Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1910-01-20

| the disposition OF the congress, earnest
" recommend that all the suggestions
which he has made with respect to these
| lands shall be embodied In statutes ana
especially, that tho Withdrawals ALREADY
made shall be validated 20 far as neces-
aary and that doubt as 70 the authority
OF the secretary OF the interior 70 Win
draw LANDS for the purpose OF Submitting
recommendations - 70 future disposluon
Shall he made complete AND unQuestioned.
DISPOSITION Of Forest Reserves.
The forest reserves. 4 OF the United
States. some 100, 900 acres In extent, are
under the control OF the department Of
ssricuIture, with authority adequate 70
preserve them and to extend their growth
20 far as that may be practicable The
Importance Of the maintenance OF ouI
forests cannot be exaggerated. The posi-
biiity Of a scientific treatment OF iorests
20 that they shall be made to yield
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 fet
as their methods are applicable 10 our
conditions.
NJ forest land In this country are In pri-
yate ownership, but only three per cent.
Of IL is being treated scientifically and
with a view to the maintenance OF the
forests. The part played by the forests
IN the equalization Of the supply Of water
on watersheds is q matter OF discussion
and dispute, but the general benefit to be
derived by the public from the extension
Of forest lands on watersheds and tine
nrobnotlon of the growth of trees In
places that are now denuded and that
once had great fourishlng forests. goes
without saying. The control to be exer-
cised over private owners In their treat
ment OF the forests which they own 10 .
matter for state and not national regl-
latlon, because there ID nothing In the
constitution that authorizes the federal
government to exercise any control over
forests within Q state, unless the forests
are owned in q proprietary way BY tn
federal government.
Improvement Of River.
4 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. apd especially those
Of the Mississippi valley, have been
aroused to the need there 10 for the Inn
pr0vement OF our inland waterways.
The Mississippi riYer, with the Missouri
on the one hand and the ohiQ IN the
other, would seem 10 offer O. great nat
ural means OF interstate tEansporkat ion
and trafIIc. How far, II properly improved
they would relieve the railroads or sup
pietnent them In respect to the bulkier
and cheaper commodities 10 . matter Of
ctnisctur0. Ne enterprise ought 20 be
undertaken the cost Of which 10 NOT def.
InlkSly ascerealned and the beneflt and
Advantage Of which are not known ana
aastireA By competent engineers and ether
authority When, howAver, 81 prcta1tN OF
definite character for the Improvement
II , waterway has been developed 70
that the plana hayas been drawn the cost
definitely estimated. and the frame
which will DO accommodated ~ reason.
abiy probable think It ID the duty ok
congress TO- undertake the project and
linelIe provision therefor In the proper APP
prdpfiatlcn bill.
I One Of the projects which answers the
deherlptIOni / have given 10 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,
depth OF nine feet. Upward Of seven
Of these dams have already been COM
structed and SIX are under construction,
while the total required ID 80. The re-
naming cost 10 known to be tsS.OoO.OoO.
It seems to me that in the development
OF our inland waterways II would be
wise to begin with this particular project
and carry II through - rapidly ~ may
be. assume from reliable Information
that Il can be constructed economically
In ten years. recommend, therefore,
-. - L. ~ has.
Dor bills, make provision for continuing
contrasts 70 complete TINS Improvement:
and I shall recommend III the future, II
II BE- necessary, that bonds be issued t.
carry II through.
what hau been said Of the Ohio river
II true in less complete way Of the Inn
movement Of the upper Misllssippl from
At. Paul to 81, Louis 10 Q constant depth
az dix feet. and Of the Missouri from
Kansas City 10 st. novis TO . constant
depth Of ak feet and frem ~ Louis 70
Cairo Of depth Of eight feet These
pr0jacts have been pronounced practical
by compstent boards Of army engineers
their cost has been estimated and there
ls business which will follow the linz
pr0vement. M tH Ht 3HNG fyg
!. AZ these improvements are being made,
and the tratic encouraged by them shows
Itself OF suficient Importance, the Inn
provonent OF the Mississippi beyond
Cairo down, to the gulf, which ID now
going on with the maintenance Of q depth
OF nine feet everywhere, may be changed
TO another and greater depth II the neces-
sIty for It shall appear to arise out Of the
traiiic which can be delivered on the river
at Cairo. ,A 5000
Cheap Rail Rate Necessary.
am Informed that the Investigation
by the waterways commission in Europe
shows that the existence Of a waterway
by no means assures trafie unless there
Ia trafic adapted to water carriage at
CHEAP rates at one end or the other Of
the stream. II also appears in Europe
that the depth OF the streams Il rarely
more than six feet, and never more than
nine. But II IL certain that enormous
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 trafic materially Affects the rates
which the railroads charge, and It 10 the
best regulator OF those rates that we
have, not even excepting the govern
mental regulation through the interstate
commerce commission. For this reason,
I hone that this congress will take such
steps that II may be called the inaugu-
ratcr Of the nav system Of inland water
ways. For reasons which II d not nee
essary here to state, congress- has seen
At to order an investigation into the In
teriOr department and the forest service
OF the agricultural department. The re-
suits Of that investigation are not needed
to determine the value tof. and the ne
cesslty for, the new legislation which J