Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1909-12-03
TELLS OF YEARS WORK
REPORT OF SECRETARY OF IN
INTERIOR BALLlNGER.
Development of Public Lands Through
Private Enterprise Under National
Supervision and Control Desired.

Washington, ID. C.-The annual re-
port to the president of Richard A,
Ballinger, secretary of the interior,
was made public to-day, and makes
interesting reading. The report COW
ers portion of the time under the ad
ministration of James h. Garfield, and
Mr.. Ballinger gives him credit for his
earnest and efficient services. Secre-
tary Ballinger comments on the old
public land statutes, and continues:
The liberal and rapid disposition of
the public lands under these statutes
and the lax methods of administration
which for long time prevailed nat
urally provoked the feeling that the
public domain was legitimate prey for
the unscrupulous and that it was no
crime to violate or circumvent the
land laws. 1t is to be regretted that
we, as a nation, were so tardy to real
iZe the importance of preventing so
large a measure of our natural re-
sources passing into the hands of land
pirates and spectators, with no view
to development looking to the ma
tional 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 recover
such lands have in most instances long
since been barred by the statute of
limitations. The principal awakening
to our wasteful course came 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
Importance of safeguarding the further
disposition of our natural resources in
the public lands 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 the public
land laws and to follow such viola
tions with rigid prosecutions.
"On this present policy of conserv-
ing the natural resources of the pub
lie domain, while development is the
keynote, the best thought of the day
is not that development shall be by ma
| llOldl dSellClSo, DuI ludl WISE ullliLd-
tion shall be secured through private
enterprise under national supervision
and control Therefore. if material
progress is to be made i'll 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 classitica-
tion of public lands, and the features
of a measure which he advises for the
direction of the disposal of water
power sites.
Concerning the reclamation service,
the report says in part:
"In view of the Importance of a
speedy completion of existing projects
and their proper extension, and of 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-
l.. pended so far as practicable within
such state or territory, and in view
of the importance of making bene-
fetal use of waters already appro-
priated or capable of appropriation
to which rights may be lost for non
use, 1 believe an urgent appeal should
be made to congress to authorize the
issuance of certificates of indebted
ness, or of bonds against the reclama.
ton fund, to an aggregate of not ex
ceeding $3O0OO000, or so much there
, of as may be needed"
JAPS ARE KILLED IN A WRECK