Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-01-14

water VI lOt OtueT fedSOuS, DuI gen
orally the work which has been done
has been well done, and many jmpor-
tunt engineering problems have been
met and solved
Government Should Hep Settlers.
One of the difficulties which have
| arisen Is that too many projects In
| view of the available funds have been
set on foot The funds available under
the reclamation statute are inadequate
| to complete these projects within
reasonable time. And yet the projects
have been begun Settlers have been
invited to take up and IN many In
| stances lave taken up the public
land within the projects relying upon
their prompt completion. The failure
to complete the projects for their bene
fit is, In effect, breach of faith and
| leaves them In a most distressed con-
dition. ! urge that the nation ought
to afford the means to lift them out
of the very desperate condition In
which they row are. This condition
does not indicate any excessive waste
or any corruption on the part OF the
| recla nation service.
1t only indicates an overZealous de
sire to extend the benefit of reclnma-
| tion TO as many acres and as many
states as possible | recommend, there
fore. that authority be~given to issue
not exceeding $30.O000O0 of bonds
from time to time, as the secretary Of
| the interior shall find 1t necessary the
proceeds to be applied to the compile
tion of the projects already begun and
their proper extension and the bonds
running ten years or more, to be taken
up by the proceeds Of returns to the
reclamation fund which returns as
the years go on will increase rapidly
In amount.
There Is no doubt Mt 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 complet
ed enterprises. would quickly create q
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 rs to secure in
terest at the lowest rate and that the
credit of the United States will be
pledged for their redemption.
] urge cOnsiderat ton of the recon-.
mendations of the secretary of the in
terior In his annual report for amend
IientS of the reclamation act, propos-
| ing other relief for settlers on these
| projects.
| Respecting the comparatively small
tinbered areas on the public domain
| not included In national forests be-
cause of their isolation or their spe-
cial value for agricultural or mineral
purposes 1t is apparent from the evils
resulting by virtue Of the imperfec-
tfons of existing laws for the disposi-
ton of timber lands that the acts Of
June 3, 1878. should be repealed and
law enacted for the disposition of the
timber at.public sale, the lands after
| the removal of the timber to be sub
| ject to appropriation under the ag
| ricultural or mineral land laws.
| What | have said Is really an epit-
ONE of the recommendations of the
secretary of the interior In respect to
the future conservation of the public
domain In his present annual reports
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-
velopment on the one hand and the
maintenance of the restrictions neces-
sary to prevent monopoly and abuse
from absolute ownership on the other
These recommendations are incor-
pQrated in bills he has prepared. and
I they are at tho disposition of the con-
gress. earnestly recommend that all
the suggestions which he has made
with respect to these lands shall be
embodied in statutes. and especially
that the wthdra walls already made
shall be validated so far rs necessary
and that the authority of the secre-
tary of the interior to withdraw lands
for-the purpose of submitting recon-
mendations as to future disposition of
them where new legislation Is needed
shall be made completed and unques-
toned.
Mast Maintain Forests.
The forest reserves of the United
States, some 190.O00,000 acres in OK
tent. are under the control of the de.
partment of agriculture, with author
ity adequate TO preserve them and to
extend their growth SO far as that
may be practicable. The Importance
of the maintenance of our forests can
not be exaggerated The possibility Of
scientific treatment of forests so
that they shall be made to yield
large return in timber without really
reducing the supply has been demon
strated In other countries, and we
should work toward the standard sci
by them as far as their methods are
applicable to our conditions. y
Upward of 400.0O0O00 acres of for,
est land III this country are in private
ownership, but only per cent of it
Is being treated scientifically and with
a view to the maintenance Of the for
ests. The part played by the forests
in the equalization of the supply of
wafer on watersheds Is matter OF
discussion and dispute, but the general
benefit to be derived by the public
from the extension of forest lands on
watersheds and the promotion of the
growth of trees In places that are now
denuded and that once had great
fourishing forests goes without saying.
The control TO hp ayprciSp1 over nri