The Tupelo journal., 1910-01-21

Washington, Jan. I4.-Following Is
the complete text OF the special mes
sage on the conservation OF the ma
tons sent to the senate
and house of representatives by Pres
ident Taft today:
the Senate aud House OF Representa-.
tives:
In my annual message l reserved the
OF the conservation OF our ma
.ional resources for disposition In u spe-
,ial message, as follows:
In several departments there Is pre-
sented the necessity for legislation look
ng to the further conservation OF our
national resources, and the subject Is one
IF such Importance as to require a more
detailed and extended discussion than
be entered upon in this c~oInmunica~
ion. For that reason l shall take an
early opportunity to send a special mes
to congress on the subject OF the
Improvement of our waterways: upon the
reclamation and irrigation of arid. semi
arid and swamp lands. upon the preser-
ration of our forests and the re-foresting
IF suitable areas: upon the re-claSsi1ca-
ion of the public domain with a view OF
separating from agricultural settlement
coal and phosphate lands and
belonging to the government bor-
1ering on streams suitable for the utiii-
of water power.
In 1860 we had a public domain of 1885,
,2SS acres. We have now 73l, 1854. 0Sl
acres. confined largely 10 the mountain
'anges and the arid and Semi-arid plains.
We have. in addition. s6s. 035 .975 acres OF
and in Alaska.
Disbursement of Public Lands.
The public lands were. during the earIi-
sst administrations. treated as a national
asset for the liquidation of the public
1ebt and as a source of reward for our
and sailors. Later on they were
in large amounts in aid OF the
construction of wagon roads and rail-
HayS, in order to open up regions in the
west then almost inaccessible All the
land statutes were enacted more
han a quarter of a century ago. The
homestead act, the presumption and tim
act. the coal land aud. the
mining acts were among these.
The rapid disposition of the public lands
1nder the early statutes, and the lax
methods of distribution prevailing. due. I
think. to the belief that these lands
should rapidly pass into private owner
ship, gave rise to the impression that
public domain was legitimate prey
the INSCRIPTIONS and hat il was not
contrary to good morals to circumvent
The and laws. This prodigal manner of
disposition resulted in the passing Of
arge areas OF valuable land and many
IF our national resources into the hands
If persons who felt little or no RESPONSE
oility for promoting the national well
'are through their development. .
Fraudulent Titles.
The truth is that title to millions of
lcres of public lands was frauduIently
obtained and that the right to recover a
part of such lands for the govern
nent long since ceased by reason OF stat
ties of limitations. There has developed
n recent years a deep concern in the
public mind respecting the preservation
md proper use of our natural resources.
This has been particularly directed
oward the conservation of the resources
If the public domain. A vast amount OF
has appeared in the public
PRINTS in generaliZed form on this sub
iect, but there has been little practical
1t has been easy to say that
he natural resources in fuel supply, i'll
in water power. and in other
public utilities. must be saved from
waste, monopoly, and other abuses, and
he general public is in accord with this
proposition. as they are with most
ruisms. The problem, however, is how
o save and how to utilize, how to con-
,erve and still develop, for no sane per-
;on can contend that it is for the COM
non good that natures blessings are
,nly for unborn generations.
Noteworthy Reforms.
Among the most noteworthy reforms
Initiated by my distinguished predecessor
we're the vigorous prosecution OF Ian
and the bringing to public atten-
ion of the necessity for preserving the
'emaining public domain from further
,nnlia tion for the maintenance and RY-
jension of our forest resources. and for
h enactment of laws amending the OBJ
solete statutes so as to retain govern
mental control over that part of the pub
ic domain in which there are valuable
of coal, of oil, and of phosphate.
md, in addition thereto. to preserve con-
rol. under conditions favorable to the
public, of the lands along the streams in
the fall of water can be made to
generate power to be transmitted in the
'orm of electricity many miles to the
point of it's use, known as water power"
sites.
The Investigations into violations of the
public and laws and the prosecution OF
and frauds have been vigorously con-
.inued under my administration. as has
been the withdrawal. of coal lands for
Justification and valuation and the tenn
oorary withholding of power sites. Since
March 4, 1909, temporary Withdrawals of
power sites have been made on 102
streams and these Withdrawals therefore
cover 229 per cent. more streams than
we're covered by the Withdrawals made
prior to that date.
The present statutes. except SO far
they dispose of the precious metals
and the purely agricultural lands. are
adapted to carry out the modern
of the best disposition of public
lands to private ownership, under con-
offering on the one hand suff-
Gent inducement to private capital to
them over for proper develop
ment, with restrictive conditions on
other which shall secure to the
public that character OF control which
will prevent a monopoly or misuse of
and or their products. The power
of the secretary of the interior to with
draw from the operation of existing
tracts of land, the disposition
of which under such statutes would
be detrimental to the public interests,
Is not clear or satisfactory. This power
been exercised in the interest of
public. with the hope that congress
might affirm the action of the execu-
tive by laws adapted to the new condi-
tions. Unfortunately. congress has not
far fully acted on the
of the executive. and the ques-
ton as to what the executive is to
is under the circumstances. full of
difficulty. 1t seems to me that 1t is
the duty of congress now. by a statute.
validate the Withdrawals which
nave been made by the secretary of the
and the president n to use
the secretary of the interior temporar-
fly to withdraw lands pending submis-
sion to congress of recommendations as