Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-01-15
RO0SEVELFS POLICIES
ARE CLOSELY FOLLOWED
Chief Executive DweIIs at Length In
His Recommendation TO Congress
the Reclamation Of Arid Lands
Shows the Great importance of In
land Waterways.


President TafI's special conservation
message was delivered 10 the house
by Mr.. L.atta. assistant secretary TO
the President. soon after that BODY
convened today. Pension legislation
was interrupted for the reading of the
document and Toe speaker adyisd the
mem tTs 10 pay close attention there
TO. because no printed copies OF the
same had arrived for distribution
among them.
When the reading of the message
had been concluded roar OF applause
arose f.om the Republican side OF
the chamber and several Democratic
members also joined in the demon
stration OF approval.
The speaker. on motion of Majority
Leader Payne, referred the document
to the committee of the whole house
after which the house returned to con
sideration OF its pension bill.
The message. IN part. follows:
Presidents Message.
In 1860 We had a public donna n
OF 1864. 81 .2SS acres. We have now
/ 731 S54 .0Sl acres. confined largely &c
the mountain ranges and the arid and
senarid plains. We have. in addition
SOS. O35.975 acres of land in Alaska.
The public lands were. during the
earlier administrations treated as a
national asset for the liquidation OF
the public de5t and as source OF re-
ward fer cur soldiers and sailors.
, Later on they were donated in large
: amounts in aid of the construction OF
wagon roads and railways. in order TO
cen up regions in the West then al
most inaccessible All the principal
land statutes were enacted moSe than
a quarter OF a century ago. The
/ homestead act, the preempt.on and
timber-culture act. the coal land ana
the mining acts were among these.
The rapid disposition Ct the public
lands under the early statutes. and
the lax methods of distribution pre-
vsiling, due. think. TO the belief that
these lands should rapidly pass into
: Private ownership. gave rise to the
impression that the public domain. was
legitimate prey Ior the Inscriptions,
tlldA u was HOl 1VltAai " tCCo
morals tor c. cumvent the land laws
This prodigal manner Of disposition
iresulted in the passing of large areas
{ Of valuable land and many OF our ma
tional resources into the hands Of
! persons who felt little or no respon-
. sibility for promoting the national
I welfare through their development.
I -. n al g. mil NJ
acres Of public lands was fraudulent
" obtained. and that the right to re-
cover a large part q such lands for
the government long since ceased by
reason OF statutes Of limitation.
Deep Concern Developed.
There has developed in recent
years a deep concern in the public
mind respecting the pre- reservation and
proper use Of our natural resources
This has hem particularly directed
toward the conservation Of the re-
sclrces Of the public domain The
problem is now 10 save and how "a
utilize. h-w to conserve and still de.
veIop: fc- no sane person can con-
tend that Il j. for the common good
that Natures blessings are only :oi
unborn generations.
The Investigations into violaiion'
Of the PUBLIC land laws and the pross'
cusion Of lsSs frauds have been Wig
orousiy continued under my admins
2 frsfiou. as has been the withdraw
l r. coal lards for classification ane
I Variation and The temporary with
. holding of power sites.
-sipce March Z. 1909. temporary
. Withdrawals Of powc- sites have 6eer
made on l02 streams and these with
. drs xais therefore cover 90 GER cen
more stream han were covered ~
fhr Withdrawals made prior 10 ina
date.
New Laws Needed.
The r cscrf statutes. except =
, Far a. thcv dispose 81 The preciou
metz!s and he purely agr.cultufa
J isrd-. sre not adsn,sd - carry on
. ~ nofcrr Wow II the bcsf dispcs'
sicn Of public lands to private owner
n D. under conditions offering OF m