The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1907-02-15
LAND QUESTION IS
TEXT OF MESSAGE
President Urges Congress to
Reform Measures
Conservation of Coal and Minera
Rights i'm Public Domain Is
His Point.
LEASE MINING PRIVILEGES

| Washington, d. c.. Feb. 15.-Tne
urgent need of legislation affecting
1.-THE different phases of the public
land situation in the United States"
was emphasized by President Roose-
welt in a long message submitted to
congress today.
In his message the president ad-
vocates the conservation of coal and
other fuel resources on lands still be-
longing TO the government, saying
that hencefofth the nation should
retain dts title to its fuel resources,
urges government control of the wes-
tern public land pastures. and asks
for an appropriation Of half a mil
lion dollars. Immediately available,
In addition to present estimates, to
aid in detecting and preventing land
frauds. He contends for system Of
government leasing of it's mineral
lands anw for treating these fuel
lands as public utilities.
OJDcf N1tiO0S Lease LANES.
Concerning the leasing Of mineral
lands by the government the presi-
dent points out it is not an untried
lpo,icy. 1t has been in force in Aus
tralia for Is years, and is now in
force in all coal producing countries
IN Europe and in Canada, India and
all the British colonies.
Mineral fuels. like the forests
and navigable streams" the message
lsays, Should be treated as public
uti.ities. This is generally recogniz-
ed abroad. In some foreign countries
practical control of a large portion
Of the fuel resources was allowed
years ago to pass into private hands,
bat the existing governments are en-
deavoring to regain this control in
order that the diminishing fuel sup
lply may be safeguarded for the COM
mon good instead of being disposed
Of for the benefit of the few.
! Would Provide for Future.
]. "In our western states and terri
tories the scarcity Of both water and
forests has rendered necessary their
preservation as public utilities, and
the preservation of the forests for
the purpose of conserving both the
waters and the timber supply has
fcome to be recognized as the wise
and proper policy of the federal gov
! eminent. The quantity of high grade
\ mineral fuels In the west is relative
lly much smaller than that OF the
forests. and the proper conservation
of these fuels is matter of far
reaching Importance
"This government should not now
repeat the mistake of the past Let
us not do what the next generation
cannot undo. We have a right to the
proper use of both the forests and
the fuel during our lifetime. but we
should not dispose OF the birthright
of our children. If this government
sells its remaining fuel lands they
pass out Of its future control If it
now leases them we retain control,
and a future congress will be at lib
erty to decide whether it will con-
tlnue or change the policy"
The president denies the claim
that reservation of the fuel supplies
still belonging to the government
would raise the price of coal in the
west and adds: ITO secure cheapness
of timber and fuel for the moment
at the cost of ruin to our own chill
dren would surely be a suicidal pol
icy.
THE necessity for care in the fu-
ture management of these fuel sup
plies is illustrated by the rapid rate
at which the use of such fuels is in
creasing in the United States. This
remarkable development and the
certain continuity of this prodiglous
growth compel us to recast all esti-
mates as to the life Of our inexhaus>
L tiDle resources. we can IOreSee the
time when the eastern Industries viii
be much more largely taxed for sup
plying foreign markets Il would
surely be greatly to the advantage of
this country If some at least of the
coal fields Of the east, and especially
of the anthracite field, had been left
under the control of the government.
81 cannot too emphatically say
that all laws which merely seek to
prevent monopoly OF the mishand-
Hing Of the public by forbIdding com
bnation are certain to fall Of theiI
purpose. Experience with the inter
state commerce and anti-trust laws
shows that what is needed is not pro
Ihihitfon Of All oomhfnatiOng hui