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and territories along the eastern slopes of the Rock mountains 

 will see to it that not a drop of available water or snow-fall will 

 be allowed to go to waste. There are thousands of places 

 along these eastern slopes, in the narrow-mouthed gorges and 

 canyons, where retaining dams can be built that will hold back 

 the water from the melting snows in permanent lakes that shall 

 form vast reservoirs available for purposes of irrigation. The 

 cost of such dams should be slight compared with the wonder- 

 ful results that would be accomplished. These results are not 

 alone the climatic condition to be affected eastward, but are 

 more far-reaching. 



" When you reflect that all the devastating inundations of the 

 Missouri and Mississippi rivers are mainly caused by the melt- 

 ing snows among the eastern slopes of the Rocky mountains, 

 perhaps you will believe with me, that if all the money that has 

 been expended on the levee system of the Lower Mississippi 

 had begn spent in building retaining dams to hold back this 

 water from the snow-fall, we would have a Mississippi controll- 

 able without levees and regular showers on the arid plains; and 

 you may also gather what I mean when I speak of intelligent, 

 comprehensive interstate action in the premises. But rest as- 

 sured that it is only by such means as is here indicated that 

 forest growth on the plains can be secured, and you can only 

 hope to map out the general plan. The details , 



MUST BE LEFT TO EXPERIENCE. 



" You gentlemen of the Forestry congress must realize to 

 its fullest extent this fact. Your labor and deliberations, your 

 educations and deliverances will avail you nothing until the 

 people shall have become generally enlightened as to the prin- 

 ciples on which your work is based. 



" Intelligent co-operation among the states such as alone will 

 accomplish your end must first be prompted by the people at large. 

 This is as it should be and is in accordance with the genius of our 

 government. But you must first educate the individual into the 

 belief and practice of this maxim: 'Thou shalt not benefit thy- 



