Lower coast gazette., 1910-01-22

reclamation fund. which returns. as
the years so on, will increase rapidly
in amount
New Law Requisite.
Respecting the comparatively small
timbered areas on the public doma'n not
included in national forests because Of
their isolation or their special value for
agricultural or mineral purposes. it is APP
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. 1873, should be re-
pealed and a law enacted for the dispo-
sition OF the timber at public sale, the
lands after the removal Of the timber to
be subject to appropriation under the
agricultural or mineral land laws.
What | nave 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.
1 80 llpIi aIc lIl'ol lOidt Ell
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 slah be embodied in statute 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, GOO, 900 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 posi-
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,
indeed, who did not realize that the peO-
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 b.
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
a 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 I think it is the duty Of
congress to undertake the project and
make provision therefor in the proper ap-
preparation bill.
One of the projects which nswers 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-
structed and six are under construction,
while the total required is 50. The re-
naming cost is known to be $69, coo, 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 it through as rapidly as may
be. I assume from reliable information
that it can be constructed economically
in ten years. l recommend, therefore,
that the public lands. in river and har-
Dor bills, make provision for continuing
contracts to complete this Improvement,
and | shall recommend in the future, II
it be necessary, that bonds be issued to
carry it through.
What has been said of the Ohio river
is true in a less complete way Of the I'M
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
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 i'm
p~rovement.
AS these improvements are being made,
and the traffic encouraged by them shows
itself Of sufficient Importance, the i'm
provement of the Mississippi beyond
Cairo down to the gulf, which Is now
! going on with the maintenance Of a depth
| of nine feet everywhere. may be changed
to another and greater depth if the neces-
sity for it shall appear to arise out of the
traffic which can be delivered on the river
at Cairo.
Cheap Rail Rate Necessary.
| I am informed that the investigation
by the waterways commission in Europe
shows that the existence of a waterway
by no means assures traffic unless there
is traffic adapted to water carriage at
cheap rates at one end or the other Of
the stream. 1t also appears in Europe
that the depth Of the streams is rarely
more thar six feet, and never more than
nine. But it is certain that
quantities Of merchandise are transported
over the rivers and canals in Germany
and France and England, and it is also
certain that the existence Of such meth
DDS Of traffic materially affects the rates
which the railroads charge, and 1t Is the
best regulator of those rates that we
have, not even excepting the govern
mental regulation through the interstate
commission. For this reason,
l hope that this congress will take such
steps that it may be called the inaugu-
rator Of the new system of inland water
ways. For reasons which it is not nee
essary here to state, congress has seen
fit to order an investigation into the in
terror department and the forest service
Of the agricultural department. TIL re-
suits Of thai investigation are not needed
to determine the value of, and the ne
cessity for, the new legislation which !
have recommended in respect TO the pub
lie lands and in respect to reclamation. ]
earnestly urge that the measures be TAX.