The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-09-06


likewise.
II any proof were needed that forest
protection is national duty the recent
destruction of forests In the west by
FIRE would supply IL. Even with the
aid Of the army added to that Of the
forest service the loss has been severe.
Without either It would have been
vastly greater.
But the forest service does more
than protect the national forests
against Are II makes them practically
and increasingly useful as well. Dur
ing the last year for which have the
figures the national forests were used
by 22,O0O cattlemen with their herds.
5000 sheepmen with their focks, 5000
timbermen with their crews and As
600 miners. More than 5000 persons
used them for other special Industries.
Nearly $4,000 settlers had the free use
OF wood.
The total resident population Of the
national forests is about quarter Of
a million, which Is larger than the pop
ulation Of certain states.
More than 100000 acres of agricul-
tural land have been patented or list
ed for patent within the forests, and
the reports Of the forest officers show
that more than 100000 people year
use the forests for recreation. camping
hunting. fishing and similar purposes
All this is done, of course. without In.
t,trx -. ~. t1t, t,ae Lao
Of at least $1,000, 100000.
Moreover, the national forests pro-
tect the water supply Of thousand
cities and towns, about 800 irrigation
projects and more than 300 power
projects, not counting the use of water
for these and other purposes by indi-
vidual settlers.
think that hereafter we may safe
ly disregard any statements that the
national forests are withdrawn from
settlement and use.
A Country Life Institute.
The Investigations of the country
life commission have led the farmers
of this country to realize that they
have not been getting their fair share
of progress and all that Il brings.
Some of our farming communities in
the Mississippi valley and In the mid
die west have made marvellous prog
ress, yet even the best of them, like
communities Of every other kind, are
not beyond Improvement. while much
needs to be done I'm some other sec
tions to improve country life.
AS yet we know comparatively lit
tie Of the basic facts of rural civiliza-
ton. The means for better, farming
we have studied with care. but to
better living on the farm and to better
business on the farm the farmers
themselves have given scant attention.
Last spring while visiting the cap
ital of Hungary. Budapest, was i'm
mensely impressed by the Museum Of
Country Life. containing an extraordi.
nary series of studies In agriculture, in
stock raising, in forestry. in mining.
The exhibits were of the utmost prac-
tical Importance and were also intense
ly interesting and instructive.
greatly wish we had such mu-
scum in Washington, and some Of your
farmer congressman ought to get full
and detailed report Of this Budapest
museum to be printed for distribution
In public document.
Human Efficiency.
As people we have not yet learned
to economize. One OF the virtues we
Americans most need is thrift. II is n
mere truism to say that luxury and
extravaganza are not good for a ma
ton. So far as they affect character.
the loss they cause may be beyond
computation. But In the material
sense there is loss greater than Is
caused by both extravagance and lux.
ury put together.
j mean the needless. useless and ex-
cessive loss to our people from prema.
ture death and avoidable diseases.
Wholly apart from the grief. the suf-
fering and the wretchedness which
they cause. the material loss each year
has been calculated at nearly twice
what 1t costs to run the federal gov
| ernment
In addition to the state and city
health officers and organizations. there
is urgently needed a federal bureau of
health. to act. so far as the national
government properly may, to relieve
our people from this dreadful burden,
The National Conservation Commits
sion.
One of the most important meetings
In our recent history was that of the
governors in the White House in May.
1908. to consider the conservation
question. BY the advice Of the gov
ernors the meeting was followed by
the appointment of national conser-
walton commission. The meeting of
the governors directed the attention of
the country TO conservation as nothing
else could have done. while the work
Of the commission gave the movement
defniteness and supplied II with
practical program. But at the moment
when the commission W. ready to be-
gin the campaign for pS Sting its pro,
gram into effect an amendment to the
sundry civil service bill was introduced