Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-01-15


up BY the proceeds of returns to- the
reclamation fund, which returns, as
the years go on, will increase rapidly
in amount. }e
There is no doubt at all that If these
bonds were to be allowed to run ten
years. the proceeds from the public
lands, together with the rentals for
water furnished through the compIet-
&c enterprises. would quickly create a
sinking fund large enough to retire the
bonds within the time specified
hope that. while the statute shall pro-
vide that these bonds are to be paid
out OF the reclamation fund, it will be
drawn in such way as to secure in
terest at the lowest rate, and that the
credit of the United States will be
pledged for their redemption.
1 urge consideration of the recon-
mendations of the Secretary of The In
terror If his annual report for amend
ments of she reclamation act. propos-
ing other relief for settlers on these
projects
Respecting the comparatively small
tln1b"red areas on the public domain,
not included in national forests be-
cause of their isolation or their special
value for agricultural or mineral pur-
poses. it is apparent from the evils re-
aultlnS by virtue of the imperfections
of existing laws for the disposition OF
timber lands that the acts of June 3.
1878 should be repealed and a law en-
acted for the disposition of the timber
at public sale, the lands after the re-
moval of the timber to be subject to
az preparation under the agricultural
or mineral land laws
what l have said is really an cpl
tome of the recommendations of the
Secretary of the Interior in respect to
the future conservation OF the public
domain in his present annual report.
he has given close attention to the
problem of disposition of these lands
under such conditions as to invite the
private capital necessary to their de-
Vclopment on the one hand, and the
maintenance Of the restrictions neces-
Sary TO prevent monopoly and abuse
IRON absolute ownership on the other
These recommendations are incorpora :
ted lr bills he has prepared, and they
are at the disposition of the Congress-
earnestly recommend that ali the
suggestions which he has made with
respect 20 these lands shall be embod-
ied in statutes. and. especially. that the
Withdrawals already made Shall he
validated so far as necessary, and
that the authority OF the Sec
rotary Of the Interior to Withdraw
lands for the pun pose of submitting
recommendations as to future DISPOSE
ton OF them where new legislation is
needed shall be made complete and
unqueStOneG
The forest reserves of tie United
states some 1S0,00O0O0 acres in extent
are under the control of the DEPART
ment OF Agriculture with authority
adequate to preserve them and to ex
tend their growth so far as that NAV
be practicable. The Importance of the
maintenance of our forests cannot he
exaggerated. The possibility of a
sclentihc treatment of forests so that
they snail be made to yield large
return in timber without really re-
ducing the supply has been demon
strateG in other countries. and we
should work toward the standard set
by them as far as their methods are
appl!cable to our conditions
Upwards of 400, 900, 900 acres of forest
land in this country are in private
ownership. but only three per cent.
OF it is being treated scientifically and
win a view to the maintenance of
the forests. The part played by the
forests in the equalization of the SUP
ply OF water on watersheds is a mat
ter OF discussion and dispute. but tie
general. benefit to be derived by the
public from the extension of forest
lands on water sheds and the promo
ton of the growth of trees in places
That are now denuded and that once
had great fiourishing forests, goes
without saying. The control to be
exercised over private owners in thei1.
treatment of the forests which they
own is matter for state and not ma
tional regulation, because there is
nothing in the constitution that au-
tories the federal government to ex-
ercise any control over forests with
IN state. unless the forests are own
ed in proprietary way by the federal
government.
1t has been proposed, and a bill for
the purpose passed the Lower House
in the last Congress that the national
government appropriate certain
amount each year out of the receipts
from the forestry business of the gov
eminent, to institute reforestation at
the sources of certain navigable
streams to be selected by the geological
survey with view to determining the
practicability of thus improving and
protecting the streams for federal
purposes. I think a moderate expendi-
ture for each year for this purpose, for
a period of five or ten years, would
be Of the utmost benefit in the devel-
opmert Of our forestry system.
I come now to the improvement of
the inland waterways. He would be
blind indeed who did not realize that
the people of the entire West and es-
pecialiy those of the Mississippi val
ley have been aroused to the need
there IS for the Improvement of our
inland waterways The Mississippi
river with the Missouri on the one
hand and the Ohio on the other would
seem 20 offer great natural means
of interstate transportation and traf-
1ic. How far. if properly improved,
they would relieve the railroads or