The Montgomery tribune., 1910-09-09
CONSERVATION A DUTY,
DECLARES PRESIDENT TAFT
Members Of National Congress at St. Paul Find
Him Thoroughly in Accord with Their
Ideas---His Speech.

might be relieved from their present in
convenience and hardship. In authorizing
the issue of these projects. congress lin
tied the application of their proceeds to
those projects which n board of army en-
gineers, to be appointed by the president,
should examine and determine to be
feasible and worthy of completion. The
board has been appointed and soon will
make Its report.
Suggestions have been made that the
United States ought to aid in the drain
age of swamp lands belonging to the
states or private owners, because, IL
drained. they would be exceedingly val
liable for agriculture and contribute to
the general welfare by extending the
area of cultivation. l deprecate the agi-
tatlon In favor of such legislation. 1t is
inviting the general government into
contribution from Its treasury toward en-
terprises that should be conducted either
by private capital or at the instance OF
the state. In these days there Is dspo-
sition to look too much to the federal
government for everything. am liberal
in the construction of the Constitution
with reference to federal power; but I
am firmly convinced that the only safe
course for us to pursue Is to hold fast
to the limitations of the Constitution and
to regard as sacred the powers of the
states. We have made wonderful prog
ress and at the same time have pre-
served with judicial exactness the re-
strictions of the Constitution. There is
an easy way in which the Constitution
can be violated by congress without
judicial inhibition, to-wit by appropria-
tions from the national treasury for un-
constitutional purposes. 1t will be a sorry
day for this country II the time ever
comes when our fundamental compact
shall be habitually disregarded in this
manner.
Mineral Lands.
BY mineral lands I mean those lands
bearing metals, or what are called metal
/ liferous minerals. The rules of owner
| ship and disposition of these lands were
| first fixed by custom in the west, and
| then were embodied in the law, and they
have worked, on the whole, so fairly and
we'll that I do not think 1t is wise to
attempt to change or better them
Forest Lands.
Nothing can be more important in the
| matter Of conservation than the treatment
| of our forest lands. 1t was probably the
| ruthless destruction of forests in the
| older states that first called attention to
a halt in the waste of our resources. This
| was recognized by congress by an act
authorizing the executive to reserve from
entry and set aside public timber lands
| as national forests Speaking generally,
| there has been reserved of the existing
forests about seventy per cent. of all
the timber lands of the government.
Within these forests Qncluding $4,000, 900
acres in two forests in Alaska) are 192,
100000 of acres, of which 166,OOOOOo OF
acres are in the United States proper and
include within their boundaries some
thing like 100000 of acres that belong
to the state or to private individuals. We
have then, excluding Alaska forests, a
total of about 144,000000 acres OF forests
belonging to the government which is
being treated in accord with the princi-
pies of scientific forestry. "A
The government timber in this coun-
try amounts to only one-fourth of all the
timber, the rest being in private own
ership Only three per cent of that which
is in priy<ote ownership is looked aftel
properly and treated according to mod
ern rules of forestry. The usual de
structve waste and neglect continues II
the remainder of the forests owned BY
private persons and corporations. 1t II
estimated that fire alone destroys $4,000,
00O worth of timber year. Tn
management of forests not on publi
land is beyond the jurisdiction OF the fed
eral government If anything can be don
| by law it must be done by the state leg
,slatures I believe that 1t is within thei
constitutional power to require the en-
/ forcement of regulations in the genera
public interest, as to fire ana othe
causes of waste in the management o
forests owned by private individuals an
l corporations.
3 have shown suficiently the condition
I as TO federal forestry to indicate that n
l further legislation is needed at the me
ment except an increase in the fire pre-
lection to national forests and an ac
l vesting the executive with full power
d make forest reservations in every stat
: where government land is timber-coyere'
t or where the land is needed for forestr
purposes.
Coal Lands.
D Tho next subject, and one most impo
d tant for our consideration, is the dispos
!. ton of the coal lands in the Unite
@ States and in Alaska. First, as to tho
a | in the United States. At the beginnir
}. of this administration they were class
= fed coal lands amounting to b,H6.c
It acres, and there were withdrawn fro
r. entry for purposes of classification L
s6766 acres Since that time there ha
\. been withdrawn by my order from ent
:. for classification 77,648.000 acres. makii
y total withdrawal of &,5l5,00Q acre
!. Meantime, of the acres thus withdraw
- 11,371 900 have been classified and fou
4 not to contain COAL and have been J
stored to agricultural entry, and 1885,
acres have been classified as coal lanc
while 79,7SS0O0 acres remain withdray
N from entry and await classification.
ic addition 1856 900 acres have been clas
10 fied as coal lands without prior withdra
IS al, thus increasing the classified CO
h, lands to 10.16S.000 acres.
Il Under the laws providing for the disr
he sition of coal lands, the minimum pr
lt at which lands are permitted to be 81
ut Is SO an acre; but the secretary Of
y, interior has the power TO fix maximl
A. price and sell at that price. BY the fl
y. regulations governing appraisal {
III proved April s, 1907, the minimum was
at as provided by law, ana the maxim'
to was 800, and the highest price actua
he placed upon any land sold was s75 I
der the new regulations, adopted April
lis 1909. the maximum price was increased
r. $500, except in regions where there |
mt large mines. where no maximum limit
a. fxed and the price Is determined by
b. estimated tons OF coal to the acre. 7
as highest price hxed for any land UNI
to this regulation has been $685. The
he praisal value Of the lands classified
se coal lands and valued under the new Q
Ne old regulations Is shown 10 be as foilo'
on 4,sO392i acres. valued under the old rel
ue lations at S77. ga. .320, an average OF $18