The Mena weekly star., 1907-02-21
IA PUBLIC LAND MESSAGE
President Roosevelt Urges Upon Congress the Need of Legislation
 Upon the Subject.
REFORMS IN PRESENT LAW ADVOCATED
The President Aoks for a Law to Pro- vide Two Distinct Titles ro Pub He Lands, One for the Surface, the Other for the Mnerals--Ap- propriation Asked.

Washington, Feb. IA. - President Roosevelt Wednesday sent to congress a message calling attention to what he terms "The urgent need of lesis- lation affecting the different phases of the public land situation in the United States" He advocates the conservation of coal and other fuel resources on government lands, urges
 government. control of the western
 public land pastures with q system of small grazing fees, and asks for an appropriation of $500,00o to aid in detecting and preventing land frauds. He contends for system of government leasing of it's mineral lands and for treating these fuel lands as public untilities.
 The president asks for legislation which will provide two distinct titles to public handsome for the surface and the other for the underlying min erals. These mineral lands the presi- dent would dispose of by lease. The details of this plan he leaves for
 congress to work out only arguing for the adoption of the plan.
 Instances of successful leasing of such lands by foreign governments are cited by the president and he argues at length for the separate de- velopment of farming and mining
 on American land
 Foreign practice also Is cited as a reason why mineral fuels, like for ests and navigable streams, should be treated as public utilities. In this way can the rights of future genera tions adequately be protected. The quantity of high grade mineral fuel in the west is relatively smaller than forests. and it's preservation should
 be the subject of the wisest legisla- ton. Ultimately these rich lands all will pass out of federal control and future generations will be de prived of their birth right unless this leasing system be adopted. By leas. ing the mineral rights, the govern ment can exercise healthy control the good effects of which will best be
 noted in the future.
 Answering the charge that reser vation of natural forests raises the
 price of lumber in the west, the president says:
 Tt. should be remembered that the best and most accessible bodies oi timber in the west passed into pri vate holdings before the forest re serves were established that while the price of timber has advanced 1T the west it has advanced still more 1 n the east where there are no for | est reserves; that supplies of tim
 Der are today being shipped from tht
 west to the market of the Mississipp valley and even to foreign countries l Tt may be fairly claimed amonl | the advantages of the leasing system 1 that CD It will facilitate the work l ing of coal deposits for local mar | kets by miners without large capital CD it will facilitate larger opera tions (3l prevent waste in the ex | traction and handling of these fuels | (4) the system can be operated II | such manner as to prevent the evili of monopolistic control; t5) it vii | permit the government to reserve 1 from general use, fuels especial, 1 suitable for special industries; ant ! (6) it will enable the governmen to protect the public against unreas | enable and discriminating charges for fuel supplies
 The president urges care in the dis posal of these mineral land inter ests, forsceigg time when the so called inexhaustible resources vii be taxed to more than their capacit' 1 in supplying the demand.
 The president trusts congress ma
 prevent the coal lands of the wes
 srom getting into control of the col
 norations. as have the eastern all
 thracite lands.
 Government control of western pas
 ture lands is urged on the same ger
 eral principles now applying. to gov
 ernment control of the forest reserve
 Only enough revenue from the rang
 to pay for its administration an
 improvement would be sufficient tn
 message urges. More special Ian
 agents are urgently requested.
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