Troy weekly news. (Troy, Idaho) 1897-1933, 1907-02-15
FEDERAL Land LAWS|
RADICAL REVISION WILL BE
RESISTED BY WESTERNERS.

Covering Mineral Land Leases, Civ
en- in Following Article.
1t is apparent that prolonged strug |
gle is to ensue over the revision of the |
federal land laws. Many western mem
bers of both houses will resist radi |
cal alteration. Senator LaFollette of |
Wisconsin, with the White House be-
hind him, doubtless will lead the fight |
for revision. The substance of the La
Toilette bill covering mineral land
leases is as follows:
All public lands of the United States,
containing coal or other minerals,
mined for fuel, oil, gas, or asphalt,
are to be reserved from entry and sale.
Any person above the age of 81
years, who is citizen of the United
states, or who has declared his inten
ton to become such. or any associa
ton of persons, shall have the right to
apply for license to mine coal or 9th
er minerals mined for fuel, oil, gas, or
asphalt, on areas not exceeding five
government sections of land, and TO
use so much of said area as shall be
determined by the secretary of the
interior to be necessary to the proper
conduct of the business. No common
carrier or association, or any member
| of which he is an officer, agent, or
| shareholder of or in any manner in
terested in the business of, any com
mon carrier, or any person who is an
officer agent, or shareholder of or in
any manner interested in the business
of any common carrier. is to be per-
mitted to hold license under the pro-
visions of the LaFollette bill.
Amount of the Royalties.
A royalty to the United States gov
eminent must be paid of not less than
eight cents per ton on all coal and
other mineral mined for fuel, and not
less than 60 cents per ton upon min
eral mined for hard asphalt, and OF
not less than Is cents per barrel OF
mineral mined for soft asphalt, and not
less than one-sixth of the value of the
product of any oil well; and not less
than $50 per annum for each gas well
not utilized, and at rate of not less
than one cent per thousand cubic feet
of gas, when the product of such wei
is utilized at the works, exclusive
however, of coal dust and coal or othcl
mineral mined for fuel oil, gas or as
phalt, used about the works. In de
termining the amount of royalty which
shall be paid for the mining OF Goa
or other mineral mined for fuel, oil
gas or asphalt, the secretary of Thu
. interior shall give consideration t
proximity to transportation facilities
TO market conditions, and such othe
circumstances and conditions as affec
9 the business.
Covenants shall be made for secuI
ing the proper and effectual workin
: of the coal or other mineral, oil, ga
- or asphalt; for the observance of a.
lawful rules and regulations and pre-
L visions of law relative to tho ssfet
: of employees; for the proper protection
: of the surface of licensed areas, an
" for the surrender of the works at tn
expiration of the license.
Every license shall be deemed t
Z have been granted and accepted sui
{ ject to the followisg reservations an
conditions:
l The surface of the soil, water an
" water courses shall be excepted froI
&c the license granted, except so niue
~ thereof as may be necessary for th
proper conduct OF the business, to b
determined under such rules and reg
laLions as the secretary of the interiC
II may prescribe.
IL Rights TO the surface of such area
for the purposes of agriculture may
lie patented under the laws in force, bl
T. such patent shall except so much (
le the surface as may be necessary Il
the proper conduct of the business
H. licenses.
d,
IN May Cut Necessary Timber.
I'd The licenses of any area, the surfaC
d. of which has not been entered fl
n, agricultural purposes, shall have II
n right to cut limited amount of til
r. Der for the construction Of necessal
ze railways, rolling stock, plant and 9TH
y. purposes Incidental to the safe al
it. proper operation of the works and Il
or protection of the surface of the
~ censed areas, but the permission
as The forestry service to cut such limb
shall first be obtained; and upon Il
M entry of such surface for agricl
lis tural purposes, the permit of the
IL censor to cut such timber shs
ad terminate.
A.,