Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-14

To the Senate and House of Representa-
tives:
in my annual message / reserved the
Subject of the conservation of our ma
1ionaI resources for discussion in a spe-
cal message, follows:
In several departments there is pre-
sented the necessity for legislation look
ing TO the further conservation of our ma
tional resources, and the subject is one of
such Importance as to require a more de-
tailed and extended discussion than can
he entered upon in this communication
For that reason / shall take an early op-
portunity to send a special message to
Congress on the subject of the improve
ment of our waterways; upon the recla-
nation and irrigation of arid. semi-arid
and swamp lands: upon the preservation
of our forests and the reforesting of suit
able areas: upon the reclassification Of
the public domain with view of sepa-
rating from agricultural settlement min
eral coal and phosphate LANDS and sites
belonging to the government bordering on
streams suitable for the utilization of
water power.
In 1850 We had a public domain of
1.Oo3.:ni. .2ss acres We have now 731.-
.fp4,uSl acres, confined largely to the
mountain ranges and the arid and semi
arid plains. lie have, in addition 3SS-
o3J,315 acres OF land in Alaska.
Former Use Of Public Lands.
The public lands were. during the ear
lest administrations treated as a ma
1ional asset for the liquidation of the pub
lie debt and as source of reward for our
soldiers and sailors. Later on they were
donated in large amounts in aid of the
construction of wagon roads and rail-
ways, in order 10 open up regions in the
west then almost inaccessible All the
principal land statutes were enacted
more than II quarter of a century ago.
The homestead act. the pre-emption and
timber-culture act. the coal land and the
mining acts were among these. The rapid
disposition OF the public lands under the
early statutes. and the lax methods of
distribution prevailing, due. I think. to
the belief that these lands should rap
idly pass into private ownership gave
rise TO the impression that the public do
main was legitimate prey for the unscru-
pulous, and that il was not contrary to
good morals to circumvent the land laws
This prodigal manner of disposition re-
suited in tie passing OF large areas of
valuable land and many Of our national
resources into the hands OF persons who
felt little or no responsibility for promot-
ing the national welfare through their de-
vclopnent. The truth is that tirIe ~ mil
ions OF acres Of public lands was fraudn-
lently obtained. and that the right to re-
cover q large part OF such lands for the
government long since ceased by reason
81 statutes of limitation.
There has developed in recent wears a
deep concern in the public mind respect-
Ing the preservation and proper use nj
Our natural resources. This has been
particularly directed toward the conserya-
tIon of the resources of the public do
main. vast amount of disc,ission has
appeared in the public print in genera,
iZed form on this subject but there h,s
been little practical suggestion It has
been easy to say that the natural re-
sources in fuel supply. in forests III wata.
power and in other public utilities mus,
be saved from waste, monopoly and al he 7
abuses, and the general public are III ac-
cord with this proposition. as they arc
with most truismS- The problem, how
ever, is how to save and how 10 utilize
how to conserve and still develop. for nc
sane person can contend that II is for the
common good that Natures blessings are
only for unborn generations.
Prosecution of Land Frauds.
Among the most noteworthy reforms
initiated by my distinguished predecessor
were the vigorous prosecution If land
frauds and the bringing to public atten-