Arizona republican., 1909-11-29

under such reasonable regulations as
 maybe imposed"
 The foregoing suggestion Is also applicable to the oil and gas fields
 of the public domain
 As to power sites the report says:
 '.In anticipation of new legislation by 1 congress to prevent the acquisition oi power sites on the public domain by
 private persons or corporations with
 the view of monopolizing or adversely
 controlling them against the public in-
 terest. there have been temporarily
 withdrawn from all forms of entry ap-
 proximately 603.355 acres. covering all locations known to possess power pos
 abilities on unappropriated lands out
 side of national forests. Without such withdrawals these sites would be en-
 terable under existing laws. and their
 patenting would leave the general gov
 ernment powerless to impose any linn
 itations as to their use.
 If the federal government desires
 to exercise control or/supervision over
 water-power development on the public
 domain. it can only do so by limita-
 tions imposed upon the disposal of
 power and reservoir sites upon the
 public lands. the waters of the ctreams
 being subject to state Jurisdiction in their appropriation and beneficial use.
 l would therefore advise that congress
 be asked to enact a measure that will authorize the classification of all lands capable of being used for water-power development. and to direct their dis rl,
 The conditions under which they are to be disposed of as suggested leave the control of the sites in the govern ment
 Then follows table showing the number of acres restored to entry and the number of acres withdrawn for the protection Of power sites.
 THE RECLAMATION SERVICE.
 On the subject of reclamation the report says:
 ''The act approved June r.. 1902. known as the reclamation act. clothes the secretary of the interior with a broad discretion in the construction of irrigation works and the disbursement of the reclamation fund. into which fund had been paid. up to and includ- ing June 90. 1908. the total sum of s50. .66l .549.27. and the net investments from which in reclamation works on June 90. 1909. amounted to the sum of 5.757.9ls.s4 The cash receipts from water-right charges to JuQe 90. 1909, were: Building charges. s299. 9.s41.22; operation and maintenance charges. $70.2s5.ss. total, s310.6s7.10. Because of the magnitude of the work and the desirability of making plans far in ad vance. it has been found necessary to make estimates of the amounts that will become available before the actual receipts can be known. The estimated total receipts in the fund to June 30. 1909. are s5s.5S2. l40.s6. Upon this basis. and estimated receipts which will be- come available before December 3l. 1910. s5.52S,050 have been allotted for reclamation purposes to December 31. [ 1910
 The discretion imposed by the act also carries with it commensurate re- responsibilities and obligations. which | my predecessors have carried out with | the utmost fidelity to the public good. !
 Some of the most important ele- | ments of conservation of the natural | resources of the public domain lie with | in the purview of this statute: the dor 1 mant power of stream and flood being I for the transformation of the l desert into vast tillable areas.
 AS the law fixes the responsibility | for the success of these investments l peculiarly upon the secretary of the , interior, I have felt 1t incumbent upon me to visit during the last four months | as many of the government undertak- ings as possible and to determine upon the ground what. if any. changes in | were demanded to se- | cure the highest results, and. also to learn the views and needs of the set | tiers who are ultimately to pay for i these works.
 The reclamation service has been subjected to much unjust and to some just criticism. The work in the earlier i stages of it's existence being of a l pioneer or experimental nature, room was left for the imagination of the un- fair or uniformed critic. Generally | speaking, the character of construc- lion of dams, gates. drops. canals. etc. [ has been of d high type Of modern | practical utility. The precaution and pains exercised in giving extraordinary I strength and durability to structures and to uniformity in canals and ditches burden is thereby imposed upon the has led some to claim that an unfair lands irrigated without resultant | benefit. Whatever merit there may be ! In this contention will doubtless not 1. exist in the future work of the service. |
 The department has been unfortu- ate in the selection of some projects, water supply. soil. and cli- rnstic conditions, and in some instancesi projects having no public lands have been undertaken. which are within the domain of private enterprises rather than that Of the government.
 T wish to assert my disapproval of irrigation projects undertaken by the government where irrigation is to be accomplished by pumping with steam plants at high lifts. since the burden of operation and maintenance is usually too great for the average farmer. The time may come when such methods | may be feasible.
 Upon several of the projects the work Is of stupendous character, in volving engineering skill of a high order and large initial expenditures, as