The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-01-14

-tatute shall provide that these bonds B
sre ID be paid out OF the reclamation
una, il will be drawn in such a wayl u
rs 10 secure interest at the lowest
.ate and that the credit Of The Uni
ed States will be pledged for their
redemption.
urge consideration Of the recon- \
OF the secretary Of the
interior IN his annual report for Z
Of the reclamation act.
other relief fos settlers on
these projects
Respecting the comparatively small
areas on the public domain
not INDUCED in national forests Bel
cause Of their isolation or special
value for agricultural or mineral puI-
poses i IS apparent from the evils
resulting by virtue Of the impelfec-
tions Of existing laws for the dispo-
sition Of timber lands that the acts
Of June 8. 1878. should be repealed
and a law enacted for the disposition
OF timber at public sale, the lands
after the removal Of the timber to
be subject to appropriation under
the mineral lands law.
What have said is really an cpl 4
tome Of the recommendation Of the
secretary cf the interior in respect to
the future conservation cf The public /
domain in his present annual report l
He has given close attention to the \
problem Of disposition OF these lands (
under such conditions as 10 invite 7
the private capital necessary to their /
development on the one hand, and |
the malnten of the restrictions
necessary 10 prevent monopoly and
abuse from absolute ownership on
the other. These recommendations
are incorporated in bills he has pre-
pared, and they are at the disposition
of the congress ! earnestly recon-l
mend thar all the suggestions which
e has maae with respect TO these
ands shall he embodied in statutes,
and especially, that the Withdrawals
already made shall be validated so
far as necessary and that doubt as
/ to the authority of the secretary Of
\ the interior to withdraw lands for
I The purpose of submitting recon-
mendatians as to future disposition
/ OF them whore no Legislation IS need
/ ed shall be made complete and un-
questioned
Forest Reserves Of United States.
The forest reserves of the United
States, some 90,700.000 in extent are
4 under the control of the department
/ Of agriculture. with authority ade-
4 quate to preserve them and 10 extend
,5x:,. co a. hot hn
practicable The importance OF the
maintenance OF our forests can not
be exagge, ated. The possibility of a
scientific treatment Of forests in or
der that they shall be made to yield
a large return in timber without
really reducing 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,
Upwards Of 400000,000 acres OF
forest land in tais country are in
nrivate ownership. but only three
per cent Of ii is being treated scien'
tifcally and with 4 view to the main
! tenance of the forests. The part
played by the forests in the equali2a
tion of The supply Of water on watei
: sheds is matter of discussion an6
t dispute but the general benefit 70 be
= derived by the public FROM the ~
g tension OF forest lands on watel
I sheds and ihe promotion OF th'
i growth of trees in places ihat ar'
+ now denuded and that once had grea
X aeuris ing forests, goes without say
Il ing. The control TO be exercised
e Cye private ownership in thei
r. treatment of the forests which the,
own is matter Tor state and no
s national regulation. because there i
n nothing In the constitution that au
i thorizes the Federal government Z
J. exercise any control over forest
= within a state, unless the forests ar
), owned in proprietary way by ta
t Federal government
4 Inland Waterways.
u come now to the Improvements o
n the inland waterways. He would b.
), blind indeed, who did not realiz
/. taat the people Of the entire West
S and especially those OF the Mississir
h pi valley, have been aroused 70 IN
I need there is for The Improvement o
Q our inland waterways. The Missis
o sippi liver, with the Missouri on tn
e one hand and the Ohio on the othel
\ would seem to offer a great natra
Y means of interstate transportation
n and traffic How far, If properly i'm
, n.oved. they would relieve the rail
e roads or supplement- them in respec
l. to the bulkiea and cheaper commod
Y itics is a matter OF conjecture. NJ