The Sentinel=record., 1910-01-15

| ~ N'ONuS' SohSress recognized the importance of this method of artificial distribution of water on the arid lands oy thep assage of the reclamation act. The proceeds of thep ublic lands creates fund to build the works needed 10 store and furnish the nee essary water and it was left to the secretary of interior to determine what projects should be selected among those suggested and to direct The reclamation service with the fund | at hand and through the engineers in It's employ to construct the works. No one can visit the far west and the country of arid and semiarid land without being convinced that this is one of the most important methods of 1 the conservation of our natural re- sources that the government has en. tered upon. It would appear that over thlriy projects have been undertaken and that a few of these are likely to be unsuccessful because of the lack Of water, but generally the work that has been done as been well done and many important engineering problems have been met and solved.
 One of the difficulties which has arisen is that too many projects, in view of the available funds, have been set on foot. The funds available un- der the reclamation statute, are inad- equate to complete these projects within a reasonable time. And yet the projects have been begun so set tiers have been invited to take up and in many instances have taken up the public land within the projects. relying upon their prompt completion.
 The failure to compete the pro }ects for their benefit is, in effect, breach of faith and leaves them in a mostd istressed condition. urge that the nation ought to afford the means to lift them out of the very desperate condition in which they now are. This conditions does not indicate any excessive waste or any corrup- ton on the part of the reclamation service.
 T urge consideration Of the recom- mendations of the secretary of inter- for in his annual report for amend ments of the reclamation act. propos- ing other relief for settlers on these projects.
 Respecting the comparatively small timbered areas in the public domain not included in national forests be- cause of their isolation or their spe- cial value for agricultural or mineral purposes, it is apparent from the ev- ls resulting by virtue of the imper- factions of existing laws for the dis- position of timber lands, that the acts of June 3, 1878, should be repealed and law enacted for for the dispo- siiion of the timber at public sale, the lands after the removal of the timber to be subject to appropriation under the agricultural mineral land laws.
 What l have said is really Gn epi- tome of the recommendations of the secretary of the interior in regard to future conservation of the public io- main in his present annual report.
 One of the projects which answers the description have gwen is that of introducing dams into the Ohio river from Pittsburg to Cairo so as to maintain, at all seasons of the year, by slack water, a depth of nine .set Upward of seven of these dams have already been constructed and six are under construction, while the total required is fifty. The remaining cost is known to be s6S ,000, 900.
 Tt seems to me that in the devel- opment of cur inland waterways it "NhiA bt NAot tO btSlU WilU NHNS par ticular project and carry it through as rapidly as may be. I assume from reliable information that it can be constructed economically in ten years. l recommend, therefore, that tht pres ent congress in the river and harbor bill make provisions for continuing contracts to complete this improve ment and I shall recommend in the future if it be necessary that bonds be issued to carry it through.
 What has been said of the Ohio river is true in less complete way of the upper Mississippi from St Paul to St. Louis to & constant depth of six feet and of the Missouri river from St Louis to Kansas City of six feet. and from St. Louis to Cairo of a depeth of tight feet. These projects have been pronounced practical by competent bords of army engineers. Continued on page three.