The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1903-12-08

|NN N|N WNA NNNIiNH A'IfA iNtiN NNN"
should be enacted; ana tho survey Of the
public lands immeatately herun. Coal
land laws should be provided whereby
the coai-land entfyman may make his
location and secure patent under meth
DDS kindred 90 those now prescribed for
hontstcod and mineral entrymen. Sal
mon hatcheies. exclusively under Cow
ernmcnt control. should be established.
The cable should be extended from SitNa
westward. Wagon roads and trails
lshould be built and Che building % rail-
roads promoted IN qll legitimate ways.
Lighthouses should be built along the
coast. Attention should be paid TO the
needs Of tho Alaska Indians; provision
should be made FOR an officer, with depu-
tics. TO study their needs. relieve their
Immediate wants. and help them adapt
themselves 10 the new conditions
The commission appointed 20 investi-
gate during the season Of 1909. the con-
difiOn and rcedz Of the Alaskan salmon
dsheriee has finished iis work in the
fed. and is preparing detailed report
thereon. A preliminary report recithg
the measurer Immediately required for
The protection and preservation of the
salmon industry has already been sub
mittcd 20 tho Secretary OF Commerce and
Labor for his attention and for the needed
action.
Hawaii
recommend that an appropriation be
made for building lighthouses In Hawaii,
ana ialung possession OF those already
built The Territory should be reim-
bursed for whatever amounts "a has all
ready expended for nght-houscs. The
a5srrnor should be empowered 20 sus-
pend or >, move any official appointed by
him. without submitting the matter TO
the legislature.
The Philippines and Porto Rico.
OF our insuar possessions the Philip
pines and Porto Rico % is gratifying TO
sav that their steady progress has been
such as 10 make II unnecessary 20 spend
fnnch time IN discussing them, Yet the
Congress should eNsF keep ia mind that
a peculiar obligation rests upon us TO
further in every way the welfare OF these
communities Tho Philippines should be
knit closer 20 as by tarin arrangements.
1t would, Of course. be impossible sud
denly TO raise the people OF the islands TO
the high pitch OF Industrial prosperity
and OF governmental efficiency TO which
tney viii in the end By degrees attain:
and the caution and moderation shown
In developing them have been among
the main reasons why this development
has hitherto gone on so smoothly Scru-
sulous cara has been taken in the choice
.Of governmental agents, and the entire
elimination OF partisan politics from the
public service. The condition OF che
islanders IS in material things far better
Alun ever nflNlEf Mnllt AMNlE govern
mental intellectual, and moral advance
has Kept pace with their material adj
vance No one people ever benefited an
other people more than VIC have bene-
fitted the FiIipinos by taking possession
OF the islands.
Receipts Of General Land Office.
The cash receipts Of the General Land
Oftce Tor the last fiscal year were Sll.-
o2s.74s.65, an increase OF N,762si6.i7 over
the preceding year OF this sum, approx
imateiy. H.46i.493 will go TO the credit
OF the fand for the reclamation OF arid
sand. making the total OF this fund. up
70 the SOth Of june, 1908. approximately,
y16.lsl.SS6.
A gratifying disposition has been
eyinced by those having unlawful in
closures of public land TO remove their
fences Nearly two million acres so in-
closed have been thrown open on de-
mand. IN but comparatively few cases
has II been necessary t0 20 into court
10 accomplish this purpose. This work viii
be vigorously prosecuted until all unlaw-
fnl Enclosures have been removed
Experience has shown that IN the west
ern states themselves as well ass IN the
rest OF the country there rs widespread
conviction that certain OF the puhlio-iand
laws and che resulting administrative
practice ~ lonEcr meet the present
needs. The character and uses Of the
remaining public lands diffcr widely
from those OF the public lands which
Congress had especially in view when
these laws were passed. The rapidly IN
oreasing rate az disposal OF the public
lands is not followed by corresponding
Increase n the home building. There is
tendency 20 mass I'm large holdings pub
Ne lands. especially timber and grazing
lands. ana thereby 10 retard settlement.
ronew aad emphasize my recommends
tion of last year THAI so FAR as they are
available for agriculture In It's hroadest
sense and TO whatever extent they may
be reclaimed under the national irrga-
ton law. the remaining public lands
should be held rgidly for the home
builder The attention 0f the Congress is
especially directed 20 the timber and
stone law the desert-land law, and the
commutation clause OF the homestead
law, which Ia their operation have Ga
many respects eonhicted with wiso pub
Holland policy. The discussions in the
Congress aud Elsewhere have made Il
evident that there IS q wide divergence
~ olnnions between those holding oppo-
site Views on these subjects. am - at
The opposing sides have strong ,t a.
WINGED representatives, OF wei ith
within and without the CanP q the
differences being NOT only us % "a afrs
Of opinion but as 90 matters of fact IN
order that definite Information may hD
available Tor the use OF the Congress
have appointed a commission composed
OF w A Richards Commissioner OF the
General Land Onlce. Clifford plnchot
Chief of The bureau OF Forestry OF the
Department OF Agriculture. and H. n.
Newell, Chief photographic OF the Goo
logical Survey, 10 report at The earliest
practicable moment upon the condition.
operation ana effect of the present land
laws and ON the use. condition, disposal
tnd settlement OF the public lands. The
nil
changes ia organization. laws regula-
lions, ard practice ancctIng the public
lands are needed 20 enect tho largest
sraciicahlt disposition OF the public lands
10 actual settlers who viii build per-
manent homes upon them. ana TO secure
In permanGpcc the fullest and most of-
ieCtlvo use of the resources of the pub
Nc lands: and ID will make such other rc-
ports and recommendation as its study
OF these questions may suggest The