Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1924-12-11
MESSAGE TO
/. CONGRESS IS SUMMARIZED
Clearly Defines Policies of National Welfare
---Sees Era of Prosperity Ahead

ment of the Mississippi basin, for the
taking over the Cape Cod canal in
accordance with moral obligation
which seems to have been incurred
during the war, and for the improve
ment of harbors ON both the Pacific
and Atlantic coasts.
Reclamation.
Our country has a well-defined
policy of reclamation established I'M
der statutory authority. This policy
should be continued and made self
sustaining activity administered in
a manner that will meet local re-
quirements and bring our arid lands
into a profitable state of cultivation
as fast as there is a market for their
products. Legislation is pending bas-
ed on the report of the fact finding
commission for the proper relief of
those needing extension of time in
which to meet their payments on ir-
rigated land, and for additional a.
mendments and reforms of our rec
lamatiOn laws.
Agriculture.
No more important development
has taken place in the last year than
the beginning of a restoration of ag-
riculture to a prosperous condition
We must permit no division of class
es in this country, with one occupa
ton striving to secure advantage
over another. Each must proceed un
der open opportunities and with
fair prospect of economic equality
The government can not successful.
4 insure prosperity or fix prices b,
legislative fiat. Every business ha
its risks and its times of depression
1t is well known that in the lon;
run there will be more even pros
perity and a more satisfactory rang
of prices under the natural workings
out of economic laws than when thu
government undertakes the artificial
support of markets and industries
Still we can so order our affairs, Sc
protect our own people from foreign
competition so arrange our nationa
finances, so administer our monetary
system. so provide for the extension
of credits, so improve methods of dis
tribution, as to provide better work
ing machinery for the transaction OF
the business of the nation with the
least possible friction and loss. The
government has been constantly IN
creasing its efforts in these directions
for the relief and permanent estab
lishment of agriculture on a SOUND
and equal basis. with other business
Muscle Shoals.
The production of nitrogen foi
plant food in peace and explosives IN
war is more important. 1t is one OF
the chief sustaining elements of life
IT is estimated that soil exhaustion
each year is represented by about 3,
OOO. 900 tons. The deficit of 3,55OOOt
tons. is reported to represent the i'm
pairment of 11s,OOO,00 acres of farm
lands each year.
To meet these necessities the gov
eminent has been developing a water
power project at Muscle Shoals to On
equipped to produce nitrogen for esX
plosiyes and fertilizer. 1t is my op
inion that the support of agriculture
is the chief problem to consider II
connection with this property. L
could by no means supply the presen
needs for nitrogen, but it would hell
and its development would encour
age bringing water powers into nk'
use.
Several offers have been made To-
the purchase of this property. Prob
ably none of them represent fina
terms. Much costly experimentation
is necessary to produce commercial
nitrogen. For that reason it is a fiel'
better suited to private enterprls
than TO government operation.
Railways
The railways during the past yea
have made still further progress L
remuneration from the war, VIII
large gains in efficiency and abilit
expenditiously to handle the traffl
of the country. We have now passe
through several periods or peak Val
fic without the ear shortages whic
Continued on Page SIX