Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1910-09-08

convenience ana hardShip In authorizing
the issue OF these projects, congress linn
tied the application Of their proceeds TO
those projects which board Of army en-
Rlueers, to be appointed by the president.
should examine and determine 90 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 tho
area Of cultivation. l deprecate the aEi-
tati0n In favor Of such legislation. II Is
inviting the general government into
contribution from It's treasury toward en-
terprises that should be conducted either
by private capital or at the instance Of
the state In these days there is a dispo-
sltlOn 10 look too much 70 the federal
government for everything. I am liberal
I'm the construction OF the Constitution
with reference to federal power. but
am firmly convinced that the only safe
course for Us TO pursue Is TO hold fast
20 the limitations Of the Constitution and
90 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-
tons from the national treasury for I'M
constitutional purposes. 1t will be n sorry
day for this country II the time ever
comes when our fundamental compact
shall he habItually disregarded in this
manner.
Mineral Lands.
BY mineral lands 1 mean those lands
bearing metals, or what are called metal
Nfrrous 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
well that I do not think It Is wise 10
attempt TO change OF better them.
Forest Lands.
Nothing can be more important in the
matter Of conservation than the treatment
OF our forest lands. It was probably the
ruthless destruction OF forests in the
older states that first called attention 10
a halt in the waste Of our resources. This
was recognized by congress by an act
authorizing tho 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 Qncludng 26,Ooo 900
acres in two forests IN Alaska are 1872
10000 Of acres, Of which lGjoo0,o0O Of
acres are in the United States proper and
include within their boundaries some
thing like 22O0n 900 Of acres that belong
to the state or TO private individuals. We
have then. excluding Alaska forests,
total OF about 100000 acres Of forests
belonging to the government which is
~ ia q afHaFHN
pies Of scientific forestry.
Tho government timber in this coun-
try amounts 20 only one-fourth Of all the
timber. the rest being In private own
ership. Only three per cent. OF that which
IS I'm private ownership is looked after
properly and treated according to mod
crn rules Of forestry. The usual de-
structive waste and neglect continues in
the remainder OF the forests owned by
private persons and corporations. It is
estimated that fire alone destroys $1,000
900 worth Of timber year. The
management Of forests not on public
land is beyond the jurisdiction Of the fed
eral government. II anything can be done
by law It must be done by the state leg
islatures. I believe that 1t is within their
constitutional power to require the en-
forcement Of regulations in the general
public interest, as 10 fire and other
causes OF waste in the management Of
forests owned by private individuals and
corporations.
have shown sufficiently the conditions
as TO federal forestry to indicate that no
further legislation is needed at the mo-
ment except an increase in the fire pro-
lection 10 national forests and an act
vesting the executive with full power to
make forest reservations in every state
where government land IS timber covered
or where the land is needed for forestry
purposes.
Coal Lands.
The next subject. and one most impor-
tant for our consideration, is the dlsposi-
ton OF the coal lands in the United
States and in Alaska. First, as TO those
in the United States. At the beginning
Of this administration they were classi-
fed coal lands amounting TO 5,476,O00
acres, and there were withdrawn from
entry for purposes of classification H.
SCI, 900 acres, Since that time there have
been withdrawn by my order from entry
for classification 776Is. 900 acres, making
a total withdrawal OF S,5150OO acres
Meantime, of the acres thus withdrawn,
u,37l 900 have been classified and found
not to contain coal, and have been re-
stored to agricultural entry, and 4,356, 900
acres have been classified as coal lands;
while 7g7SS,OOO acres remain withdrawn
from entry and await classification In
fed RS coal lands without prior Withdraw
al thus increasing the classified coal
lands TO 10.i6S.0OO acres.
Under the laws providing for the dlspo-
sition Of coal lands, the minimum price
at which lands are permitted to be sold
is $40 an acre; but the secretary OF the
interior has the power to NIX q maximum
price and sell Mt that price. By the FIRST
regulations governing appraisal an,
proved April 8, 1907. the minimum was $40.
as provided by law, and the maximum
was 500, and the highest price actually
placed upon any land sold was SIS. I'm
der the new regulations. adopted April 10,
1883, the maximum price was Increased 10
1900 except In regions where there are
large mines, where no maximum limit Is
fixed and the price is determined by the
estimated tons OF coal to the acre The
highest price fixed for any land under
this regulation has been $608 The an
praisal value OF the lands classified rs
coal lands and valued under the new and
/ old regulations is shown 10 be as follows.
| 4,5O3,S2l acres, valued under the old regu-
lations at W,544s29, an average OF SIS an
acre; and 5,S64,702 acress classified and
| valued under the new regulation at s3gl
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