There is a general feeling that the suggestion by Mr. Roosevelt for a canal to the Gulf of Mexico from the Lakes, isa good one. Whether his idea of having one committee of ists to take in hand the different questions of irrigation, forests and canals, will be adopted, is more uncertain, A large number of periodicals have called attention to the growing need of preventing the wholesale destruction of forests, until no intelligent man is unconvinced of the necessity of doing something. Bat owing to the division of authority due to the States as opposed to the Federal Government, it is not so certain that effective measures will be taken in time.
Irrigating schemes are working well in the western states, and immense tracts of land that once seemed useless, have been reclaimed, A few canals in the country, of which the Erie canal from Buffalo to New York is by far the most important, have paid well. The traffic on the railroads keeps increasing and often the supply of cars is wholly inadequate. This emphasizes the need of canals where they can be made profitable, and will make it less likely that they will meet with any determined opposition from the railroads.
The proposition of the Postmaster-General that the Central Government introduce a Savings Bank system, similar to that in England securing the depositor against all possible loss, is sure to meet with opposition.
The same may be said of the parcels post, since it would result in lessening the profits of the great express companies.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.