The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1910-01-21
URGES CONSERVATION OF
THE NATIONS RESOURCES
President Taft Sends Special Message to Con-
gress Recommending Prevention of Land
Frauds, Control of Water Power, Fos-
tering of Soils and Kindred Subjects
TO legislation to meet conditions or
emergencies as they arise

10 legislation to meet conditions or
emergencies as they arise.
Properly TO Classify Lands.
One of the most pressing needs In
the matter of public land reform is
that lands should be classified accord
ing to their principal value use This
ought to be done by that or department
whose force is best adapted to that
work. 1t should be done by the inter
Tor department through the geological
survey. Much of confusion. fraud. and
contention which has existed in the
present has arisen from the lack of
an official and determinative classic
cation OF the public lands and their
contents
1t is now proposed to dispose Of ag-
rlcultural lands as such and at the
same time to reserve for other DISPOSE
tion the treasure Of coal. oil aEhphal-
tum. natural gas and phosphate con-
tanned therein. This may be hest ac-
complished by separating the right
to mine from the title to the surface
giving the necessary use OF So much Of
the latter as may be required for the
extraction of the deposits The sur
face might he disposed Of as agricui-
tural land under the general agrtcul-
tural statutes while the coal or other
mineral could be disposed OF by lease
on royalty basis with the provisions
recurring a certain amount OF develop
ment each year; and in order to pre-
vent the use and Cesslon Of said lands
with others Of similar character so as
TO constitute monopoly forbidden by
law. the lease should contain suitable
provision subiecting to forfeiture the
interest OF persons participating in
such monopoly. Such law should ap-
ply to Alaska as we'll as to the United
States
Statute Difficult to Frame.
1t Is exceedingly difficult to frame
statute to retain government control
over II property to be developed ny
private capital In such manner a
to secure the governmental purpose
and at the same time not brighten
away the investment OF the necessary
capital. Hence. It may be necessary
by laws that are really only expert
mental to determine from their prae-
teal operation what is the best
method of securing the result aimed at
The extent of the value OF phosphate
Is hardly realized. and with the need
that there will be for II the years
roll on and the necessity for fertiliz-
ing the land shall become more acute
this will be a product which will prob
ably attract the greed of manopolists
Public Land Along Streams.
With respect to the public land
which lies along the streams Offering
opportunity to convert water power
into trans misSihle electricity. another
important phase of the public land
question is presented There are val
uable water power sites through all
the public land states. The opinion
is held that the transfer of sovereignty
from the federal government to the
territorial governments as they become
states. included the water power in
the rivers except so far as that owned
by riparian proprietors. l do not
think It necessary to go into discussion
of this somewhat mooted question of
law It seems to me sufficient to say
that the man who owns and controls
the land along the stream from which
the power is to be converted and trans
mitted. owns land which is indispens-
able to the conversion and use of that
power. cannot conceive how the
power in streams flowing through pub
lie lands can he made available at all
except by using the land itself as the
site for the construction OF the plant
by which the power is generated and
converted and securing a right of way
thereover for transmission lines. Tn
der these condition. If the government
owns the adjacent laud-indeed. If the
government is the riparian owner-it
may control the use of the water power
by imposing proper conditions on the
disposition OF the land necessary I'm the
creation and utilization OF the water
power.
Value of Water Power
The development in electrical applf-
anees for the conversion OF the water
power into electricity to be transmitted
long distances has progressed So far that
IL is no longer problematcal but Il is a
certain inference that in the future the
power OF the water falling IN the streams
to large extent will take the place Of
natural fuels In the disposition of the
domain already granted. many water
power sites have come under absolute
ownership. and may drift into one own
private ownership shall he a monopoly
II. however the water power sites now
owned by the GoYernment-and there are
enough OF them-shall be Disposed OF to
private persons for the Investment of
their capital In such way as Ia prevent
their union for purposes of monopoly
with other water power sites. and under
conditions that shall limit the right OF use
10 not exceeding thirty years with renewal
privileges and some equitable means of
fixing terms OF rental and with proper
means for determining a reasonable grad
uated rental IL would seem entirely pos
sihle to prevent the absorption Of these
most useful lands Ivy power monopoly
AS long as the government retains con
troll and can prevent their improper union
with other plants. competition must be
maintained and prices kept reasonable
Soils Must Be Conserved.
In considering the conservation OF the
y. a
ture that transcends all others Including
woods, waters. minerals. is the soil OF tie,
country. II is incumbent upon the gov
eminent TO foster by all available means
the resources or the country HAT produce
the food OF the people To tins end the
ConserN alton OF the soils OF the country
should be cared for with all means at the
governments disposal Their productive
powers should have the attention of orr
scientists that we may conserve the. neN
soils. improve the old soils drain wet
soils. ditch swamp soils. levee river over
flow soils. grow trees on thin soils pas
ture hillside soils. rotate crops on all
soils discover methods for cropping dry
land soils. find grasses and legumes for |
all soils feed grains and mill feeds on |
the farms where they originate that the |
soils from which they come may be en-.
riched
a work of the utmost Importance to IN
form and instruct the public on this chief |
branch OF the conservation OF our re- /
sources is being carried on successfully |
in the department OF agriculture. hut II /
ought not 10 escape public attention that |
state action IN addition 10 that or the de /
paftment Of agriculture las for instance 4
IN the drainage OF swami landSA