Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-11-29
MAKES
SUGGESTIONS
Wants Coal Lands and Natural
Resources Protected

OF the Interior BallInser.
In his annual report 70 President |
Taft. aays In part.
The proper uaa and disposition OF
the public lands have been questions
Involving no little legislative a. well
as administrative dIniculty from the
beginning OF their history. They
were, during tho earliest administFa-
lions. treated ~ q national asset for
the liquidation OF the public debt
and as source % reward for our
soldiers and sailors. Not until the
discovery OF gold on the Pacific slope
did the policy change for one Of eK-
ploitation. by which our cisiEens were
encouraged to develop the mineral
and agricultural resources Of the pub
lie domain on condition OF receiving
limited areas az a nominal coat. For
similar reasons railway and wagon
road grants were literally donated
by congress IN order TO add facilities
for the opening up OF these almost
inaccessible regions.
All OF the principal land statutes
were enacted over 25 years ago; the
homestead act, the preemptinn and
timber culture act. the coal land and
the mining acts for the aid Of the
Industrious proapeetor were among
the earlier acts OF this nature.
Much Puhllc Land LOss.
The liberal and rapid disposition
OF the public lands under these stat
utes and the lax methods OF admins
tration which for n long time pre-
vailed naturally provoked the feeling
that the public domain was legiti-
mate prey for the unacrupulous and
that II was no crime 20 violate o.
clrcumyent the land laws. Il 10 "a
be regretted that We. as q nation
were 20 tardy to realize the import
anee OF preventing so large meas
ure OF our natural resources paasial
into the hands OF land pirates and
spectators. with no view 10 deyel
opment looking TO the national vel
fare.
Il may be safely said THAI nIailionI
OF acres OF timber and other land
have been unlaWfully obtained. AM
Il Is also true that actions 70 reeoVe
such lands have 10 most instance
long since been barred BY the stat
ute Of limitations. The pTincipa
awakening TO our wastefal eours
came under your predecessors ad
minIstratlon. The bold and vigoT
Gus prosecutions Of land fraudi
: Through Secretaries Hitchcock an
GARFIELD. have restored saluiar
/. respect for the law. and the publ
mind has rapidly graaped the in
! portanee Of safeguarding the tuFth'
I disposition Of our natural resources
, I 10 the public lands in the intereat
the pubiic good - against priva'
greed.
Notwithstanding this Il IL nece
/. laary To eontinue with utmost vigO
through all available sources. the .
!. curing OF information Of violation
OF the public land laws, and to "a
q low such violations with rigid pro
+ ecutions.
g In this present policy Of eonssF
!. ing the natural resources Of the pu
l. lie domain. while development is 4
J. keynote. the best thought Of the d
Ie Is not that development SHALL BE-
n national agencies. bias that wise Of
n ration shall be secured through p
/. Vate enterprise under national :
"a pervislon and control. Therefore.
!; material progress Is 10 be made
. securing the best use OF our renal
a ing public lands. congress must
.. called upon to enact remedial Leo
a. iatiob.
n Classification % landA.
ID Specific legislative authority Ehol
IT be given me department TO class
ng ana seEregAie our public lands 4
II. yell denned divisions according
Do their Creates apparent use. with
%. continuing power Of reeiAsaiheat
~ 10 meet changing conditions and
Of increased knowiedEe Of their ehai
81 ter which may hseeasitate the tra
a. fer Of lands from time 20 time n
one class to the other.
F'ull legal eject should be 81
he such classification when made. -
en- 20 prevent entries. under laws ~
~