The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-14
PRESENT LAND LAWS
 ARE INADEQUATE President Says They Need Rad-
 icaI Revision HOMESTEAD ACT IS BAD New Laws Should Secure Best Possl. ble Use of the Remaining Public
 Lands By Actual Home
 Makers.
HOMESTEAD ACT IS BAD

Washington. February 13.--A second
 partial report of the public lands commis-
 sion was sent to Congress today by Pres
 ident Roosevelt, who in @his letter of
 transmittal says the report seems ito
 require a radical revision of most of the
 laws affecting the public domain, if we are to secure the best possible use of the , remaining public land by actual home seekers'
 The Presidents letter follows: "I submit herewith the second partial report of the public lands commission
 appointed by me October 22 1903, to report
 upon the condition, operation and effect of the present land laws and recommend such changes as are needed to effect the largest practical disposition of the public
 lands to actual settlers, who will build
 homes upon them and to cecure In ger
 manence the fullest and most effective
 use of the resources of the public lands.
 'The subject is one of such magnitude
 and importance that I have concluded to
 submit this second partial report bearing
 upon some of the larger features which re-
 qulre immediate attention without wait HE lOE lfe illidl SldltllltHl OL Alc SOhi-
 mission which from the very nature of
 the case 1t has not been possible to com
 pete at this time I am in full sympa- thy with the general conclusions of the
 commission In substance and in essence
 and I commend its recommendations to
 your earnest and favorable considerations
 The existing conditions as set forth in this report seem to require a radical re- vi of of ha Ia WG affecting a the
 public domain, If we are to secure the best possible use of the remaining pub lie lands by actual home-makers." Based on Broad View. The report is signed by w. A. Richards land commissioner; F. H. Newell of the geological survey and Clifford Pinchott chief of the bureau of forestry. In a sum- mary of its recommendations, the report says the conclusions are based on broad general view of the public land situa-
 ton. not on specific cases Among other
 things the commission says;
 "The present laws are not suited to meet the conditions of growing public do-
 main.
 "rhe agricultural possibilities are un- known. Provisions should be made to as-
 certain them, and pending such ascertain
 ment to hold, under government control and trust, for such use the lands likely to be developed by actual settlers. "The right to exchange lands in forest reserves for lands outside should we with
 drawn Provision should be made for the
 purchase of needed private lands inside forest reserves or for the exchange of such lands for specified tracts of like area and value outside the reserves. The report views It's recommendation
 for the repeal of the timber and stone
 amendments, and asks that the sale of timber of unpublished lands should be au- thorzed
 Homestead Act Works Badly. The communication clause of the home stead act is found on examination to
 work badly Three years actual residence should actually be required before commu- tation.
 "The desert land law is found to lead to land monopoly in many cases. The area of desert entry should be reduced to
 not exceeding 1eO acres. Actual residence for not less than two years should be re- quired with the actual production of a valuable crop on one-fourth the area and proof of an adequate water supply" The commission opposes the immediate application of any rigid system to all grazing lands but recommends that the President should be authorized to set aside grazing districts by proclamation, said districts to be under the control of the secretary of agriculture. The sum mary concludes with this statement: '"rhe fundamental fact that character Izes the situation under the present pub- Ii land law is tl1is-that the numbr of paints issued is inrcasing out of all pro- portion to the number of new homes"