The Elbert County tribune., 1910-01-21

thus far fully acted on the recommen-
dations of the executive. and the ques-
tion to what the executive Is to
do is under the circumstances. full of
difficulty 1t seems to me that II Is
the duty of congress now. by statute.
to validate the Withdrawals which
have been made by the secretary of the
Interior and the president and to
the secretary of the interior temporar-
lily to withdraw lands pending subrnis-
to legislation to meet conditions or
emergencies they arise.
Public Land Along Streams.
With respect to the public land
which lies along the streams Offering
opportunity to convert water power
into transmissible electricity. another
important phase of the public land
question is presented. There are val
liable 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- do not
think it necessary to go into discussion
of this somewhat mooted question of
law. 1t 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 ind.spens-
BILE to the conversion and use of that
power cannot conceive how the
power in streams flowing through pub
lie lands can be 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 right of way
thereover for transmission lines. Un-
der these condition. IL the government
owns the adjacent land-indeed. IL the
government is the riparian owner--it
-zI -. rf . - 80
by imposing proper conditions on the
disposition of the land necessary in the
creation and utilization of the water
power
Value Of Water Power.
The development In electrical appli-
ances for the conversion of the water
power into electricity to be transmitted
long distances has progressed far that
1t is no longer problematical. but It is
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
ership that Gll the water power under
private ownership shall be a monopoly.
II. however. the water power sites now
owned by the government-and there are
enough of them-shall be disposed of to
private persons for the investment OF
their capital in such a way to prevent
their union for purposes of monopoly
with other water power sites. and under
conditions that shall limit the right of use
to not exceeding thirty years with renewal
privileges and some equitable means of
fixing terms of rental and with proper
means for determining q unreasonable grad
uated rental, IT would seem entirely pos
sible to prevent the absorption of these
most useful lands by power monopoly
AS long 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
natural resources of the country, the fea-
ture that transcends all others, including
woods. waters. minerals. is the soil of the
country. 1t is incumbent upon the gov
ernment TO foster by all available means
the resources of the country that produce
the food of the people. To this end the
conservation 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 our
scientists that we may conserve the new
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: but 1t
ought not to escape public attention that
state action in addition to that of the de-
partment of agriculture (as for instance
In the drainage of swamp lands) is
sential to the best treatment Of the soils
in the manner above Indicated.
The act by which, in semi-arid parts of
the public domain, the area of the home
stead has been enlarged from 160 to 800
acres has resulted most benehcially in
the extension OF dry farming and in
the demonstration which has been made
OF the possibility. through a variation In
the character and mode of culture. of
raising substantial crops without the
presence of such a supply of water
has been heretofore thought to be neces-
sary for agriculture.
No one can visit the far west and the
country of arid and semi-arid lands with
out being convinced that this is of
the most important methods OF the con-
servation &C our natural resources that
the government has entered upon. 1t
would appear that over 30 projects have
been undertaken. and that few of
these are likely to be unsuccessful be-
cause of lack OF water. or for other rea-
sons. bus generally the work which has
| been done has been well done. and many
| important engineering problems have
| been met and solved.
Funds Inadequate for Service.
| One OF the difficulties which has
| arisen is that too many projects in
| view of the available funds have been
| set on foot The funds available under
| the reclamation statute are Inadequate
| to complete these projects within n
| reasonable time. And yet the projects
have Been begun: settlers have been
/ Invited to take up and. in many In
| stances. have taken up the public land
| within the projects. relying upon their
| prompt completion. The failure to
| complete the projects for their benefit
is. in effect. breach of faith and
| leaves them in most distressed con-