium Of an admins
trative commission or board, acting
In cooperation with the states and
other organizations and individual
citizens.
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 state in order to protect the peo-
pie against the upgrowth of monop-
oily and to insure to them a fair share
in the benefits which will follow the
development OF this great asset which
belongs to the people and should be
controlled by them.
Save the Forests.
| urge that provision be made for
both protection and more rapid devel-
opment of the national forests. 9th
erwise, either the increasing use OF
these forests by the people must
be checked or their protection
against fire will be dangerously
weakened. II we compare the
actual fire damage on sim
liar areas on private and national for
est lands during the past year, the
government fire patrol saved COM
mercial timber worth as much as the
total cost Of caring for all national
forests at the present rate for about
ten years.
/ especially recommend to the con-
gress the facts presented by the COM
mission as to the relation between
forests and stream flow in its bearing
upon the importance Of the forest
lands in national ownership. With
out an understanding Of this intimate
relation the conservatism OF both
these natural resources must largely
fail.
The time has fully arrived for rec
ogniEing In the law the responsible
ity to the community. the state. and
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