The Prescott daily news., 1910-09-06
words to what the government has done and Is doing fin this regard.
 Rect1matio

created of the proceeds of the nuhIic lands of the United States with which to construct works for storing great bodies of water at proper attitudes from which by a suitable system of canals and ditch es, the water is to be distributed over inc arid and subarid lands of the government to be sold to settlers at price sufficient to pay for the improvements. Primarily. the projects are and must be for the im- provement of public lands. Incidentally where private land Is also within reach of the water supply, the furnishing at cost or profit of this water to privat. owners by the government is held by the federal court of appeals not to be a usurpation of power. But certainly this ought not to be done except from sur plus water, not needed for government land. The total sum already accumula- ted in the reclamation fund Is s6O, ,7s,- 2jS.22. and of that all but $6 491 955 34 has ssen expended. It became very clear to congress at It's last session, from the statements made by experts. that these S0 projects could not be promptly com rleted with the balance remaining on hand or with the funds likely to accrue in the near future. It was found, more- over, that there are many settlers who have been led into taking up lands with the hope and unGErstanding of having water furnished in a short time who are left in a most distressing situation. recommended to congress that authority be given to the secretary of the interior to issue bonds in anticipation of the as- sured earnings by the projects. so that the projects, worthy and feasible, might be promptly completed, and the settlers might be relieved from their present in- convenience and hardship. In authorizing the issue of these projects, congress linn ited the application of their proceeds to those projects which a board of army en- gineers, to be appoir ted by he president should examine and determine to be feasible and worthy of completion. The board has been appointed and soon will make its report.
 Suggestions have been made that the United States ought to aid in the drain age of swamp lands belonging to the states or private owners. because, if drained. they would be exceedingly val uable for agriculture and contribute to the general welfare by extending the area of cultivation. I deprecate the agi- tation in favor of such legislation. It Is inviting the general government into contribution from its treasury toward en- terprises that should be conducted either by private capital or at the instance of the state. In these days there is dispo- sition to look too much to the federal government for everything. I am liberal in the construction of the Constitution with reference to federal power; but I am firmly convinced that the only safe course for us to pursue is to hold fast to the limitations of the Constitution and to regard as sacred the powers of the states. We have made wonderful prog ress and at the same time have pre- served with judicial exactness the re- strictons of the Constitution. There is an easy way in which the Constitution . can be violated by congress without judicial inhibition to-wit. by appropra- tons from the national treasury for un- constitutional purposes. It will he a sorry day for this country if the time ever comes when our fundamental compact shall be habitually dsregarded fin this manner.
 Mineral Lands.
 By mineral lands I mean those lands bearing metals. or what are called metal lferous minerals. The rules of owner ship and disposition of thes 'Nnds were first fixed by custom in ( '" 'Nst. and then were embodied in the l . and they have worked. on the whole, r'Y and well that I do not think i !5e to attempt to change or better t' ,.
 Forest Lands.
 Nothing can be more impor yant In the matter of conservation than the treatment of our forest lands It was probably the ruthless destruction of forests In the older states that first called attention to a halt In the waste of our resources. This was recognized by congress by an act authorizing the executive to reserve from entry and set aside public timber lands as national forests Speaking generally. there has been reserved of the existing forests about seventy per cent. of all the timber lands of the government, Within these forests dncluding B,OO,mO acres in two forests in AlaskO are l92' 900 900 of acres of which 166.OOO,OO Of acres are in the United States proper and include within their boundaries some thing like 22.000 GOO of acres that belong to the state or to private individuals We have then, excluding Alaska forests, a total of about IA. 000,o0O acres of forests belonging to the government which IS being treated in accord with the princi- ples of scientific forestry.
 The government timber in this coun- try amounts to only one-fourth or all the timber, the rest being in private own ership Only three per cent or mat Wnlch is in private ownership is looked after nronerlv and treated according to mod ern rules of forestry. The usual de- structive waste and neglect continues in the remainder of the forests owned ny private persons and corporations. It IS estimated that fire alone destroys %oOuV 900 worth of timber year me % management of forests not on pubic land is beyond the jurisdiction of the red eral government If anything can be doh" by law 1t must be done by the state les ,slatures I believe that 1t is within their constitutional power to require the en- forcement of regulations in the general public interest, as to fire and other causes of waste in the management or forests owned by private individuals ana corporations. ,
 I have shown sufficiently the conditions as to federal forestry to indicate that ro further legislation is needed at the mo- nent except an increase fin the fire pro- ratianal fnresta and an act