Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1910-09-08

will come before the senate for q vote
next February. The people Of the.
United States regardless OF party or
section should stand solidly behind it
and see that their representatives do
likewise.
II any proof were needed that forest
protection is a national duty the recent
destruction Of forests in the west by
fire would supply it. Even with the
aid of the army added to that Of the
i,rest service the loss has been severe.
Without either it would have been
vastly greater.
But the forest service does more
than protect the national forests
against fire. It makes them practically
and increasingly useful as we'll. Dur
ing the last year for which have the
figures the national forests were used
by $4,000 cattlemen with their herds,
5000 sheepmen with their locks, 5000
timbermen with their crews and 49,
600 miners. More than 5000 persons
used them for other special industries.
Nearly $4,000 settlers had the free use
Of wood. Afs "a $50 <
The total resident population Of the
national forests Is about quarter of
a million, which Is larger than the pop
ulation Of certain states.
More than 100000 acres Of agricul-
tural land have been patented or list
ed for patent within the forests, and
the reports Of the forest officers show
that more than 100000 people a year
use the forests for recreation, camping,
hunting, fishing and similar purposes.
All this is done, Of course, without in
jury to the timber, which has a value
Of at least $1,000, 100000.
Moreover, the national forests pro-
tect the water supply of thousand
cities and towns, about 800 irrigation
projects and more than 300 power
projects, not counting the use Of water
for these and other purposes by indi-
vidual settlers.
1 think that hereafter we may safe
ly disregard any statements that the
national forests are withdrawn from
settlement and use.
A Country Life Institute.
The investigations Of the country
life commission have led the farmers
of this country to realize that they
have not been getting their fair share
of progress and all that it brings.
Some Of our farming communities in
the Mississippi valley and in the mid
die west have made marvellous prog
ress, yet even the best of them, like
communities Of every other kind, are
not beyond improvement, while much
needs to be done in some other Sec
lions to improve country life.
AS yet we know comparatively lit
tie Of the basic facts of rural civiliza-
tion The means for better farming
we have studied with care, but to
better living on the farm and to better
themselves have given scant attention.
Last spring while visiting the cap
ital of Hungary, Budapest, l was i'm.
mensely impressed by the Museum of
Country Life, containing an extraordi-
nary series of studies in agriculture, in
stock raising, in forestry, in mining.
The exhibits were of the utmost prac-
teal Importance and were also intense
~ interesting and instructive.
l greatly wish we had such mu'
scum in Washington, and some of your
farmer congressman ought to get full
and detailed report Of this Budapest
museum to be printed for distribution
in public document.
Human Efficiency.
AS people we have not yet learned
to economic. One Of the virtues We
Americans most need is thrift 1t is g
mere truism to say that luxury and
extravaganza are not good for ma
ton. So far as they affect character
the loss they cause may be beyond
sense there is loss greater than Is
caused by both extravaganza and lux
ury put together.
l mean the needless, useless and ex
| cessive loss to our people from prema
ture death and ayoidable diseases
Wholly apart from the grief, the sui
fering and the wretchedness which
they cause, the material loss each yeal
has been calculated at nearly twice
| what it costs to run the federal gov
eminent.
In addition to the state and cit!
health officers and organizations, ther'
is urgently needed federal bureau o
health, to act, so far as the nationa
government properly may, to reliev'
our people from this dreadful burden.
The National Conservation Commits
sion.
One of the most important meetings
I'll ~