The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1909-12-03
|bALL|NGER REPORTS
SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
TELLS OF WORK OF HIS
DEPARTMENT..
STILL AFTER LAND THIEVES

cution and Reclasslfic Of the
Public Domaln-lssuanee OF Reela.
nation Fund Bonds Advised
Indian Bureau.
Washington, Nov. 29.-The annual
report to the president Of Richard A.
Ballinger, secretary Of the interior,
was made public to-day and makes in
teresting reading. The. report covers
a portion Of the time under the ad-
ministration Of James r. Garfield, and
Mr.. Ballinger gives him credit for his
earnest and efficient services.
Secretary Ballinger comments on
the old public land statutes, and con.
tinues:
"The liberal and rapid disposition OF
the public lands under these statutes
and the lax methods Of administration
which for a long time prevailed nat
urally provoked the feeling that the
public domain was legitimate prey for
the INSCRIPTIONS and that 1t was no
crime to violate or circumvent the
land laws. It is to be regretted that
we, as nation, were so tardy to real
ize the importance of preventing so
large q measure of our natural re.
sources passing into the hands of land
pirates and SPECTATORS, with no view
to development looking to the national
welfare.
Must Continue Prosecutions.
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 recover such
lands have in most instances long
since been barred by the statute of
limitations: The principal awakening
to our wasteful course I Game under
your predecessors administration. 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 rapidly grasped the impor-
lance Of safeguarding the further dis.
position of our national resources in
the public land in the interest of the
public good as against private greed.
Notwithstanding this, it is necessary
to continue with utmost vigor, through
all available sources, the securing of
/ information of violations of thespublic.
land laws and to follow such viola.
lions with rigid prosecutions.
Use Private Enterprise.
I'm this present policy Of conserving
the natural resources of the public do
main, while development is the key.
note, the best thought of the day is
not that development shall be, by ma
tional agencies, but that wise utiliza.
ton shall be secured through private
enterprise under nationaN supervision
and control. Therefore! ,if material
progress is to be made in securing the
best use of our remaining public lands,
congress must be called upon to enact
remedial Legislation" -;
Mr.. .Ballinger then gives in detail
his recommendations for the classifi-
cation of public lands, and the fea-
lures of measure which he advises
for the. direction of the disposal of
water power sites. q
:, Tho Reclamation Service.
Concerning the reclamation service,
the report says. in part: s
I'm view of the Importance. of
speedy completion. of existing projects
and their proper extension, andiof the
necessity in 1912 of an adjustment be-
tween the states by which the major
portion of the funds arising from the
sale of public lands within each state
and territory shall have been ex-
pended so far as practicable within
such state or territory, and in: view
of the Importance of making a.: bene-
fetal use .of',swaters already ap-
@prcpriated or 5catable of appropria-
ytiop TO. whicH lights may beil lost
for nonuse, ]. believe an urgent ap.
peal should bes.made to congress to
authorize the issuance of certificates
Of indehtedpessss OF. of bonds against
the reclamation fund, to anaggfegate
Of not y exceedingss30, OoO, 900, ssor so
much thereof, as may be needed"
aEpArgettt, REORGANIZATION Of tile In.
dian bureau Id in progress. says Mr..
7Ballipger, and he. recommends that
the sEndaap .warehoases at NewE York,
Chicago. Omaha ST., Louis andH San
Francisco be closed as soon ali pos
stbla A more advanced policy; re-
Sbefting the maintenance. improve.
emaht and .o1eSatiopsof the YELLOWSTONE
and Yosemite national parks is urged
on the government. IS I,
-: !, couldr't uncoupIe.
: "A well-kno1n Scottish clergyman
got into compensation in q railroad
carriage with a working man. who In
formed him that he had been ascou-
pier for over 20 years. "oh, said the