Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1907-02-16
FEDERAL Land LAWS
RADICAL REVISION WILL Be
RESISTED BY WESTERNERS.
Senator LaFoIIette, With the White
house Behind Him, Will Lead the
Fight-Substance Of tho Now Bill,
Covering Mineral Land Leases, Civ
en- in Following Article.

1t is apparent that a 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 a 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
| 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 a 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 vel
{ not utilized, and at a rate of not less
than one cent per thousand cubic fee
of gas, when the product of such wei
is utilized at the works, exclusive
, however, of coal dust and coal or othe
, 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 tn
interior shall give consideration t.
:, proximity to transportation facilities
to market conditions. and such othe
circumstances and conditions as atfec
;. 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-
visions of law relative to the safet
;, of employees; for the proper protectiO
= 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
= have been granted and accepted sui
= ject to the followisg reservations an
conditions:
The surface of the soil, water an
. water courses shall be excepted fror
y the license granted, except so muc
= 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 interio
may prescribe.
# Rights to the surface of such area
# for the purposes of agriculture may b
patented under the laws in force, bl
"a such patent shall except so much {
f. the surface as may be necessary fC
"a the proper conduct of the business
licenses.
n May Cut Necessary Timber.
d, The licenses of any area, the surfac
N of which has not been entered fl
ID agricultural purposes, shall have tt
d. right to cut limited amount of tir
n, Der for the construction Of necessal
n railways, rolling stock, plant and oth'
r purposes incidental to the safe ar
re proper operation of the works and tt
y. protection of the surface of the
It. censed areas, but the permission
or The forestry service to cut such timb
n shall first be obtained; and upon II
as entry of such surface for agricl
tural purposes, the permit of the
ne censor to cut such timber shs
at terminate.
IT. The licenses shall permit any du
es authorized agents of the governme
n OF the United States to enter upon Il
premises at all reasonable times al
ne to survey and inspect and make pla1
pc thereof, and to see whether the sa
of mines and works are in good and su
"a otaptia1 order condition and repa