The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-11-17


enter upon an extensive and scientific
system of tree planting at the head of
our streams If we would prevent the
drying up of this country and the con-
sequent desolation such as fell upon
Spain at a later day which can be
traced directly to the destruction of
their forests. We are all agreed that
trees ought to be planted but the ques-
ton which gives US pause is this:
Whose business and whose duty is it
Is it the function of the federal gov
eminent or of the state government?
On that there is a radical difference
OF opinion even among the wisest, the
most patriotic and most philanthropic
men. It is high time that a conclusion
We're reached on that subject, for I'M
til it is reached our forests are being
rapidly destroyed and nobody is plant
ing the trees which are to bless our
posterity and insure the continued fer
tility of the soil. In this we would
do we'll to take a leaf out of the book
of the Germans. They are practical
people, and among other things have
reduced tree planting and tree cutting
to science They use all the timber
they need for their rapidly growing
population, but so perfect is their sys-
tenn for conserving old trees and plant
ing new ones that they have as much
standing timber and of q better aver
age quality than in the days of the
Great Elector. Whether our people
would submit to such strict regula-
tons on this subject so vital to our
future welfare is pr Rblematical, but
the necessity is upon us to act, and the
quicker the better for all concerned.
Delay is not only dangerous; it is
ruinous.
Good Roads.
Everybody admits the crying neces-
sity for good wagon roads. A great
writer. Frank G. Carpenter, recently
declared that our bad roads cost the
American people eight hundred million
dollars per annum, which sum nearly
equals our annual appropriation bills
and exceeds the one-half of the valua-
ton of the imperial commonwealth of
Missouri for taxing purposes. Bad
wagon roads are the greatest, the most
remarkable and the least justifable of
all the extravag ances known among
men. Even the ancient Romans were
ahead of US in the matter of roads.
Their armies advancing into the coun-
try built rock roads wherever it was
feasible centuries before McAdam gave
his name to a system of roadbuilding
and to the dictionaries of the world.
People living in the hill country where
rock and gravel are abundant have
absolutely no tenable excuse for bad
roads, and the man who will invent
or discover a good material for road
building in the reckless and graVelleSS
stretches of prairie will deserve a
monument as tall as Washington's and
Will deserve to rank as a scientist
with Isaac Newton, the discoverer of
the law of gravity; with Lord Bacon,
the father of inductive philosophy, and
with Benjamin Franklin, the captor
of lightning. My district contains
more rock and gravel roads than any
other congressional district in Missouri
and the mileage is being gradually but
constantly increased. Indeed, there is
a great awakening all over Missouri on
this subject. People are concluding
that good roads are paying investments
and are realizing their prime impor-
lance. Again, the question arises:
Whose duty is it to build good wagon
roads? The advocates of good roads
are divided into two warning camps
as betwixt the federal and state gov
ernmentS and in the meantime the ap-
palling waste of bad roads continues.
Good roads can be built only with good
money. and the people furnish the |
money whether to the federal or state |
governm ent; but there can be no doubt |
that 2 way will be found. We have
found one way in the Ninth congress |
sionaI district Of Missouri, and that is
to build the roads ourselves without
aid from either the federal or state
government.
The Lincoln Memorial.
Congress has determined to expend |
two million dollars to erect a memo |
rial to Abraham Lincoln. AS speaker
of the house, I am ex-ocicio a mem
Der of the board of commissioners to
determine the character of the memo
rial. Among the numerous plans sug
gested. I am in favor of a memorial
road from Washington to Gettysburg
with both of which places his name
is linked forever. He was one of the
most practical of mortals and it is
reasonably certain that if he could be
consulted as to a Lincoln memorial,
ne would choose something unitarian
in character.
The federal government has entered
Upon an extensive system of irrigation
Of arid lands in order to furnish
homes for our children. The initial
cost to the government is great, but
he theory is that the government will
De repaid in full, and so the law pro-
yides The irrigation system is caus-
ng the desert to literally blossom as
he rose Closely connected, in the ,
public mind at least, with the irriga- !
ion of our arid lands is the drainage
md reclamation of our vast areas of {
wamp and overfowed lands - the
most fertile land beneath the skies. On
he banks of the Miss issippi and it's
tributaries alone there is enough I
wamp and overfiowed land of the t
maximum producing quality to make t
state as big as Missouri. capable of s
Importing a population of ten or fif-
cen millions, right in the heart or the !
ointment, close to market. in the midst [
f schools, churches, newspapers, rail-
Dads and other necessary adjuncts of ;
modern civilization. That these lands
7ill some day be reclaimed have no $
oubt.
Who shall Do 1t?
In most cases an adequate scheme :
7ould prove too large for private en-
erprise; but again the question: Who 6
hall do it, the federal or state govern =
lent? Two things appear clear: First, a
the congress possessed constitutional +
uthority to put water on arid lands to +
lake homes for the people. it has a
quail authority to take the water off {
f swamp and overlooked land for the t
ame laudable purpose. Second, if the @
Ongress has sense enough to rig up