Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1910-12-08

ginning OF this administration there
were withdrawn from entry for pur-
poses of classification 1857 900 acres.
Since that time there have been with
drawn by my order from entry for
classification 7S,9T7,745 acres, making
a total withdrawal Of 96,844,745 acres.
Meantime of the acres thus with
drawn 1,061, 8S9 have been classified
and found not to contain coal and
have been restored to agricultural en-
try, and 4,726,091 acres have been
classified as coal lands; while 7.993,239
acres remain withdrawn from entry
and await classification. IN addition
337, 900 acres have been classified as
coal lands without prior withdrawal,
thus increasing the classified coal
lands to 10,429, 372 acres.
Under the laws providing for the
disposal Of coal lands in the United
States, the minimum price at which
lands are permitted to be sold is $40
an acre; but the secretary of the in
terror has the power to fix a maximum
price and to sell at that price
"As one-third of all the coal supply
is held by the government, it seems
wise that 1t should retain such con-
troll over the mining and the sale as
the relation Of lessor to lessee fur
nishes.
The secretary of the interior thinks
there are difficulties in the way of
leasing public coal lands, which OBJ
Jectlons he has set forth In his re-
port, the force of which l freely con-
cede. l entirely approve his stating
at length in his report of the objec-
tons IN order that the whole subject
may be presented to congress, but
after full consideration, for the rea-
sons l have given above, l favor a
leasing system and recommend it."
Water Power Sites.
Prior to March 4, 1909, there had
been, on the recommendation of the
reclamation service, withdrawn from
agricultural entry, because they were
regarded as useful for power sites
which ought not to be disposed of as
agricultural lands, tracts amounting
to about 100000 acres. The with
drawals were hastily made and in
cluded a great deal of land that was
not useful for power sites. They were
intended to include the power sites
on 29 rivers in states. Since that
time 3,475,442 acres have been re-
stored for settlement of the original
100000 because they do not con-
tain power sites; ar meantime, new
Withdrawals have been made which,
with other restorations based upon
field examination, result in withdraw
ais at present effective of 1,218,356
acres On vacant public land and 202,-
1877 acres Oh entered public land, or a
total of 1,420,553 acres. These with
draWals made from time to time cover
all the power sites included in the
first withdrawals and many more, on
Isl rivers and in Il states. The dis
position of these power sites involves
one of the most difficult questions pre-
scented in carrying out practical con-
servation.
THE subject is one that calls for
new legislation. 1t has been thought
that there was danger of combination
to obtain possession of all the power
sites and to unite them under one
control Whatever the evidence of
this, or lack of it, at present we have
had enough experience to know that
combination would be profitable, and
the control of a great number of pow
er at will within certain sections.
hn &c ho
plain duty of the government to see
to it that in the utilization and deyel-
opment of all this immense amount
of water power, conditions shall be
imposed that will prevent extortion-
ate charges, which are the usual ac-
compartment of monopoly.
"The question of conservation is
not a partisan one, and [ sincerely
hope that even in the short time of
the present session consideration may
be given to those questions which
have now been much discussed, and
that action may be taken upon them
Alaska.
with reference to the government
of Alaska, l have nothing to add to
the recommendations | made in my
last message on the subject. l am
convinced that the migratory charac
ter of the population, it's unequal dis
tribution, and it's smallness of num-
Der, which the new census shows to
be about $4,000, in relation to the
enormous expanse of the territory,
make it altogether impracticable to
give to those people who are in
Alaska today and may not be there a
year hence, the power to elect a leg
islature to govern an immense ter
ritory to which they have relation SO
little permanent"
Bureau of Corporations.
Referring to the report of the COM
missioner of corporations, the presi-
dent says:
THE commissioner finds a condi-
ton in the ownership of the standing
timber of the United States other
than the government timber that calls
for serious attention. The direct in
yestigation made by the commissioner
covered an area which contains 80
per cent. of the privately-oWned tim
Der of the country.
His report shows that one half of
the timber in this area is owned by
200 individuals and corporations;
that IA per cent. is owned by these
corporations, and that there is very
extensive inter-ownership Of stock,
as well as other circumstances, all
pointing to friendly relations among
those who own majority of this tim
Der, a relationship which might lead
to a combination for the maintenance
of a price that would be very detri-
mental to the public interest, and
would create the necessity of remoy-
ing all tariff obstacles to the free i'm
nortations of lumber from other coun-
tries"
Bureau of Labor.
scT7bo commissioner of Ia h0r has baeu