Mexico Missouri message., 1910-01-20


their proper extension, and the bonAa
running ten years or more to be taken
Up by the proceeds of returns to ths
reclamation fund, which returns, as
the years go on, will increase rapidly
in amount
New Law Requisite.
Respecting the comparatively small
timbered areas on the public domain not
included in national forests because OF
their isolation or their special value for
agricultural or mineral purposes, II Is ap-
parent from the evils resulting by vir-
tue of the imperfections of existing laws
for the disposition Of timber lands that
the acts of June 3, 1878 should be re-
peaRd and a law enacted for the dispo-
sition of the timber at public sale, the
lands after the removal OF Sas timber to
be subject to appropriation under the
agricultural or mineral land laws.
What l have said Is really an epitome
| 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 DISPOSE
| ton of these lands under such conditions
| as to invite the private capital necessary
| to their development on the one hand,
| and the maintenance of the restrictions
| necessary to prevent monopoly and abuse
| from absolute ownership on the other.
| These recommendations are Incorporated
| in bills he has prepared, and they are at
| the disposition of the congress / earnest
| ly recommend that all the suggestions
which he has made with respect to these
| lands shall be embodied In statutes and,
| especially that the Withdrawals already
| made shall be validated so far as neces-
| sary and that doubt as to the authority
| of the secretary of the interior to with
draw lands for the purpose of submitting
| recommendations as to future disposition
| of them where new legislation is needed
| shall be made complete and unquestioned.
Disposition Of Forest Reserves.
| The forest reserves of the United
States, some 100, 100000 acres in extent, are
! under the control OF the department OF
agriculture, with authority adequate to
| preserve them and to extend their growth
| so far as that may be practicable. The
| Importance Of the maintenance of our
| forests cannot be exaggerated. The possi-
| bility OF a scientific treatment of forests
| so that they shall be made to yield a
| large return in timber without really re-
| ducing the supply has been demonstrated
| In other countries, and we should work
| toward the standard set by them as far
| as their methods are applicable to our
| conditions.
Improvement of River.
I come now to the Improvement of the
| inland waterways. He would be blind,
| lnueeu, VINO ulu not TeallZ6 IldL Ine DeO-
| pie of the far west and especially those
of the Mississippi valley, have been
| aroused to the need there is for the i'm
provement of our inland waterways.
The Mississippi river, with the Missouri
| on the one hand and the Ohio on the
| other, would seem to offer a great nat
| ural means of interstate transportation
and traffic. How far. If properly improved
| they would relieve the railroads or sup
| plement them in respect to the bulkier
and cheaper commodities is "a matter OF
conjecture. No enterprise ought to be
| undertaken the cost of which is not def
initely ascertained and the benefit and
| advantage of which are not known and
assured by competent engineers and other
| authority. When, however, a project OF
definite character for the Improvement
of a waterway has been developed so
that the plans have been drawn, the cost
definitely estimated, and the traffic
which will be accommodated is reason
ably probable 1 think 1t is the duty of
congress to undertake the project and
make provision therefor in the proper ap-
| preparation bill.
| One of the projects which answers the
| description / have given is that of intro
ducing 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 feet. Upward of seven
| of these dams have already been con-
while the total required is 50 The re-
I naming cost is known to be S63, 900.
1t seems to me that in the development
of our inland waterways it would be
wise to begin with this particular project
| and carry 1t through as rapidly as may
be. assume from reliable information
| that 1t can be constructed economically
| in ten years. l recommend, therefore,
that the public lands. in river and har-
Dor bills make provision for continuing
80 Il. -
and shall recommend in the future, If
it be necessary, that bonds be issued to
| carry il through.
What has been said of the Ohio river
is true in a less complete way of the Inn
| provement of the upper Mississippi from
st: Paul to st. Louis to a constant depth
of six feet, and of the Missouri, from
Kansas City to st. Louis to a constant
| depth of six feet and from st, Louis to
i Cairo of a depth of eight feet. These
| projects have been pronounced practical
| by competent boards of army engineers,
their cost has been estimated and there
Is business which will follow the inn
provement.
/ AS these improvements are being made
and the traffic encouraged by them shows
itself of sufficient Importance, the inn
provement of the Mississippi beyond
Cairo down to the gulf which is now
going on with the maintenance of depth
of nine feet everywhere, may be changed
to another and greater depth If the neces-
sity for 1t shall appear to arise out of the
traffic which can be delivered o. the river
at Cairo.
Cheap Rail Rate Necessary.
| 1 am informed that the investigation
by the waterways commission in Europe
shows that the existence of waterway
by no means assures traffic unless therS
is traffic adapted TO water carriage al
cheap rates at one end or the other OF
the stream, 1t also appears in EuroHs
that the depth of the streams is rarely
more than six feet, and never more thar
nine. But 1t is certain that enormous
quantities of merchandise are transported
over the rivers and canals in Germany
and France and England, and it is alsC
certain that the existence of such meth
DDS of traffic materially affects the rates
which the railroads charge, and it is thu
best regulator of those rates that WI
have, not even excepting the govern
mental regulation through the interstat'
fet