THE IBRIGATION AGE. 



inaugurated and the money could be gotten and ex- 

 pended under the supervision of some commission, this 

 would possibly be a good plan. It is our impression, 

 moreover, that it will be necessary to exploit such sec- 

 tions of the country as are being reclaimed by Federal 

 Irrigation Projects before the public generally will 

 fully realize what the government has- to offer in the 

 way of land and the possibility of home building 

 thereon. It is doubtful, al&o, if the individual who is 

 the head of what is known as the National Irrigation 

 Association has a right to go out to commercial bodies 

 and request contributions for the purpose above out- 

 lined. 



There is being reproduced in this issue 

 Centraliza- an article which recently appeared in the 

 tion of Denver Field and Farm under the head- 



Power, ing, "Uncle Sam's Advertising Agents" 



and credited to Mr. C. T. Johnson. 

 This article is so closely in line with the conten- 

 tions regularly made by this journal during the past 

 eight or ten years that it is thought worth while to re- 

 produce it at this time and make it particularly promi- 

 nent so that those who attend the irrigation congress 

 may have a better understanding of conditions sur- 

 rounding the publicity department of our Federal Gov- 

 ernment as associated with Conservation and Eeclama- 



to 



tion. 



We quote herewith a letter recently received from 

 a gentleman in Idaho and it is deemed best to give the 

 suggestion as presented to us by Mr. Sabransky. We 

 herewith quote his letter in full: 



TWIN FALLS, IDAHO, August 27, 1908. 

 THE IRRIGATION AGE, Chicago. 



GENTLEMEN : Enclosed please find money order for $2.50, 

 for which please send me the Primer of Irrigation and also 

 THE IRRIGATION AGE for one year, starting with the August 

 number. I like THE IRRIGATION AGE very much, although I 

 would like to see you take a friendlier stand towards the 

 National Forests. Sincerely, 



F. W. SABRANSKY. 



It is refreshing to have so clear and honest an 

 expression from a gentleman like Mr. Sabransky. THE 

 IRRIGATION AGE will at all times be very glad indeed, 

 to give due attention to suggestions of this character. 

 We cannot, however, fully comprehend his view of the 

 national forest question without more specific informa- 

 tion, and request Mr. Sabransky to send xis, in the form 

 of a letter for publication, his views on the Forestry 

 Bureau and the work performed by Mr. Pinchot and 

 his agents. 



In this connection, it may not be out of place to 

 say that while the editor of THE IRRIGATION AGE be- 

 lieves fully in the honesty and integrity of Mr. Pinchot. 

 he also feels at liberty to criticise the methods adopted 

 by that gentleman and his associates in the exploitation 

 of work carried on by that bureau. The article repro- 

 duced on another page taken from the Denver Field and 



Farm states in a clear manner the sentiment of a gruat 

 number of people throughout the western country, con- 

 cerning those who use questionable methods in their 

 campaign of publicity. 



The surprising feature of the whole situation is 

 that men of the qualifications of Messrs. Pinchot and 

 Newell, men whose personality is attractive and whose 

 efforts tend in the main to the upbuilding of the west 

 should find it necessary to re&ort to this sort of work 

 in exploiting their respective bureaus and the general 

 line of work conducted under their personal direction. 

 Both Messrs. Pichot and Newell are kindly disposed 

 individuals, but it is the general impression throughout 

 the west that this very estimable quality in each has 

 led many well-intentioned censors and others in power 

 to believe implicitly everything suggested by them, 

 thereby leaving them free rein without the supervision 

 or examination of their reports and suggestions, such 

 as is maintained in other equally important depart- 

 ments of the government at Washington. 



Just why the President of the United States H 

 so loyal in his support of the Pinchot and Newell 

 regime is difficult to understand by those who have care- 

 fully studied conditions throughout the west. It is 

 known that the President is a man of strong convic- 

 tions and equally strong friendships, but it is also 

 known as is illustrated in the case of Maxwell and 

 others, the Annanias Club for instance, the President 

 very rapidly drops those who do not agree with his 

 policy or suggestions, judging moreover from the man- 

 ner in which he has supported the Reclamation and 

 Forestry Bureaus one would judge that both Messrs. 

 Newell and Pinchot are wonderfully clever diplomats. 

 We would hardly care to say that their subserviency 

 to the dictation of the President would permit the car- 

 rying out of so-called reforms. 



In answer to our subscriber, Mr. Sabransky, we wilt 

 again request him to write us his views for publication 

 concerning the Forestry Bureau and the work con- 

 ducted under it in his section of Idaho. It is our im- 

 pression that the forestry work in the southern part of 

 Idaho will bear a closer investigation perhaps than in 

 the central and northern sections. It is also possible 

 that in this section of Idaho the forest rangers have 

 been more carefully selected or being under closer sur- 

 veilance by men of various branches of the government 

 in that section, also northern Utah, are held down to a 

 cleaner line of work. It is a well-known fact that 

 the rangers throughout Idaho, or a fair per cent of 

 them at least, are men of small mental caliber and many 

 of them are individuals whose ability would not be 

 recognized in the commercial world. It is possible that 

 under the new arrangement where larger salaries may 

 be paid that the personnel of this class- may be mater- 

 ially improved. After all, it appears to THE IRRIGA.- 



