Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1912-04-12

1pfuc 5tatSo.
BY a sort of a joint agreement the
senate has allowed its members to do
pretty much as they chose In the pub
lie building appropriation matter the
thought being apparently. III don't
interfere with another senator, the
other senator won't interfere with me
when want something OF like kind
done"
Public buildings bills are no re-
specters of parties Whether the Re
publicap& or the Democrats are In
control Sof either house, the public
buildings bill nearly always gets its
innings. Postoffices and court houses
erected at government expense and
presenting a fine appearance archi-
tecturally always have been looked
upon as good vote-getters. 1t is said
that many congressman owe their re-
turn to Washington to the fact that
they have done SO much for their
districts"
1t is possible for a member to make
no effort to familiarize himself with
matters of great national concern, and
to take no active part in the debates
on mom9ntous questions. and yet to
commend himself to hts constituents
because he has been so active In send
ing them garden seeds. looking after
private pension matters and above all,
being active in getting appropriations
for federal buildings which would be
an ornament to the public square"
The real trouble seems to be that
in hundreds OF cases the buildings
which have been provided are alto
gether too large for the service in
tended. and costly beyond right. There
are some villages in the United States
holding only a handful of people
which have finer public buildings than
places OF thirty times their size. The
difference in the structures represents
the difference either In influence OF
the representatives Of the different
districts, or In the way in which they
view their public duties. Some men
give their whole time to the greater
affairs Of state, while others are con
tent to give time and energy only to
local matters. AS for the quality OF
craftsmanship presented by these two
courses. the people must take their
choice.
To Save Mountain Forests.
Not long ago congress passed q
bill which gives Uncle Sam the
right to take over for forest re-
serve purposes tracts of lands in the
White Mountains of New Hampshire
and in two or three states OF the
southern Appalachian region. In q
week or two the commission which
has this matter in charge will report
on certain sections which 1t is thought
wise for the government to take over
in order to save the forests, to pre-
serve the natural scenic beauty and to
keep equable the flow of the streams
which are used for navigation and for
water power for manufacturing pur-
poses.
Thousands OF people go to the White
Mountains In summer to spend their
vacations. This statement will not
startle anyone by it's novelty, but
| there may be something new In the
knowledge that the people who go to
| New Hampshire for the beauty of the
| scenery and the purity OF the air
spend $8,000,000 in that state In the
months before the leaves of the for.
estst take on the color of the expend.
ed gold.
Plans of the Government.
Congress was told not long ago that
the tide of summer travel actually
was beginning to turn away from New
| Hampshire because the mountains
were being robbed of their tree glo
ries by the hand Of trade. and that the
waters. the rapids were becoming
rills and the depths were becoming
murmuring shadows. or course. not
the entire forested mountain country
of New Hampshire can be preserved
by the government of the United
States. The intention seems to be to
take over 100000 acres and to care
| for the reserve under such regulations
as best may be provided for the re
forestinE of the waste places and for
protection OF the water supply.
1t must not be understood that lum
bering operations will be stopped by
the fact that Uncle Sam is to become
land owner in the Appalachian re-
gion north and south It does follow,
however, that only such numbering
operations will be allowed as viii In.
crease rather than decrease the sup
ply Of wood for commercial purposes
This statement may seem to contain
contradictory propositions. but II
does not The government maintains
that when a tree Is properly cut the
operation makes two trees grow where
one grew before.
Last year forest fires In the United
States destroyed s200OO,000 worth OF
property The government now Is CO.
operating with such states as ask Co
operation for the prevention OF for.
est fires Several states have availed
themselves of the opportunity to get
government aid. The government
gives It's help only in sections where
the forests guard the water supply Of
navigable stream3. Under the Consti.
tuition this was the only way In which
the government could act with the
streams which are navigable in any
part of their course
t intervals until about elslt The
.Sund was very faint: ID met. two of
my men were unable to near II. There