Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-10-03
MINING MANS INTEREST
IN LAND ClIASsIFIC NTION

George otis smith, director Of the
United states geological survey deliv-
cred an interesting address on the
/ Mining Mans Interest in Land CLASH
tlcation' at the afternoon session.
which was listened to with marked at
tention by tho delegates. MIR. Smith
said, in part,
IN the complex civilization of to-
day no industry stands alone Be-
cause he has to sell an output the
mining man has a real interest in the
prosperity of his peighhor. and good
crops and the farmers activity In re-
painting his buildings has steadlcd the
lead market at times when other de-
mands Tor that metal were at min
lmum Mining development depends
hardly less upon the availability Of
the luel, timber and water supply
MN upon the adequacy Of ore de-
posits. In a word, the future OF the
mining industry viii be controlled b.
the utilization OF all resources.
The classification OF the public
lands was authorized by congress IN
1879 and the work was specifically as
signed to the geological survey, which
was also entrusted with the inVcstiga
tlon of the mineral resources of the
country The relation of land classi-
tication to the mining industry APP
pears TO have been uppormost in the
minds of those active In the creation
of the survey Land classification
work MS now prosecuted serves two
Important ends, one administrative,
the other legislative. and | am con-
ttin =
by congress at the time OF the crea-
tiun of the survey.
"rhe work OF the survey since 1q0G
1u ta" public coal lands hts copstt-
tuted is largest contribution 70 land
classification. The government coal
lands are now valued on an estimated
tonnage basis. the price ranging from
y cent to cents ton. which. how
ever, averages less than onc-tcuth the
usual royalty paid IN the west As the
coal lands are now administered the
honcSt coal ontrNman need no longer
fear the unfair competition of his less
scrupulous neiEhbor who enters 60
acres of coal land as a homestead
The present policy Is the square deal
to both coal land purchasers and fuel
users, and indeed to operators and |
consumers not only of this year and |
decade but also of the next century
"In the western oil fields the classl |
ncatiou work by the survey has re-
suited in protecting the oil man from |
the agricultural claimant and with
better law the reports Of The survey |
geologlsts would also protect the oil |
prospcctor from the devices of the
gypsum eutryman
THE public land problem embraces,
first. the determination of the test
use to which the public domain can
be put. ana second. the disposition or
reservation of the land now belong
ing TO the nation SO as to assure that
use No principle Is more fundamon
tai TO real conservation and IT the
Same time more beneficial to the min
ing industry than this Of giving pref
crcnce to the highest possible use for
the public lands.
"To attain this high aim of making
HE best use Of the public laud. legis-
Iation IS necessary and as a prclm-
mary to legislation exact knowledge
is required in the form of scientific
and classifcation In a number Of
instances congress has already used
illogical survey and at the present
lime land classification work of sew |
,ral types is ia progress which has
he definite purpose OF aiding pro- I
posed legislation For instance, phos-
,hatc land surveys arc now being
made to furnish authoritative infor- ,
nation to bc placed before congress
or its use in Legislation to promote {
I
mt deposits of mineral fertilizers
'his effort to secure special loglsla ,
ion * inspired by no doR-in-the- 8
aangcr spirit. and whatever icgisla- ,
ion ia proposed, it surely will not be 7
estlictiVe of deVe elopmcut for the s.
ond of this nation. nor Will 1t look G
nward the nop-usc OF the earth !
ounty but rather toward the promo d
ION OF tho mining and utilization of
his valuable rock on which the ua- "
ions agricultural l'fe win later de- ID
end 4
.As another fine OF hud ,las-iioa- "
ion work iu aid ut legislation I muy n
itc the water power Investigations. q
With earlier records and surveys as n
asis, the geological survey is now ac- 81
vnly engaged In examining power %
tics 10 which th. government still re- "a
iins the title Again the purpose Is j.
, aid iu the enactment of legislation q
lat mal promote and not hinder de- n
~lopment ot these Watcrpowers as u
pidly as the Industrial, transporia- p
on and other needs of the nation de-
land. Utilization OF the undevoloped II
atcr-uoWers on the public domain p
wolves either government develop z
Icnt cor longtime leases of these q
over sites to strong financial inter
~. aud in the latter event the law
ust provide for effective govern A
ent control that Will insure that the =
ST