The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-12-06
Roosevelt Instructs Members 10
Report Conditions of Pres
ent Laws.
NEED OF PROMPT ACTION.
Committee Is Guaranteed That
Important Questions Will
Soon BE Covered
Thoroughly.
The Republic Bureau.
18th st. and Pennsylvania Ave-

4 AaLi 81 ana Penhsy1rant3 Ave.
| Washington. Dec. Sin view of the wide
| divergence OF opinions throughout the
| country concerning the repeal of Our pres
ent land laws and the great need of the
prompt consideration by the Government;
OF the questions involved. President Roose-
Welt has appointed an Advisory Commits
zion on Public Lands. consisting Of Hon
cradle w. A. Richards. Commissioner o.
the General Land ONCE. F. H. Newell
Chief Engineer of the United States Rec
lamation Service. and Clifford Pipchot
Forester Of the Bureau Of Forestry.
ihis commission has been given some
what extended powers and is instructed
10 report to the President upon the enn-
cltion, policy and effect of the presen,
iand laws and on the use, condition. DIS
Posai and settlement of the public lande
IL Is requested to report especially what
changes In organizations, laws. recuIa-
lions and practice efYectins the pubI;c
iands are needed; first. to effect the Iarees,
practicable disposition of the public Iands
to actual settlers who will build perna-
rent homes upon them; and second to
secure IN permanence the fullest and most
eHectiVe use of the resources of the pub.
nc iands. and to make SUCH other reports
anu recommendations as the stuSy Of
these questions may suggest.
~ COVER IMPORTANT QUESTIONS.
Inc commission Is authorized and direct,
ed 10 avail itself Of all means of informa-
ron IN the executive departments On the
GROUND and elsewhere, and especially Of
the records. and the assistance of the De-
partment OF Justice so far as the Attorney
General may find consistent with the other
duties Of his department.. the local and
general land offices. the Reclamation serv-
ice and the Bureau of Forestry. The
commission Is directed to report either in
whole or in part, as early as the inpor-
lance and extent OF the questions il must
consider will permit.
81, The personnei Of the committee Is a
will be covered thoroughly. In his capaei-
~ as Commissioner of the General Land
once. supplemented by wide experience
81 81. i years IN several Of the public land
bly, fitted for the position of chairman. As
one OF the pioneers Of Wyoming and beue-
ne!ary under the present laws. his KNOW
hensfve. He has weiI-defired views on This
question, to many of which he has given
expression in his annual reports.
REPORT WILL BE SUBMITTED.
Mr.. F. II. Newell, Chief Engineer OF the
United States Reclamation Service. In.
as wide a general knowledge Of
The Western States as any man in the
,ountry; He has given many years to the
lucy OF the development Of the arid re-
Investigated the conditions therein.
Mr.. Clifford Pinchot. forester. is the
'ecognized authority in this country on the
subject OF the timber resources, and has
raveled extensively over all of the States
lnected by the public land laws.
The first meeting Of the commission will
1e heid Immediately upon the return OF
ND an early report will be submitted 10
he President.