Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-08-29

purpose of the bureau is to perform the
same office in respect to the great III
dustry of mining that the department
Of agriculture performs in respect to
The farming interests of the country;
that is, by experiment and investiga-
ton to determine the most effective
methods of mining and the best means
If avoiding the deplorable waste that
low obtains in the present mining
methods.
No more important legislation in the
interest of human life has ever been
,nacted by Congress than the laws OF
he recent session giving to the Inter
state Commerce Commission ampler
lowers to define the needed safety ap-
,liances for the prevention of acci-
Tents to employees and passengers. ana
,fter a hearing. to require their adop-
ion 4,y interstate railways. Other leg
station, with respect to the inspection
If locomotive boilers and the removal
If overhead distractions, awaits the
consideration of the next session Of
his Congress, and | hope that it may
speedily be passed. The employers LA
)ility act was perfected by needed
Imendment 50 as to enable injured en-
)loyes more easily to recover just dam
ages.
But in one sense the most forward step
aiken in the interest of the worker was
he creation of a Congressional commiS-
ion to report a practical bill for the fix
ng of workmen'S compensation for mju-
les received in the employment of inter
rS n @
business to be fixed, by speedy arbtra-
ion and to he graduated according to the
ytent of the injury and the earning ca
,acity of the injured person. This Is I'M
,ortant, not only as affecting interstate
'ommerce railways. but if adopted. as
furnishing a model to the country for a
beneficial change in the legal relation be
ween employc and employer. This r.
'orm would put an end to the veXatious
md costly litigation through which an
Injured employee must go in order to re-
over damages litigation which on ac-
cunt of the poverty of the employe fire.
'uently serves to defeat the ends of jus
ice and in other instances leads to eX-
rbitant and unjust verdicts.
CONSERVATION.
| one of the great questions which has
cen made Il national issue and aroused
| ublic interest through the insistence of
| PRESIDENT Roosevelt is that of conserva-
| ion of our national resources. From tho
| ederal standpoint. this concerns the
| reservation of forests. the reclamation
| f arid lands of the government and the
| roper treatment ana disposition of ou
| overnment coal lands. phosphate lands,
| iii and gas lands, and of the lands
| inoWn as watcr-powcr sites at the point s
| IN the streams where the water power
] must be converted in order to he useful.
| )uring Mr.. Roosnvclt's administration
| Millions of acres of lands included within
! he classes described were withdrawn in
he United States proper and in Alaska.
n order to await proper legislation.
Doubt arose as to the Executive power
| o make these Withdrawals, and there
| ore as to their legality. should they b
| ontestcd in court, The present admins
| ration continued the Executive with
| 'rawalS, but suggested, as matter OF
| wise precaution, securing from Congress
| Xpress power to make them. BY Repul-
lean ma joritieS in both Houses "A with
rawal bill for this purpose was enacted,
! nd now over seventy millions of acres
ave been withdrawn of lands inNA,d-
4 within the classes described Much os
he land reserved as coal land is valuable
or agriculture, and therefore Congress
,doptcd an entirely feasible and useful
Ian by which the homestead laws We're
'pplied to the surface of the land, while
the coal in the ground is still reserved as
he property of the government. This is
A new departure in our land laws and l.
highly to be commended. In addition ia
his. it was deemed necessary. in order
hat certain reclamation projects of the
government should be completed within
reasonable time. that an issue of $40
10000 bonds should he authorized wit.
which to secure water for the settler :
upon government lands within the prom
Use of the project, the bonds to he re-
ieemed by the water rents for the ser
ne" rendered. In this way hundreds of
;ettlers who have been patiently waitnr
for the completion of the projects and
differing great privation will be rehabi,i-
.ated. At the same time, the law author
ling the bond issue prevents the exped'-
turc Of any of the proceeds of the bond u.
in any of the projects until a board OF
army engineers shall report the same az
worthy and feasible. Moreover addition
al provision has been made in the apprn-
priatlon laws for money with which to
carry on surveys of unsurveyed public
lands. a crying need in certain states and
in Alaska. Thus it is not too much I,
say that most important steps have been
taken toward the proper conservation of
our resources in the legislation of tn,
present Congress. There remains to he
considered and settled the question of the
method of disposng of these lands SO
that the government may retain sufficient
control to prevent a monopoly in thei:
use and to secure the public against ex-
tortion for coal, oil, gas, phosphate. or
water power on the one hand, and VT
may give to private capital sufficient in
ducement to bring about normal devel-
opment of the wealth contained in thes,
lands to aid in the building UP of tho
country. Neither the Democrats of the
House nor the Democrats of the Sena.,
as a body. although their platform for
mally declared in favor of conservation
have taken any active part or can he
counted upon to assist materially in the
solution of these complicated questions.