The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1910-01-21

up by the proceeds or returns to the
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, 1t 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 8, 1878. 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 ] 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 and 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 recommendation are Incorporated
in bills he has prepared. and they are at
the disposition Of the congress. l earnest
ly recommend hat all the suggestions
which he has made with respect to these
and shall be embodied in statutes and,
especially, that the Withdrawals already
made shall be validated so far as neees-
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
ho v,nIn onp,D 1ota md
Disposition of Forest Reserves.
The forest reserves Of the United
States, some 100, 600, 600 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 q
large return in timber without really re-
ducing the supply has been demonstrated
in other countries, and we should work
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
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
would relieve the railroads or sup
plement them in respect to the bulkier
and cheaper commodities is a matter of
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
a definite character for the improvement
Of a waterway has been developed so
that the plans have beer drawn, the cost
definitely estimated, and the traffic
will be accommodated Is reason
ably probable / think 1t is the duty Of
to undertake the project and
provision therefor in the proper ap-
preparation bill.
One of the projects which answers the
description l 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
"a - NotAS AANo oSSA ~
structed and six are under construction,
while the total required is 50. The re-
naming cost Is known to be $63, 900. 600.
1t seems to me that in the development
IF our inland waterways it would be
wise to begin with this particular project
carry it through as rapidly as may
De. l assume from reliable information
hat it can be constructed economically
n ten years. / recommend, therefore,.
hat the public lands, in river and har-
DOT bills. make provision for continuing
to complete this improvement.
and l shall in the future, if
t be necessary, that bonds be issued to
carry it through.
What has been said Of the Ohio river
s true in a less complete way Of the i'm
,rovement of the upper Mississippi from
St. Paul to st. lou to a constant depth
If six feet, and of the Missouri. from
Kansas City to st. Louis to a constant
lepth Of six feet and from st. Louis to
cairo of a depth of eight feet. These
have been pronounced practical
~ competent boards of army engineers.
heir cost has been estimated and there
8 business which will follow the I'M
,rovement.
AS these improvements are being made,
nd the traffic encouraged by them shows
tself of sufficient Importance. the i'm
,rovement of the Mississippi beyond
CalrO down TO the SulI, WHICH IS HOW
ding on with the maintenance Of a depth
4 nine feet everywhere, may be changed
O another and greater depth If the neces-
ity for it shall appear to arise out Of the
rattle which can be delivered on the river
It Cairo.
Cheap Rail Rate Necessary.
I am informed that the investigation
" the waterways commission in Europe
hows that the existence of a waterway
" no means assures traffic unless there
9 traffic adapted to water carriage at
heap rates at one end or the other Of
he stream. It also appears in Europe
hat the depth Of the streams is rarely
more than six feet, and never more than
line. But it is certain that enormous
of merchandise are transported
yer the rivers and canals in Germany
nd France and England, and 1t is also
ertain that the existence Of such meth
IDS of traffic materially affects the rates
the railroads charge, and it Is the
regulator of those rates that we
ave, not even excepting the govern
mental regulation through the interstate
commission. For this reason,
hope that this congress will take such
teps that it may be called the fnaugu-
of the new system of inland water
Ways. For reasons which it is not nee
ssary here to state, congres has seen
it to order an investigation into the in
erior department and the forest service