The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-01-14
TO CONSERVE
COUNT s
RESOURCES
PRESIDENT TAFT SENDS
SPECIAL MESSAGE
TO CONGRESS
MAKES RECOMMENDATION
FOR v|G0ROUS POLICIES
Asks for Legislation That viii
Further Promote the Cause
Of Conservation


Taft's special message on conserva-
ti0n OF natura, resources. sent to con
gress today. is as follows:
To the senate and house of represen-
& tatiyes:
In my ahnral message reserved
the subject Of the conservation Of
Oilr natural resources 70; discussion
IN a special message. as follows:
In several departments there Is pre-
sented the necessity for legislation
looking to the further conservation
of nt- national resources, and the
subject Is one of such Importance as
to require more detailed and ex-
tended discussion than can be entered
upon i'll this communication For
this reason, | shall take an early op-
porlunity to send a special message
to congress on the subject Of the i'm
prOvement Of our waterways; upon
the reclamation and irrigation Of arid,
semi-arid, and swamp lands upon the
preservation OF our forests and the
reforestering of suitable areas; upon
the rcclassificaton Of the public do
main with view Of separating from
agricultural settlement mineral coal
and phosphate lands and sites belong
Ing to the Government bordering on
streams suitable for the utilization
OF water power.
In 1860 we had a public domain OF
1,055,911,2S8 acres. We have now 73l.-
aa4,0S1 acres confined largely to the
mountan ranges and the arid and
semi-arid plains. We have, in addi-
tion SGS, S,035,975 acres of land in Alas.
ka.
Public Land A National Asset
The public lands were, during the
earliest administrations, treated as a
national asset for the liquidation OF
the public delt and as a source or
reward for our soldiers and sailors.
Later on they were donated in large
amounts in aid of the construction OF
wagon roads and railways. in order
to open up regions in the West then
almost inaccessible.
The principal land statutes were
enacted more than ., quarter of a
century ago. The homestead act, the
rre-emption and timber culture act,
the coal land and the mining acts
were among these. The rapid dispo-
sition of the public lands under the
early statutes, and the lax methods
of distribution prevailing, due, !
think to the belief that these lands
should rapidly pass into private own
ership, gave rise to the impression
that the public domain was leglti-
mate pley for the INSCRIPTIONS, and
tnat ii was not contrary to good NOR
ais to circumvent the land laws. This
prodigal manner of disposition result
ed in the passing of large areas OF
valuable lands and many of our ma
t;onal resources into the hands oil
persons who felt little or no respon-
sibility for promoting the national
welfare through their development,
The truth is that title to millions oil
acres of public lands was fraudulent
ly obtained and that the right to re-
cover a large part of such lands for
The Government long since ceased by
reason of statutes of limitation.
Deep Concern In Public Mind
There has developed in recent years
deep concern in the public mind re
snecting the preservation and proper
use of our natural resources. This
has been particularly directed toward
the conservation OF the resources o.
the public domain. The problem, Il
how to save and how TO utilize, how
10 conserve and still 20 develop; foI
no sane person can contend that II !!
for the common good that natures
blessings are only for unborn genera
ti0ns.
Among the most noteworthy re
forms initiated by my distinguished
predecessor were the vigorous prose
cution OF land frauds, and the bring
ing TO public attention OF the neces
sity for preserving the remaining puO
lie domain from further spoilaticn
for the maintenance and extension q
our forest resources, aud for the en-
actment of laws amending the obst
lete statutes so as to retain govern
mental control over that part OF IN
public domain in which there are va
uable deposits Of coal, OF oil. and Q
phosphate, and, in addition, thereto
to preserve control. under condition
favorable to the public. OF the land
along the streams in which the ia
OF water can be made 10 general
mower to be transmitted In the fori
Of electricity many miles to The polr
cf its use, known as water power
sites.
Tho investigations into violation
of the public land laws. and the pros