New-York tribune., 1909-11-29

exemption from taxation serves only TO
increase the burden OF the small timber
land owner The Secretary. therefore.
recommends that Congress be asked for
an appropriation sufficient to survey these
lands and authority TO impose a lien on
them for the reimbursement OF the cost
and authority to compel prompt payment.
RECLAMATION OF ARID LANDS.
He emphasizes the Importance OF
speedy completion OF all existing projects
and their proper extension. and for this
purposes recommends that Congress be
asked TO authorize certificates OF indebted
ness or bonds against the Reclamation
Fund TO an aggregate Of not exceeding SS0.
O0O.OOO. these securities 10 be sold by the
Treasurer of the United States from time
to time as money may be needed
Among other minor amendments OF the
reclamation act he suggests the allowance
OF assignments OF homestead entries after
completion OF I'VE years residence and rus-
tivation.
INDIAN AFFAIRS.
The report says that a reorganization Of
the field service of the Indian Bureau has
been undertaken with the object of wedding
out Enthusiastically and inefficient agents
and replacing them with men OF the high
type the service demands. The announced
policy is through industrial education to
Mt the Indian TO manage his own affairs
successfully.
In the interest OF economy and the expe-
ditious transaction OF business. the discOn-
tinuance Of the United States Indian ware
houses is recommended. and the substitu-
ton therefor Of a system Of buying sup
plies through purchasing agents with head
quarters in one or more Of the large COM
mercial centres.
GENERAL POLICY.
Summing up his general policy with re-
Gard to the public lands and the conserva-
ton Of the resources thereon. Secretary
BaIlinger says:
II is to be regretted that We as a ma
ton We're SO tardy TO realize the impOr-
tance OF preventing SO large a measure Of
our natural resources passing TO the hands
OF land pirates and SPECTATORS. with no
view 10 development looking 10 the ma
uonai welfare. II may be safely said that
mlIliOns OF acres OF timber and other lands
have been Unlawfully obtained and II is
also true that actions TO recover such
lands have in most instances long since
Deen barred by the statute Of limitations
The principal awakening TO our wasteful
course came under your predecessor ad-
mlnlstratiOn. The bold and vigorous prose-
cuuonS or land frauds through Secre-
tarleS Hitchcock and Garfield have restored
a sanitary respect for the law, and the
public mind has rapidly grasped the i'm
portance OF safeguarding the further dis
position OF our natural resources in the
public lands In the interest of the public
good as against private greed. NOtwith-
standing this, IL Is necessary 10 continue
with utmost vigOr. through all available
sources, the securing OF information OF viO-
lations Of the public land laws and TO fol-
low such violations with rigid prosecutions.
In this present policy Of conserving the
natural resources Of the public domain,
while development is the keynote, the best
thought OF the day is not that development
shall be by national agencies, but that
wise utilization shall be secured through
private enterprise under national supervi-
sion and control. Therefore, il material
progress is 10 be made in securing the best
use OF our remaining public lands Con-
gress must be called upon to enact rene
dial legislation.
Mr.. Ballinger advocates a retirement
fund for superannuated employees and
the completion Of public land surveys in