The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-03-20
nation SHOULD CONSERVE
THE PUBLIC LANDS
President Declares Government
Should Control Full Resources.
CITES ERRORS Or THE PAST
All Laws Which Merely Prohibit
Trusts Futile-What is Needed
is Not Prohibition Of Combina-
lions, But Federal Supervision.

Washington, D. CT cannot too
emphatically say that all laws which
merely seek to prevent monopoly or :
the mishandling Of the public by for
bidding combination are certain to
fail of their purposes. Our exper.
fence with the interstate commerce
and antitrust laws shows that what
is needed is not prohibition Of all
combinations, but such supervision
and control over combinations, and
I'VE corporations entering into them,
as will prevent the evils while giving
to the public the advantages OF COM
bination."
This is a paragraph from President
| Roosevelt's message to Congress call
ing attention to the urgent need Of
legislation affecting the different
phases Of the public land situation in
the United States"
The President says that henceforth
the nation should retain it's title to
it's fuel resources, urge Government
! control of the Western public land
pastures, with a system of small graz
ing fees, etc., and ask for an extra
| appropriation Of $500, 600 to, aid in
detecting and preventing land frauds.
He contends for a system of Govern
ment leasing of its mineral lands and
for treating these fuel lands as pub
! lie utilities.
He points out that 1t would have
| been better If some of the Eastern
coal lands had been left under Gov
eminent control, and suggests provi-
sion in the West against recurrence
of the conditions we deplore in the
East" Citing 1900 cases of public
land entries in four districts men-
toned, he says that noncompliance
with the law was found in owe half
of them and deliberate fraud in very
many cases.
Mineral fuels, like the forests and
navigable streams" the message
says, Should be treated as public
utilities. This is generally recog-
nized abroad. In some foreign coun-
tries practical control Of a large por-
ton of the fuel resources was allowed
years ago to pass into private hands,
but the existing Governments are en-
deavoring to regain this control.
This Government should not now re-
peat this ristakes Of the past. Let
US not d. 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"
Concerning the claim that reserva-
ton Of the fuel supplies still belong
ing to the Government would raise
the price of coal in the West, the.
President contends that the leasing
system will enable the Government
to protect the public against unreas'
enable and discriminating charges"
Then follows the paragraph Wild
which this dispatch begins.
The message had not yet reached
the Capitol when the House Commit
tee on. Public Lands decided to re-
port a bill Numerically opposed to
the Presidents recommendations.
Under the present laws only $40
acres can be acquired by n person;
the committee think that by increas-
ing the amount land frauds will be
decreased, and the bill permits
individual to take up as much az
1880 acres of land.