Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1910-01-21


the complete text or the special mes |
sage on the conservation OF the ma |
tons resources sent 10 the senate
and mouse OF representatives BY Pres
ident Taft today:
To the Senate aud House OF Representa-
tiyes:
In my annual message I reserved The
subject of the conservation OF our ma
tional resources for disposition IN spe-
cial message. follows.
In several departments there IS pre-
scented the necessity for Legislation took-
ing to the further conservation OF cur
national resources. and the subject Is one
of such importance a. TO require more
detailed and extended discussion Than
can be entered upon In this comnunicA~
ton For that reason ! shall take an
early opportunity to send special mes
sage to congress on the subject nj the
Improvement of our waterways. upon the
reclamation ana irrigation OF arid. semi
arid and swamp lands. upon the preser-
walton Of our forests and the -foresting
Of suitable areas: upon the re-classifca-
ton of the public domain with view OF
separating from agricultural settlement
mineral coal and phosphate lands and
sites belonging TO the government Dor
dering on streams suitable for the utiil-
ration of water power.
In 1850 we had a public domain of I155.-
gi15s8 acres We have now 3l.15s.0SI
acres. confined largely 10 the mountain
ranges and the arid and semi-arid plains.
We have. in addition. S6s 0sa. yI5 acres of
land in Alaska
Disbursement Of Public Lands.
The public lands were. during the earii-
est administrations treated as a national
asset for the liquidation of the public
debt and as a source Of reward for our
soldiers and sailors. Later on they were
donated in large amounts In aid of the
tor ut aRA rail
ways. in order 10 open up regions In the
west then almost inaccessible. All the
principal land statutes were enacted more
than n quarter Of century Rgn, The
homestead act. the presumption and tim
beF-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 tax
methods OF distribution prevailing. due.
think. 10 the belief that these lands
should rapidly pass into private nwner-
ship, gave rise to the impression thai
the public domain was legitimate prey
for the INSCRIPTIONS and that IL was moi
contrary TO good morals TO circumvenI
the land laws. This pro1igaI manner oi
disposition resulted in the passing III
large areas Of valuable land and many
OF our national resources into the hand.
of persons who felt little or mo RESPONSE
billy for promoting the national vel
fare through their DEVELOPMENT
Fraudulent Titles.
The truth IL that title to millions o
acres Of public lands was fraudulent,
obtained and that the right 10 recover
large part Of such lands for the govern
msnt long since ceased by reason Of stat
utes of limitations There has d~VsIope
In recent years a dee, concern IN IN
public mind respecting the preTerva tto
and proper use Of our natural resources
This has been particularly directe
toward the eonserva tion of the resource
rzF he F.trfaf if FrfniH A Hfafa IaF4f r
discussion has appeared In the publ
prints in generaIized form this sut
feet. but there has herr little practice
suggestion. IT has been rasy 10 say tbs
the natural resources iu tuei supply.
forests IN water power. aud in oths
public utilities. must be saved fro
waste, monopoly. and other abuses. ar
the general public Is in accord with tn
proposition. as they are with mo
truisms. The problem. however Is no
to save and how to utilize. how 10 coi
serve and still develop. for no sane p,.
son can contend that II is for the con
mon good that natures blessings
only for unborn generations
Noteworthy Reforms.
Among the most noteworthy reform
Initiated by my distinguished Dredecesx
were the vigorous prosecution Of lai
frauds and the bringing t. public ate
ton OF the necessity for preserving 4
remaining public domain from furth
spoliation for the maintenance and =
tension Of our forest resources. and T
the enactment OF laws amending The Il
Bolete statutes 30 az to retain COVER
mental control over that part Of the pm
lie domain in which there are valuas
deposits of coal. OF oil. and Of rhos pha
and in addition thereto. TO preserve -
troll, under conditions favorable ~ I
public, of the lands along the streams
which the fan of water he made
generate power to be transmitted iu
form OF electricity many miles to
point ~ ts usf. known water pow.
sites.
The Investigations into violations ~
public land laws and the prosecution
land frauds have been vigorously g.
tinued under my administration. AZ
been the withdrawal Of coal lands
classification and valuation and the te
porary withholding OF power sites Sill
March T. 1909 temporary Withdrawals
power sites have been made on
streams and these Withdrawals theref
cover 229 per cent. more streams ID
were covered by the Withdrawals u,i
prior to that date.
The present statutes. except so
as they dispose of the precious met
and the purely agricultural lands.
not adapted to carry out the mod
view of the best disposition OF pu
lands to private ownership. under c
ditions Offering on the one hand 81
cienf inducement 10 private capital
take them over for proper devei
ment. with restrictive conditions
the other which shall secure to
public that character Of control WI
will prevent a monopoly or mis75s
the lands or their praducts- TIE Ea
of the secretary OF the interior IN W
draw from the operation nf exist
statutes tracts of land. the disposf
of which under such statutes ~
be detrimental to the pubic intert
IS not clear or satisfactory This pc
has been exercised in the interes
the public with the hope that cong
might affirm the action Of the ex
tive by laws adapted 10 the new co
lions Unfortunately. congress has
thus fer fully acted on the recomn
datious OF the executive. and the q
ton as to what the executive !;
do is under the circumstances. full
difhcutty It seems to me that
the duty Of congress now. by sta
TO validate the Withdrawals v
have been made by the secretary Of
interior and the president and to
the secretary OF the interior tempo
sst 1, 5,-ox nd