Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1909-11-29
More Specific Authority Asked to
Segregate Lands.
IGHT TO CLASSIFY DESIRED
Wants Power to Conserve Coal
Deposits to the Nation.
POWER UNDER DISCUSSION
Like Mineral Deposits, He Thinks
These sites should BE Under
Control OF Governmental
Head,

WASHINGTON. Nov. q s-Important
recommendations urging remedial ley'sla-
tion by congress for securing the best
use Of the remaining public lands are the
principal features OF the annual report Of
Secretary Of the Interior Ballinger, made
public today.
These recommendation include specific
authority to classify and segregate the
lands into we'll defined divisions according
TO their greatest apparent use, legslat on
designed to conserve the coal deposits as
public utility and TO prevent monopoly
or extortlon in their disposition and au-
thorlzlng the classification and disposition
OF all lands capable OF being used for water
power development under the Interior de-
par,ment.
Warm praise is given manufacturers OF
explosives used in coal mining who, the re-
port says, have made CONNIE ndable ef-
forts to increase the safety OF their ex-
plcslves even beyond the requirements OF
the geoloN cal survey tests. They have
shown a desire to carry out the wishes
of the state inspectors and the recommend
ations Of the federal engineers and chemists
connected with the Investigations into the
causes Of mine explosions.
I Secretary Balingcr favors the Issuance
| of certificates Of indebtedness, not exceed
ing $50, 600 600, against the reclamation fund
for certain lines Of irrigation work. The
reclamation service, says the secretary,
has been subjected to much unjust and to
some just criticism.
Since the foundation OF the government
the report shows there has been dlsbursed
for pensions S39l3, ,Os2, ,5lS, Of which 500, 4i5,4A
was disbursed prior 20 June go 1865.
Land statutes Old.
Extracts from the report are here given:
This report covers a portion of the time
under the administration OF my predeces-
sor, Mr.. Garfield, who by his earnest and
disinterested services. contributed greatly
y the advancement OF the department in
organization and efficiency OF administra-
tion." -"st77 y s--s.--.9
After discussing the proper use and dis
position Of public land. the report con-
tinues
"All Of the principal land statutes were
enacted over twenty-five years ago; the
homestead act, the pre-emption and the
timber-culture act, the coal land and the
mining acts for the aid of the Industrious
prospector were among the earlier acts
OF this nature.
The liberal and rapid disposition Of the
public lands under these statutes and the
lax methods Of administration which for a
/ long time prevailed naturally provoked
the feeling that the public domain was
legitimate prey for the unscrupulous and
that it was no crime TO violate or circum-
vent the land laws. It is TO be regretted
that we, as a nation were so tardy to re-
alize the Importance OF preventing so large
measure Of our natural resources passing
into the hands OF land pirates and specu-
lators with no view to development looking
to the national welfare. II 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 recover
such lands have in most instances long
since been barred by the statute Of limi-
tations. The principal awakening to our
wasteful course came under your prede-
cessor's administration. The bold and vig~
orous prosecution Of land frauds, through
Secretaries Hitchcock and Garfield, have
restored a salutary 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, it is necessary to continue
with utomst vgor, through ali available
sources, the securing OF information OF
violations Of the public land laws and 70
follow such violations with rigid prosecu-
tions
Utilization by Control.
I'm this present policy OF conserving the
etural resources OF the public domain,
while development is the keynote, the best
thought Of the day is not that develop
ment shall be by national agencies, but
that wise utilization shall be secured
through private enterprise under national
supervision and control. Therefore, II ma
terial progress is to be made in securing
the best use of our remaining public lands
congress must be called upon to enact
remedial legislation.
In order that intelligent administration
shall be applied in the disposition OF the
public lands, it Is essential that they be
classified into various clearly defined diyis-
ions according to their principal value or
use.
Full legal effect should be given such
classification when made so as TO prevent
entries under laws applicable to one class,
Of land belonging 10 another class, except
after application for and review OF the
classification; in other words n lands are
classified as coal lands. they should be en-
terable only coal lands. and in case Il
be shown that they are improperly classi-
fled as coal lands and are, In fact, agri-
cultural they should then be enterabls
only as agricultural lands This, to my
mind is the only way the government can
scientifically and effectively proceed TO
conserve the natural resources of tho pub
lie domain. To leave 10 the self-interest of
applicants the option 20 claim n particular
tract Of land as more valuable for min
erai agriculture timber, phosphate oil or
gas. OF for power sites, Is 10 invite cohfu-
sion, fraud and contention. and this has
been the source OF a major portion OF the
difficulties Of the Interior department in
administering the public domain.
Mach work AIready Done.
1t may seem at the outset that this
would be a radical departure 20 the extent
o. suspending the disposition OF public
lards pending their classification, but. as
a matter OF fact, large portion OF the un-
disposed-of public lands has already been
classified BY the department but such