The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1910-09-08
.r. we rUsr zee to Z TfIat adequate

- n. we rUss zee to e T,Iat adequate
finals are provided In everv CITY and
,~n on every improved waterway. termi-
Ials open under reasonable conditions to
the use Of every citizen. and rigidly pro-
tected against monopoly; and we must
compel the RAILWAYS to cooperate with
the waterways continuously. effectively,
and under reasonable conditions. Unless
we do so the railway lines will refuse to
deliver freight to the boat lines. either
openly or bv imposing prohib'torv condi-
lions. and the waterrvavs orce improved
will do comparatively little FOR the bene-
fit Of the people who pav the bill
Adequate terminals nroper'v controlled
and open through l'nes' nv rail and boat
are two absolutely essential conditions to
the usefulness Of inland waterway devel-
opment. I believe furthermore that the
railways should be prohibited from own
Ing. controlling. or carrying anv interest
IN the boat lines on our rivers unless
under the str;ctest regulation and control
Of the Interstate Commerce. COMMITS sion,
that the shippers interests may be
fully protected,
The National Forests.
If anv proof were needed that forest
protection is a National duty, the recent
destruction of forests In the west by fire
would supply it. Even with the aid Of
the armv added to that of the forest
service the loss has been severe. With
out either it would have been vastly
greater.
But the forest service does more than
protect the National forests against fire
1t makes them practically and increasing
ly useful as well. During the last year
for which I have the figures the National
forests were used bv $4,000 cattlemen
with their herds 5000 sheepmen with
their hocks, 5000 timbermen with their
crews. and 1900 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 q quarter Of a million, which is
larger than the population Of certain
states. More than 100000 acres Of ae-
ricultural land have been patented or
listed for patent within the forests, and
the reports Of the forest officers show
that more than 100000 people a year use
the forests for recreation, camping, hunt
ing, fishing, and similar purposes All
this is done, of course without injury to
the timber, which has a value Of at least
thousand million dollars Moreover
the National forests protect the water
supply of a thousand cities and towns.
about 300 irrigation projects. and more
than 300 power projects, not counting
the use of water for these and other DUR
poses by individual settlers
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 tnat It brings. Some Of our farming
communities in the Mississippi valley and
in the middle west have made marvellous
progress, yet even the best of them, like
communities of every other kind, are not
beyond Improvement, while much needs
to be done in some other sections to i'm
prove country life. AS yet we know COM
paratively little of the basic facts Of rural
civilization. The means for better farm
Ing we have studied with care, but to bet
ter living on the farm and to better bust
ness on the farm the farmers themselves
have given scant attention. One of the
most urgent needs of our civilization IL
that the farmers themselves should I'M
dertake to get for themselves better
knowledge along these lines, and then to
apply it. Sir Horace Plunkett, for many
years a wyoming cattleman. and now de-