Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-09-06

'GYETUA WE-CUIJHIEK
and an act vesting the executive will
full power to make forest reservations
in every state where government LAND
is timber-covered, or where the lant
is needed for forestry purposes.
Other land Withdrawals.
When President Roosevelt became
fully advised of the necessity for this
change in our disposition of public
lands, especially those containing coal
oil, gas, phosphates, or water-powel
sites. he began the exercise OF the
power OF withdrawal by executive or
der, of lands subject by law to home
stead and the other method ofNenter
ing for agricultural lands. The prece
dent he set in this matter was fol
lowed by the present administration
Doubt had been expressed in some
quarters as to the power Of the execu
tive to make such Withdrawals. The
confusion and injustice likely to arise
If the courts We're to deny the power
led me to appeal to congress to give
the president the express power. Con
gress has complied. The law as passed
does not expressly validate or confirm
previous withdrawals, and therefore az
soon as the new law was passed, | my
self confirmed all the Withdrawals
which had heretofore been made by
both administrations by making them
over again. This power Of withdrawal
is most useful one, and do not
think it is likely to be abused
Coal Lands
The next subject, and one most i'm
portant for our consideration, is the
disposition 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 there
were classified coal lands amounting
to 5,476,O0O acres, and there were
withdrawn from entry for purposes OF
classification, 1857 900 acres. Since
that time there have been withdrawn
by my order. from entry for classifi
cation 7,648,0O acres, making a total
withdrawal Of 95,515,OO0 acres. Mean
time, of the acres thus withdrawn, H..
81, 900 have been CLASSIFIED and found
not to contain coal, and have been re,
stored to agricultural entry, and 1856
900 acres have been classified as coal
lands; while 79,7SS,000 acres remain
withdrawn from entry and await class
iflcation. In addition $4,000 acres have
been classified as coal lands without
prior withdrawal, thus increasing the
classified coal lands to 10,168,OOO
acres.
Under the laws providing for the dis.
position of coal lands, the minimum
price at which lands are permitted to
be- sold is $40 an acre; but the secre-
tary of the interior has the power to
fix maximum price and to sell at that
price. BY the first regulations govern
ing appraisal, approved 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. Under the new
regulations, adopted April 10, 1909, the
maximum price was increased to $500,
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 $6O8
The appraised value Of the lands class
flied as coal lands and valued under
the new and old regulations is shown
to be as follows: 4,3O3,921 acres valued
under the old regulation at $77,644,329
an average of SIS an acre, and 1854, 7O2
acres classified. and valued under the
new regulation at $394,203,242, or a to-
tai Of 1O,163,623 acres, valued at SAIL,
s47,571
For the year ending Marsh 81, 1909
227 coal entries were made, embracing
an area of 35,331 acres, which sold fol
1868 ,02O.4 For the year ending March
81, 1910, there were 176 entries, EN-
b. acing an area of 23,413 acres, which
sold for $608,S1S; and down to August
1910 thereswere but II entries, witt
an area of 1870 acres, which sold fol
$33 $1,000, making disposition of the
coal lands in the last two years o
about 10000 acres for $1,305 900.
| Favors Coal Land Leases.
The present congress, as alread.
said, has separated the surface of Goa
lands, either classified or withdraw
for classification. from the coal be
meath, so as to permit at all times
+. homestead entries upon the surface o
lands useful for agriculture and to re
serve the ownership in the coal to tn
government The question which re
| mains to be considered is whether thu
existing law for the sale of the coal i
the groufd should continue in force o
be repealed and new method of dis
position adopted. Under the preseIl
law the absolute title in the coal be
meath the surface passes to the gran
teo of the government. The price fixe'
is upon an estimated amount of tn
tons of coal per acre beneath the SUI
face. and the prices are fixed so tina
! the earnings will only be REASONABLE
profit upon the amount. paid and tn
1 investment necessary. But, of course
this is more or less guesswork, and tn
government parts with the ownership
of the coal in the ground absolutely.
Authorities of the geological surve.
estimate that in the United States to
day there is supply of about 800
| billions of tons of coal, and that of thi
/ 1000 billions are in the public domain
OF course. the other 1000 billions ar
within private ownership and unde
no more control az to the rSe or tn