Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1909-12-02
BALL|NGER TELLS
OF YEARS WORK
Report OF the Secretary Of the In
terror Received.
PROBLEM or PUBLIC LANDS
oe~eiopre.. Through Private Enter
prise Under National s0perssiea
and ccntrol oexrea-Reeisrs-
tien Service Ciseussec.

Washington. Nov. .. The annual 70
port to the president Of Richard A.
Bailinger. secretary of the interior.
vas made public to-day. and makes
interesting reading The report COW
sEs a portion Of The tiuse under the ad
miufstration OF James II. Garactd and
Mr.. Baliinger gives him credit for his
earnest and efficient services
Secretary Ballinger comments oo
the Old public land statutes. aad 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 uat
urally provoked the feeling that the
public domain was legitimate prey for
the interruptions and that Il was No
crime to violate or circumvcnt tn
land laws. Il is to BE- regretted thai
We. as a nation. we're so tardy to real
tze the importance OF preventing ~
large measure of cur natural r.
sources passing into the hands of land
pirates and spectators. With no view
10 development looking 10 the nAtiona
welfare.
Must Continue Prosecutiors
1t may be safely said that miiliar,s
of acres of timber and other lan1a
have been unlaWfgily obtained. and Il
Is also true that actions 10 recover
such lands have in most Instances Ions
since been barred by the statute %
limitations. The principal awakenins
TO our wasteful course cane undet
your predecessor administration Ths
bold and vigorous prosecutions of Iaus
frauds through Secretaries Hitchcock
and Garfield. have restored a salutary
respect for the law. and the public
mind has rapidly xraspea the impor
lance % Safeguarding the further dts
position % our natural resources ~
the public lands IN the Interest q the
public good as against private greed
NotWithsfanfing this. q Is necessary
10 continue with utmost vigor. through
all available sources. the securing ot
Information of violations of the puhIis
land Laws and 20 follow such Vioizs
tons wifh rigid prosecutions.
Use Private Enterprise
On this present policy u ccnserv
ing the natural resources of the pub
lie domain. while development - ths
ey-note. the bss thought of the day
Is not that develop nent shall BE- b IA
tional agencies. but thar Wi~e ufiliEa
tion shall BE- secured through privsfs
enterprise gndsr national supervisors
and control Therefore. II materfa
progress is 70 BE- made in securing the
best use Of our remaining public
lands. congress must b called u2oG
TO enact remedial legislation
Mr. Bailinger then gives in detail
his recommendations for the classih
cation OF public lands. and the fea
lures Of a measure which he advises
for the direction OF the disposal OF va
terpower sites.
The Reclamation Service
Concerning the reclamation service
the report SAYS in part:
In view of the importance OF I
speedy completion OF existing projects
and their proper extension. and Of the
AAh ~f11AA1 a. AaA- u ia AAAlsAaAAAAFuA
tween the states by which the major
portion Of the funds arising from the
sale Of pubic lands within each state
and territory shall have been ex
pended 50 far as practicable within
such state or territory. and in view
Of the Importance OF making a bene
fetal use OF waters already ap
propriated or capable Of appropria
tion TO which rights may be lost
for uonuse. believe an urgent ap
peal should b. made TO congress &c
authorize the Issuance OF certificates
Of Indebtedness. or OF bonds against
the reclamation fund. TO an aggregate
of not exceeding $50 600 goo. or SC
much thereof as may be needed
Energetic reorganization OF the In
dian bureau is in progress. says Mr.
Balliuger. and he recommends that
the Indian warehouses al New York
Chicago. Omaha. ST Louis and San
Francisco be closed as soon as pos
sible. \ more advanced policy re-
specting the maintenance. improve
ment and operation OF the Yellow
stone and Yosemite national parks Is
urged on the government.