The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1910-08-26


Our public lands should be used To-
the purposes 10 which they are bes
adapted but not abused the mines
should be made to give up theil
wealth, but not destroyeed the tim
Der should be cut In such a manner
as not TO wipe out our forests, and
our water powers should be deVel
oped. as we need them for hundreds
Of ciyilIzing purposes all over tbs
Rocky mountain and Pacific streams.
T.. j. Browne of Spokane. president
OF the Western Conservation League
and head of a chain Of banks Ia
Washington and Idaho, appointed by
Mayor Nelson s. Pratt as chairman OF
a delegation Of five prominent bust
ness and professional men to repre-
sent the city Of Spokane at the ses-
sions Of the National Conservation
Congress in Sc Paul, September 8 to
8, said this in discussing the question
OF Jurisdiction over public lands and
water powers.
"To carry out the Ideas of the ustra
conseryationists in this matter of fed
eral control OF our public lands and
water powers. mineral forest and
other natural resources he added
"would greatly retard the develop
ment of the Northwestern and Pacific
states and Alaska The average CON
seryationist has been made to take an
extreme position on this important
question, owing largely to having only
one-sided information But there Is
another side, which, in fairness,
ought to be understood
THE total horsepower of water in
the United States Is estimated at
66.5is.5OO. and Of this more than one
third is In Washington Oregon Idaho
and western Montana Less than 500.-
600 horsepower is developed II may
also be noted that nearly all the re-
manning public lands are located in
the Rocky Mountain and Pacific
states and Alaska. East of the Mlssis
slppl river are 20000,000 horsepower
OF water and only 1000 900 developed
"In the Columbia river valley, be-
tween the Rocky Mountains on the
east and the Cascades on the west
there Is sufficient water for all pur-
poses Of the present day and for gen.
eratIons to come. including the oper-
alton OF all the railroads and irriga-
tlon projects we shall ever need all
the manufacturing we shall ever do
and all the cities we shall ever build
The water power Is 50 great that II
10000 horsepower Of II on an average
should be developed every year. II
would take 2,4O0 years before all Of
II would be IN use and when once In
use It would be so for all time II we
were to harness 100000 horsepower a
year, II would require more than 240
years to develop all Of IL
water powers are local and con
fined In their operation to compara
lively small areas Each community
needs power to manufacture It's raw
materials. II the land upon which
these powers are located Is restored TO
entry under existing laws, the titles
for the most part will go 10 bona fide
settlers living In the several commu-
mites, and win largely be developed
by local capital Water powers on pub
lie lands are not located in cities. but
in the wilderness or in sparcely set.
tied districts. and II the power should
be large one. It will take many years
for IFS full development No man can
afford TO devote his time and money
developing such power under a
ieasehold lie needs the title in fee
simple, lie is not building for him
self alone but for posterlty
"The government should cancel its
Of those lands and dispose
OF them 10 the people who need them
and viii Use them In the very nature
OF the case there can be no monopoly
IN this matter The states respectively
own the water In the rivers within
their boundaries. subject only 20 the
right Of navigation, which Is con.
rolled BY the federal government
This principle is 80 general recognized
that every well read lawyer IS famil.
lar with the decisions Of the courts
justlging t.
Each state has full power 20 regu
late the water powers within rs bouu
daries and the federal government
should either give the settlers the title |
in fee simple 70 those lands or turn /
the lands containing water powers and /
coal and minerals, over to the states
The present policy Is retardlng de
yelopment and progress must soon
CHFBIEF N0TIEIrl THAT