Omaha daily bee., 1909-08-12


.tary BalIinger has again put up for entry
these lands, and each tract has In Its
boundaries a water power site.
The thing to do, said DR.. Pardee, is to
withdraw the water power sites as did
Roosevelt and hold them for the people.
When" pleaded the speaker, ARE we
ever going to have a chance for the com
mon, hard working citizen? Secretary
Ballinger has said irrigation is not a propu-
sition for a poor man. l take Issue with
him and say. It is particularly a poor mans
proposition, and II there is any one try ing
to make il not so, let's find out about It,"
Turner Defends BallinEer,
Mr.. Turner gained the floor and replied
Il think" said he. that the remarks OF
Governor Pardee. following those Of the
secretary Of the interior. are in bad taste.
Mr.. Ballinger has done IN his official ca
pacity only what any man would do under
the oath of offlce-he has obeyed the law.
No man has the right to act first>and read
the law afterwArd."
A resolution was introduced asking the
condemnation Of the destruction OF birds.
This was followed by a request that the
women in the audience who would agree to
wear nothing but the plumage Of the
ostrich and barnyard fowl to rise. a
number compiled.
Call for Civ Billiona.
Delegates to the National Irrigation con-
gress set about to relieve the arid land
situation today when resolutions begin
ming with a request for ample funds"
and ending with one for a fund Of 5000
900. 900 were introduced.
The resolution asking for a. national 3
per cent bond issue of 5000, COX, OOO Was in
reduced by the secretary OF the board Of
control. Arthur Hooler OF Spokane. It is
proposed to Use this in five portions, as
follows:
One billion dollars for drainage; 81, OOO,O 900,
600 for Irrigation; 1900, 900, 600 for deep
Waterways 1000 900, 900 for good roads and
81, 200, 00O.OoO for forest preservation.
1t is asked that a committee present the
request to congress-.
A resolution also was introduced planning
that where settlers of arid lands have been
deprived of the right to reclaim their lands
by the action of the reclamation service
In cutting off water rights such settlers
may gain the right to their lands by the
reclamation of one acre in their tracts by
means Of q well.
smith ON CIassifIca ton. 9
George Otis Smith, director Of the United
States geological survey, and Samuel H.
Lea, state engineer Of South Dakota, made
the principal conservation arguments be-
fore the National Irrigation congress to-
day.
Mr.. Smiths subject was the classified
tlon OF public lands. He said:
The classification and valuation Of coal
land is a special phase OF public land work
to which the geological survey is giving
increased attention. The geologic investi-
CATIONS of the last three field seasons have
not only furnished a knowledge of the
quantity and quality Of the coal on the
public domain. but nave rendered possi-
BILE the present policy OF obtaining coal
prices for coal lands. The general land
office now depends on the geological sur
yey to furnish detailed valuations for
every forty acre tract Of coal land that is
placed on the market. In the two and a
half months following the adoption of the
revised scheme OF valuation the reports to
the general land office relessed TO agri-
cultural entry approximately 10000 Acres
in Colorado Wyoming and Montana and
placed selling prices on nearly 100000 acres
OF coal land with an aggregate valuation
OF over SIS. 900, 900.
Ah0 price "a government coal land Is
now determined on the basis Of estimated
tonnage. the unit rate varying with the
Equality of the coal from u cent to 8 cents
a ton for coal deposits within fifteen miles
Of a railroad. These prices average less
than one-tenth the usual loyalty paid in
the west Yet this conservative valuation
viii more than double the average price
Of public coal lands. In exceptionaL cases
the price based on tonnage represents a
fifteen-fold increase over the old minimum
price. 1t is conceded that this policy OF
basing the price on the quantity and quail
ity OF the article sold will not encourage
purchase by spectators, but I maintain
that >the government valuation will not
Impede the disposition Of the coal deposits
for purposes OF utilization. The real de-
Velopment Of the west VIII be promoted,
not retarded. The Increased valuation OF
the millions Of acres OF public coal land
must result in Increased contributlons tc
the reclamation fund ana greater posi-.
biiities for local utilization OF the agricul.
tural lands through irrigation,