Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-12-08

government work done on government
soil and government work done In a
private establishment
Workmsn's Corporation.
In view Of the keen. widespread In
terest now felt In the United States In
q system Of compensation for indus,
trial accidents to supplant our present
thoroughly unsatisfactory system Of
employers liability "a subject the linz
portance Of which congress has all
ready recognized by the appointment
Of commission), recommend that
the international congress on indus
trial insurance be invited to hold its
I meeting in 1918 in Washington and
that an appropriation Of $4,000 be
made to cover the necessary expenses
Of organizing and carrying on the
meeting.
Safety Appliances and Provisions.
The protection Of railroad employees
from personal injury 10 subject Of
the highest Importance ana demands
continuing attention.
Negro Exposition.
also renew my Recommendation
that steps be taken iooktngto the hold
ing of negro exposition In celebra.
ton Of the dfdeth anniversary Of the
issuing by Mr.. Lincoln Of the enamel
patton proclamation.
Conservation.
Nothing can be moro important II
the matter Of conservation than the
treatment Of our forest lands. Speak
ing generally, the government has re.
served Of the existing forests about 20
per cent Of all the tmbexiands Of ths
government. Within these forests I'm.
Guiding 10000, 900 acres in two forests
in Alaska) are 1872 100000 acres, Of
which 100000 600 acres are In the
United States proper and include with
In their boundaries something like e.
100000, acres that belong to the states
or to private individuals We have.
then, excluding Alaska forests, 4 total
Of about 144,0O0,0OO acres Of forests
belonging ito the government which
are being treated in accord with the
principles Of scientific forestry.
The law now prohibits the reserva-
ton Of any more forest lands in Ore
gon, Washington, Idaho, Montana.
Colorado and Wyoming except by
act of congress. am Informed by
the department of agriculture that the
government owns other tracts Of tim
berland in these states which should
be included in the forest reserves 1
70 hot +hn fy,,i
tation herein imposed be repealed In
the present forest reserves there are
lands which are not properly forest
land and which ought to be subject to
homestead entry.
Coal Lands.
| The next subject, and one most im.
l!portant for your consideration. is the
tdisposition of the coal lands in the
United States and in Alaska. AT the
beginning Of this administration there
were classified coal lands in the Unit
ed States amounting to $4,000 acres.
and there were withdrawn from entry
for purposes Of classification 17.SGT.ONt
acres. Since that time there have been
withdrawn by my order from entr;'
for classification 7S.977.745 acres. maxi
| ing total withdrawal Of 0G.SA.I.l5
acres Meantime Of the acres thus
withdrawn 1O.O61 $50 have been CLASH
! fed and found not to contain coal ard,
have been restored to agricultural en-.
| try and 4.726.O91 acres have been clas-
sified as coal lands, while 79.9O3.:2.s9
acres remain withdrawn from entry
and await classification. In addition
$4,000 acres have been classified as.
coal lands without prior withdrawal.
thus increasing the classified coal lands
| to 1O,420,372 acres.
The question as to how great an
area ought to be included in a lease TO
one individual or corporation Is not
free from difficulty. but in view Of the
| fact that the government retains CON
| troll as owner think there might be
some liberality In the amount leased
and that $500 acres would not be too
great maximum. The leases should
only be granted after advertisement
and public competition.
The secretary Of the interior thinks
!
! leasing public coal lands. entirely
approved his stating at length in his
report the objections in order that the
whole subject may be presented to
congress. but after a full consideration
I favor leasing system and recon-
mend it.
| The needed oil and gas law IS essen
TALLY leasing law. In their natural
occurrence oil and gas cannot be
measured in terms Of acres. like coal.
and it follows that exclusive title to
these products can normally be se-
cured only after they reach the sur
face. Oil should be disposed OF as a
comm dity in terms of barrels OF
transportable product rather than in
acres Of real estate.
Water Power Rates.
The water power sites subject IS one
that calls for new legislation. 1t has
been thought that there was danger
of combination to obtain possession of