Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1909-10-23

,naasnres to secure its settlement by
che passage of the homestead act anu
other acts offering, after certain sIePs
prescribed, to vest title to specinc
mart of the public lands in individuals
the chief object Of congress seem'
he to secure development by inducing
neople to settle on public lands ana
seouire 1t for themselves.
seThe thought of conserving the re-
aources which were thus opened to pri-
vate acquisition hardly occurred TO
congress.
otis generosity to the Pacific rail-
roads in Offering the public lands IN
such extensive grants to them IS an
instance of the spirit which actuated
congress 40 and so years ago.
stI am not criticizing congress IN the
slightest for this policy. 1t certainly
was necessary to make extensive
Grants to secure the construction of a
railroad which should unite the Pacific
coast with the Atlantic coast and bring
closer to the eastern seaboard the far-
distant regions of this country.
81 merely refer to it in a historical
way to explain the character of the
statutes now upon the statute books
with reference to the sale and dlspo-
sition of public lands.
sfThere has always been distinc-
ton made between agricultural lands
and mineral lands, because it was recog-
nized that mineral lands would prob
ably be much more valuable, and a
different method was required for the
a flat M hA
other
@ But never until now has adequate
provision been made for a classified
ton of lands SO as to show distinctly
what are mineral lands and what are
agricultural lands
efThe truth is that the needs of the
country have developed so, and the de-
mand for land has SO much increased,
that in order to secure a sensible, bust
nesslike disposition Of the lands re-
manning in the public domain there
must be an authoritative classification
of lands by the proper bureau, so as
co show whether they are agricultural
lands, forest lands or lands available
for waterpower sites on the banks of
rivers and other streams, or mineral
lands, coal lands, oil lands or phosphate
lands.
SsHad this classification been made
earlier it would have saved great
amount of litigation, and would have
saved to the government millions of
acres, patented, as one kind of land
when, in fact, it was another.
ssThe classification is being rapidly
executed by the geological bureau.
"After classification legislation
should be, and doubtless will be, di-
,rected to the means by which such
llands should be disposed of, and the re-
sstrietions specified in the interest of
The public on the tenure and use to
which the owner is to put such lands.
GAS to lands which are purely agri-
cultural, there would seem to be no
reason for departing from the ordi'
nary method of disposition under the
homestead and other laws, including
the reclamation acts, by which citizens
acquire title in them.
"With respect to forest lands owned
by the public, they should be surveyed
and held by the government under the
regulation of the forestry bureau, per
hitting a sale of such timber as shall
be necessary in the proper forestr,
preservation.
"As to waterpower sites, there ha
been such a change in conditions tina
a special provision should be made il
the interest of the public for thei
transfer to private control.
"The development of electrical ap
planes and the transfer of powe
through electric lines for long dis
tances has made the use of water powe
TO produce electricity one of the mos
important sources of power we hav
in this country, and will so affect tn
cost of production in all the fields o
manufacture and production of the ne
cessities of life as to require the gov
eminent to retain control over the us
by private capital of such power whe
it can only be exercised upon site
which belong to the government.
''Such sites can be properly parte
with under conditions of tenure an
compensation, consistent on the on
hand with reasonable profit to the pr
vate capital invested, and on the othe
with the right OF tine puDhc TO secuI
the furnishing of such power at RET
sonable rates to every one.
"There should be a condition of 70
fixture if the owner of the power sill
does not, within certain time, expen
capital sufficient to develop the powe
and after development shall not chars
rates to the public beyond what is
reasonable profit on the capital i
vested in the Improvement to be reg
lated by the government.
tsThe amount of compensation thi
ought to be charged by the Cover
ment for the use of the waterpow
sites might perhaps be left to rea
justment every 10 to IS or 20 years.
sfThe compensation to be charged
the outset might well be purely MOI