Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1907-06-27
[HE PRESIDENT To EDITORS
Roosevelt Delivers a Notable Address
at jamestown. Va.
speaks Before the Delegates to the National
Editorial observation-disclosures Upon
Important National Questions.

animation specifically showed the ex-
istcncc OF great frauds upon the publ"
domain. ana their recommendation Tor
changes in the law were made with III"
design OF conserving the natural u"
sources OF every part OF the public land
by putting It to its best use. Attention
was especially called to the prevention OF
settlement by the passhg" OF great nf"dH
OF public lands into the hands OF IA few
men, and to the enormous waste caused
by unrestricted grazing on the open
rnnge; IA system of using the natural
forage on the public domain which
amounts to putting a premium on is
destruction. The recommendation or tn"
public lands commission were sound, for
they were especially In the interest Of
the actual home maker. and where III"
small home maker could not utilize n"
land. u was provided that the govern
mcnt should keep control Of II 30 that
II could not be mOnopoii2cd by a Il"
wealthy men. Congress has not yet
acted upon these recommendations, *
ccpt for the repeal OF the iniquit"ii'
iicu-land law. But the recommendation
are 80 just and proper, 30 essential to our
national welfare. that | believe they VIII
surely ultimately be adopted.
In 1881 congress- authorized the pres
dent to create national for"sAs In tic
public domain. These forests reserves T..
manned for "A long time In charge %
Wv b'1lfIhl Iibu W WIII'l hlh Nv
men properly trained in forestry. But
another department, that Of agriculture,
possessed the trained men. In other
words, tn" government forests were with
out forcst"r8 ana the government for
eSters without forests. Waste OF EFFORT
and waste Of forests inevitably followed
Finally the situation was ended In 1905
by the creation Of the United States
forest service, which has stopped TIA"
waste. conserved Ia" resources OF the
national forests. and made them useful,
80 that our forests are now being man.
aged on II coherent plan, and In q way
that augurs well for the future.
Preserve Mineral Resources.
The mineral fuels OF the eastern United
States have already passed into III"
hands OF large private owners. and those
OF the west are rapidly following. This
should not be, for such mineral resources
belong In "A peculiar degree to the who'd"
people. Under private control there IL
much waste from the shortsight"h
methods Of working. and the complete
utilization IN often sacrificed for IA greater
immediate" profit. The mineral fuels un>
der our present conditions are AZ essen
tial to our prosperity as the forests will
always be. The difference IN that the
supply liz definitely limited. for coal does
not grow and trees do. 1t liz obvious
that the mineral fuels should be con
~ N'', " "fH'''s' NV 'Iih' 'I''b' VI
them should remain In the hands Of
tn" government TO protect the people
against unjust or cxtortiOnnte prices HI
far AZ that can still be done. what has
been accomplished in the regulation Of
the great oil fields OF the indian terri
tory offers n striking example Of III"
good results Of such u policy. Last
summer, accordingly. ! Withdrew most
81 the "oal- bearing public lands temper
hrily from disposal, ana asked for Ia"
legislation necessary to protect the pub
II" interest by the conservation Of the
mineral fuels; that liz. for the power to
keep the fee In til" government a3d to
lease III" crnl, oil, and gas rights under
proper regulation. No such legislation
was passed. but ! still hope that We shall
ultimately get II.
Prevention Of Frauds.
For several years We have been 10
Ing everything IN our power to proven,
fraud upon the public land what can
be done under ia" present laws In now
being done through the joint action Of
the interior department and Ia" depart
ment OF justice. But fully to accomplish
the prevention Of fraud there h need OF
further Legislation and especially Of Il
sufficient appropriation to permit III" de
partmcnt Of the interior to examine Ger,
tain classes OF entries on Ia" GROUND
before they pass into privai" owner.
htlI. lc HTIItIIlitltH ihftu IbI I'iN'
winter. " granted. would haN" put az
end to the Squand"rine Of the public
domain, while II would have prevented
any need OF causing hardship to indi'
vidual settlers by holding up their ciaims
However. IN" appropriation was no
given US. and In cOns"qnen"" II Is not
possible to secure, AZ would Ike e
gecure. the natural resources Of the pub,
Nc land from fraud. waste and cncroach.
mcnt.
So much for what we are trying to d,
In Utilizing our public lands for the pub
lie. In securing the uac OF the water. tlis
forage. the coat and the timber for IN,
public. In ali four movements my chief
adviser. and the nan first to susges
Ia me the courses which have actual,
proved 30 beneficial. was Mr. GinOrt
Pinchot. the chief Of the national foresI
/, service, Mr.. PinchOt also suggested e
me Il movement supplementary to all OF
these movements. one which VIII itscII
lead the way In the general movement
which he represents and with which h,
IL actively Identified, for the CONSERVE
, ton or all our natural resources. Thi,
:. was the appointment Of the inianc
waterways commission.
The inability OF the railroads OF h
United States TO meet the demand,
upon them has drawn public attention
fOrcibly to the use of our waterway
Tor transportation. But IL II obviou,
that this IL only onc OF their sman,
|, uacs. and that "A planned ana orderi,
development il Impossible except b,
!, taking into account all the service,
they are capable OF rendering II wa,
upon this ground that the inland wa.
tcrwnys commission was recently APP,
I pointed. Their duty IL 10 propose o
} comprehensive plan for ia. Improve
ment and utilization Of those greaj
waterway which are the great poten'
tial highways Of the country TheiI