The Elbert County tribune., 1908-02-06
URGES LAND
Law CHANGES
MANY INTERESTING FEATURES IN
SECRETARY oARFIELp's AN
NUAL REPORT.
TO SAVE COAL FIELDS
DEFENDS LEASING SYSTEM AND
AND WOULD REPEAL TIMBER
AND STONE ACT.

Washington.-Secreta OF the Inte-
rior James r. Garfield in his annual re-
port devotes much attention to the land
problems affecting the western states
He recommends repeal of the timber
and stone act and radical changes In
the laws and policies affecting the dis
position of public domain, especially
those lands underlain with coal.
Secretary Garfleld's report, after re-
viewing the general work OF the de-
partment OF the Interior for the fiscal
year ending June 30. 1907. takes up the
work OF the General Land ONCE. 1t
says in part:
During the fiscal year ended June
30, 1907, there were disposed OF 49,
997. .566.5S acres, an increase of 1861
379.11 acres over the preceding year.
There were embraced In entries com
pleted during the year 7114.2
acres which had been reported in orig
inal entries made the preceding year.
and are not included in the above
statement. Entries OF all classes made
last year numbered 200 ,642. an increase
of 1925 per cent over the preceding
year.
Total cash receipts from the dis
posal of lands during the last fiscal
year were s9.b47.273.51. Receipts from
other sources were 81. zoos. .904 40, MAX
ing total OF $11. .b53. ITS. or an increase
of 52.3 per cent. over the receipts OF
the preceding year. The total expenses
and cost of depositing moneys during
last year was $50, ,s56.96. an increase
of $40. 0.439.16. The aggregates expendi-
lures and estimated liabilities of the
public land service were S2.295, ,004.70.
leaving a net balance of $S,25S, 1880
In the treasury.
"Fifty-seven additional national for
ests, embracing 43.S3S.647 acres, were
created during the year and one has
been abolished There are 159 national
forests. embracing 15D.832 ,665 acres.
"Of the lands temporarily withdrawn
under the forestry act, 1884 ,904 acres
have been restored to entry during the
last year.
There were surveyed during the
year 7.l56.9i0 acres. OF these lands
504. 4.15S acres are located in Colorado,
243,73S in Wyoming, 167 .977 in New
Mexico, 2s7,162 in Arizona and 374,23T
In Utah.
Laws have been enacted for the dis
posal of the following Indian lands:
Colville reservation, Washington, l.
100000 acres: Flathead reservation,
Montana, 1000. 900 acres: Yakima res
ervation, Washington. 1.145.000 acres:
Blackfeet reservation, Montana, 100000
acres Lower Brule reservation, South
Dakota, $1,000 acres; Occur d'Alene
reservation, Idaho, 10000 acres; Rose
bud reservation. South Dakota, $780,
900 acres; Lemhi reservation. Idaho,
81. 900 acres. Steps are now being
taken preliminary to the opening OF
these lands next year.
There has been a complete reorgan-
ization OF the General Land Office
force. The registers and receivers and
special agents have been instructed
that II is their duty quite as much to
aid the honest entryman as to detect
and punish the dishonest entryman.
THE purpose of the public land law
Is not to get rid of the public land, but
to provide a method under which lands
may be obtained by those who intend
to use them legally and honestly. The
highest use Of lands Is the making OF
homes. The utmost care should thus
be taken to prevent the taking for
other purposes of lands capable OF be-
ing entered under the homestead act:
on the other hand we must not permit
that law to be used as device to OBJ
tain valuable mineral or timber lands.
There has been no abatement In the
efforts of the department to prevent
the illegal entry or misuse of public
lands. There have been collected for
timber trespasses without suit $780,
917.53 and there have been recovered
through suits against trespasses $685.
cases of unlawful inclosure, involving
S42, ,720 acres have been reported. In "a
of these cases Of unlawful enclosure, in
volving 2fG,918 acres, the Enclosures
have been removed. In the other cases
the fences are being removed or action
is pending in the courts to compel re
moval.
'Tt is estimated that approximately
20, 900. 900 acres In the western states
are underlain with coal. The coal va,
ries in quality from the low form OF
Ignite to the highest form Of coking
coal. Between July 26. 1906, and De
cembcr IA, 1907, by executive order. g.
$685. acres of land were Withdrawn
from entry for the purpose OF deter
mining whether or not they were un-
derlain with merchantable coal. The
reasons for this action were that II
was found that serious frauds were be-
ing perpetrated in the acquisition OF
coal lands.
"Tke law prohibiting the inclosure
of the public domain or the placing OF
distractions thereon likewise needs
radical amendment. This can best be
accomplished by a system of permit.
based either upon an acreage or a per
capita basis and regulated In accord
ance with the peculiar and special
needs and customs of each locality.
'The SHOWS and water in the great
mountain ranges OF the West contain
power enough to turn ten millions OF
wheels, 10 irrigate millions OF acres, to