Disquisition by Scripps, E.W., Mr. Pinchot's visit. A scheme of foresting and a means of financing it, June 16, 1908

              Ohio University Libraries, E. W. Scripps Papers, MSS 117, Series 4, http:// media. library. ohiou. edu/ scripps
E. W. SCRIPPS NOT REVIEWeO CY" E. W ••• ;' .!
AFT~" DICTATION
1st to Dec. 1st, West Chester, Butler Co., Ohio FILE 350
1st to April 1st, Miramar, San Diego Co., California
Miramar 1 CaJ .• , June 16, 190b.
MR. PINCHOT'S VISIT.
A scr- illvIE OF FOR& iSTING · . AND A MEANS OF fINANCING rr.
As I understand the matter J while the subj eet of national recl8lh- .-.
tion work by means of irriga'tion is recognizeo_ by the public as one of
importance, the main obstacle to carryin~ it out is financial.
UVll1V""~~ V hit on the idea of devoting a par' 0 of the receipts of the
verl1ment on aGGount of the sale of public lands to a fund to be
t. his vvork. Beyond this, a system is adopted by which the
of the lands and the new works were to repa:; to the goverrlment
the expenSE: 8 in a particular enterprise. 1ni s systerri beinG carried
t constitutes not only a rolling fund used for such inr.;.;; rovement s but
constantly enlarging one, so that the more work developes the nearer
t appro8, ches cOl1! pletion Emcl the smaller th8 necessity i, dll be for
t the larger that fund will become. It; IS a matter of course, that the
ime villI inevi teJlly come Yli" hen there \ vi11 be no more water to be imp OUl1 decl- ...
dl'J' land to 118 irrigated. Especially on account of the r; ro,\"\:- ll1?:, .. --
of the funds J progress vrill incJ:' fJEtse in geometrical ratio.
Now it is just as evident today that the government and t. r · e 1) 80}. 11e
at begin e. cti ve work of foresting as it was two decades ~ SO t} te: t
a=:. nati on had bee ome t. nec e s si t y.
It seems to me probably that notvvi thstanding the gree. t amount of
interest that has been aroused on thi s que stioE 1JY :~ Ir. Pinchot
by the Press, there is still too little comprehension by the people,
much shortsightedness on the part of our legislature and far too
, an opposition on the part of interested corporations and individuals
make it possible for the country to hope for relief for some time to
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