The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-30

from the homestead law to the irrigation
law. The wise use of our public domain
has always been conditioned upon ma
tional action. The states can greatly
help, but the nation must take the lead
as regards the land, as regards the for
ests and waters; and perhaps peculiarly
in the case of the waters, because al
most all streams are really interstate
streams.
Coal Lands
THE same principle applies with Pc
culiar force to the coal lands. and es-
pecially to the coal lands in Alaska,
whose protection and ownership by the
federal government Is so necessary, both
for full and free industrial development
in the west and for the needs of our
fleet in the Pacific. The coal mines
should be leased, not sold, and those
who mine the coal should pay back a
part of the profit to the people. 1t is
the right and duty of the people to de-
mand the most vigilant trusteeship on
that part of that branch of the federal
government in charge Of the fuel re-
sources of the United States.
The Reclamation Service
The national irrigation congress is to
hold a session in the city of Pueblo late
in September I am keenly sorry that
could not have accepted the invita-
ton to be present. I must, however, be
in the east at that time. But since I
cannot be present then to express my
keen, long-held and deep-felt interest in
the reclamation of arid lands by the fed
eral government, | desire to do so now.
There is no more effective instrument for
the making of homes than the United
States reclamation service, and no gov
eminent bureau while / was President
had reached a higher standard of effci-
ency, integrity and devotion to the pub
lie welfare.
Like the forest service, the reclama-
ton service has clashed with certain pri-
vate interests, and has had to pay the
penalty of its service TO the public in
the form of bitter opposition from those
with whose profit it has interfered. The
cry has been raised against it that the
government must not do for its citizens
at less cost what private interests are
ready to make them pay for at higher
prices Now, l believe fully in the pri-
yate development of irrigation projects
which the government cannot undertake.
There is a large and legitimate field for
such work But the essential thing is
to make homes on the lands not to en-
able individuals to profit from the neces-
stiles of the men who make those homes.
There is no more warrant for Directing
to the reclamation of arid lands by the
government than there would be to pro-
test against the government for patent
Ing agricultural lands directly TO the
actual settler, instead of through a mid
dleman, who could make a profit from
the transaction. The men who assert
their right to get something for them
selves at the cost of the community in
stead of by service to the community
we have always had with us, and doubt
less we always shall But there is nc
reason why we should yield to them. The
reclamation service has not done so, and
that is the chief reason for the attacks
upon 1t.
Holiday In Africa
II have just come back from a very
interesting trip in the old world. l spent
a year in a comparative holiday in Africa
and a quarter of a year in fairly Wig
orous work in Europe, during much of
which it seemed the kind purpose of my
hosts to give me exactly the kind of
experience. from the point of vigor, which
am having today.
IT have come back with my feeling of
frendliness for foreign people increased.
Yet. 1 can with sincerity say that with
all our faults and with all our short
comings-and I know them well-there is
not any other spot on the face of the
earth where life is SO supremely worth
living, where the chance which the aver
age man has is so good as in this coun-
try Of ours.
There is any amount of things which
need to be improved, yet I think ii is