The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1907-06-21

So 'HS "a pbN poth Nv Tow" oht
its administration were defective n
needed to be changed. Three years ago
n public lands commission was appoint
ed to scrutinize the law and the facts
and to recommend a remedy. Their ex-
animation specifically showed the ex-
istence OF great frauds upon the public
domain, and their recommendations for
changes in the Law were made with the
design of conserving the natural re-
sources of every part OF the public land
by putting 1t to its best use. Attention
was especially called to tho prevention, of
settlement by the passage Of great areas
Of public lands into the Inc of a few
men, and to the enormous waste caused
by unrestricted grazing on the open
range; a system of using the natural
forage on the public domain which
amounts to putting a premium on It's
destruction. The recommendations of the
public lands commission were sound. for
they were especially in the interest of
the actual home maker; and where the
small home maker could not utilize the
land. 1t was provided that the govern
ment should keep control OF 1t so that
1t could not be monopolized by a few
wealthy men. Congress has not yet
acted upon these recommendations, ex-
cept for the repeal of the Ubiquitous
lieu-land law. But the recommendations
are so just and proper, so essential to our
national welfare, hat l believe they will
surely ultimately be adopted.
In 1891 congress authorized the presi-
dent to create national forests In the
public domain. These forests reserves re-
manned for a long time in charge of
the general land office. which had no
men properly trained in forestry. But
another department, that OF agriculture,
possessed the trained men. In other
words. the government forests were with
out foresters and the government for
artnr1 vvttbNtt foraoto yUnSfa ~ nfnrf
and waste Of forests inevitably followed.
Finally the situation was ended in 1906
by the creation of the United States
forest service. which has stopped the
waste. conserved the resources Of the
national forests, and made them useful;
so that our forests are now being man.
aged on a coherent plan. and in a way
that augurs we'll for the future.
The mineral fuels of the eastern United
States have already passed Into the
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 whole
people. Under private control there is
much waste from the shortsighted
methods of working. and the complete
utilization is often sacrificed for a greater
immediate profit. The mineral fuels un>
der our present conditions are as esscn>
t!al to our prosperity as the forests will
i Dt. II SllCe u lldl LILO
supply is definitely limited, for coal does
not grow and trees do. 1t is obvious
that the mineral fuels SHOULD be con-
served, not wasted, and that enough of
them shoul remain in the hands of
the government to protect the people
against unjust or eXtortionate prices so
far as that can still be done. What has
been accomplished in the regulation of
the great oil fields of the Indian terri
tory offers a striking example Of the
good results of such a policy. Last
summer, accordingly. I withdrew most
of the coal-bearing public lands temper
arily from disposal, and asked for the
legislation necessary to protect the pub
lie interest by the conservation of the
mineral fuels; that Is. for the power to
keep the fee in the government and to
lease the coal, oil, and gas rights under
proper regulation. Nc such legislation
was passed, but I still hope that we shall
ultimately get 1t.
Preserve Mineral Resources.
In addition to treating Alright for the
benefit of the whole people the forests
and the mineral beds. we should SINH
larly try to preserve for the benefit of all
the people the great stretches Of pub
lie domain, some three hundred million
acres in all. which are unfit for cultiva-
ton by present methods and valuable
only for the forage which they supply.
"IIlS vast area IS HOW open 10 tnt Tree
grazing of cattle, sheep, horses and
goats, without restriction or regulation.
When population has increased, as Is
now the case, such utter lack of man
agement means that the public domain Is
turned over to be skinned by men whose
only concern Is to get what they can
out of 1t at the moment without any
regard to whether or not 1t Is ruined so
far as the next generation is concerned.
In other words. the range is not so much
used as wasted by abuse; and as an
Incident conflict and bloodshed FREE
! quently arise between opposing users.
With the rapid settling of the west the
range is more and more overgraZed.
Moreover. much of 1t can not be used
to advantage unless it is fenced. for
fencing is the only way by which to keep
In check the absentee owners of nomac
fiocks which roam hither and thitheri
utterly destroying the pasturage and
presence is compatible with the presence
of home makers.
Prevention Of Frauds.
For several years we have been do.
ing everything In our power to prevent
fraud upon the public land. What car
be done under the present laws is nov
being done through the joint action OF
the interior department and the depart,
ment of justice. But fully to accomplish
the prevention of fraud there Is need o.
further legislation and especially IF {
sufficient appropriation to permit the de
partment of the interior to amir Ger
tain classes Of entries on the grount
before they pass into private owner
ship. The appropriation asked for las
winter, II granted, would have put al
end to the squandering of the publ,
domain. while 1t would have prevente,
any need Of causing hardship to indi
vidual settlers by holding up their cla.sns
However, the appropriation was no
given us, and in onsequence 1t is no
possible to secure, as ! would like t
secure. the natural resources Of the pub
lie and from fraud. waste and encroach
ment.
So much for what we are trying to d
in Utilizing our public lands for the pub
lie; in securing the use of the water, tn
forage, the coal and the timber for tn
public. In all -four movement my chile
adviser, and the man first to sugges
to me the courses which nave actual
proved SO beneficial. was Mr.. Giffor
Pinchot. the chief of the national fores
service. Mr.. Pinchot also suggested t
me q movement supplementary to all o