The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1909-12-02
nAtlissrR-s ~ roRr.
,Caniinued from l'.rs, i'aRs

water rights which n N8alH fsfsfAe
from the siste This BE- s hshlY IA
uotjaut nd ingeu 1us prey ss#an
Whereby iae Federal Fo,.ruaent IN
exchange for the priyl"ee Of ueiug
the site. would secure ,tle 10 the VA
ter right naN controlled las tie state.
I. that enffxman mast develop pnWef
within prescribed tHuc. .. that
moderate charge be made UPON cafi
tai inverted or upon gross 81 nines
FOR the first ten years aud readiusted
by appraisement each decade there
after: &. that all rights Toe forfetable
ia) for failure TO develop power; tb1
upon entry into any contract or com
biuation to charge on reasonable rates
or (cl upon entering into combina-
ton to limit supply of electrical
+ current or maintain the plant hopper
ative; and I. that all books ard nc
counts shall always be subject to in
spection by the Federal government
/ Amplifying the views set forth in
/ his report as Commissioner of the
/ General Land Office. Secretary Balm
ger emphasizes the importance to in
telligent administration of sree!he
/ classiffca ton of the public lands, &C
/ cording to the purposes for which
they are chiefly valuable, declaring
| that This. to my mind. is the only
way the government can scientifically
and effectively proceed to conserve
the natural resources OF the puphc
domian." He points out that to leave
To the self interest of applicants the
option to claim a particular tract as
more valuable for minerals agricul-
ture. timber, phosphates, oil, gas, or
for sites is to invite confusion, fraud,
and contention, and has been the
source, of the major portion of the
difficulties of the Interior Department
in administering the public domain
Still further simplifying the recon-
mendations made by him as Commits
sioner. Secretary Ballinger insists
upon tie Importance of separating
the right to mine from the title 10 the
soil. permitting entries upon the sur
face and reserving title to the min
eral deposits beneath it. He says i
believe the most advantageous method
will be found in measure authoriz-
ing the lease or sale of the coal de
posts in the lands. subject to for
fixture for failure to exercise the
rights granted, under such reasonable
regulations as may be imposed He
further recommends provision fol
forfeiture of the title in the case of
combinations as to price, or limita-
ton of output, and declares that sim
liar provision should be made with
reference to oil and gas fields and all
other mineral resources which require
that their disposition be expressed in
terms of quantity of the product ex-
tracted, rather than of acreage.
The secretary announces that pend
ing new legislation all known coal
areas have been withdrawn from en-
try for classification and appraise-
ment and presents a table showing
upwards of 100000 acres classified
and restored; 31,000,000 acres with
drawn from coal entry pending clas-
sifcation, and 100000 acres with
drawn from all entry pending classi
fication. The report shows a change
to a practical and scientific system of
lands effected in April 1909; coal de
posts being divided into four classes
according to their coal value and Tho
thickness and depth of the deposits,
Prices are determined on the basis OF
an estimated tonnage and range from
one-half cent to three cents per ton
according to quality and location.
From April 10 to October 81, over
1900 900 acres of land were CLASH
fed, 2,533562 acres defined as coal
lands containing coal valued at SILL
S90.576. At the minimum price the
sale price of this coal would have
been 47.0S0.040, showing gain
through the new system, in seven
months. of $94,810,536.
Summing up his general policy with
regard to the public lands and the
conservation of the resources there
on, Secretary Balinger says 1T is
to be regretted that we, as a nation,
were so tardy to realize the i'm
portance of preventing so large a
measure of our natural resources
passing to the hands of land pirates
and spectators with no view to de-
velopment looking to the national
welfare. 1t may be safely said that
millions of acres of timber and other
lands have been unlawfully obtained,
| and it is also true that actions TO re-
cover such lands have in most in
stances long since been barred by the
statute of limitations. The principal
awakening to our wasteful course
came under your predecessors adj
ministration. The bold and vigorous
prosecutions of land frauds through
Secretaries Hitchcock and Garfield
have restored a salutary respect for
the law, and the public mind has