Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1910-01-20

| Waehington. Jan. 14.--FcIl0WIhR h
~ complete text Of the special meg
aeEe on the conservation Of the na,
tigA's resources sent to the senats
ana house Of Representatives BY Pres,
ident TAFT to-day:
r. thp ssnats ana House Of Representa-.
lives: E4
Ihhmy annuAl message l reserved the
1ubtect " the conssEyatlgn T63 6AF ma
tlonal Teseurces for dlsposltion In spe-
alal MaessaSe. Do follows:
| IN teevaFaL dApartments there ID pre-
seIted the necessity for lesislation look
ln9 TO the further conservation OF our
nHslanai RESOURCES, and the subject u one
q, agee importance A. 10 .Eeaulrs 2 more
dsehaiea and extended dlscussiOn than
esn b entered upon In this e6iilrnunlca-
ton. For that reason shall take "a
early, opportunity to send q, special naea-
eAeo TO congress on the subject Of the
Improvement OF our waterways; upon the
reclamation and irrigation Of arid, samI-
aria and swamp lands; upon the preser-
vgtton Of our forests ana the re-fofeStine
OK suitable areas; upon the re-claaslflcas
ton OF the public domain with view OF
separating from agricultural settlement
mineral, coal and phosphate lands and
sites belonging TO the government bor-
dering on streams suitable for the utilI. |
Sation Of water power.
In 1860 We had q public domain Of I,OS5,- |
pii,2as acres. We have now 7sl,sS4OSl |
acres. confined largely to the mountain
rahges and the arid and semi-arid plains.
We have. In addition, 36S.03S,S75 acres of
land in Alaska.
Disbursement Of Public Lands.
The public lands were. during the earIl-
sst administrations. treated as a national
lsset for the liquidation Of the public
iebt and as source Of reward for our
Ioldiers and sailors. Later on they were
donated In large amounts in aIR OF the
construction Of wagon roads and rail-
Ways, In order to open up regions in the
vest then almost inaccessible All the
principal land statutes were enacted more
han a quarter of century ago The
homestead act. the presumption and tim
'er-culture act, the coal land and the
mining acts were among these.
The rapid disposition OF the public lands
Inder the early statutes. and the lax
Of distribution prevailing, due, |
hlnk, to the belief that these lands
hould rapidly pass into private owner
hip, gave rise to the impression that
he public domain was legitimate prey
Or the interruptions and that II was not
entraFy to good morals to circumvent
he land laws. This prodigal manner Of
tsposltion resulted In the passing OF
lfge areas Of valuable land and many |
our national resources into the hands
persons who felt little or no responsI-
llity for promoting the national well
Ire through their development.
Fraudulent Titles.
Ths truth is that title to millions Of
erea Of public lands was frauduIentiy
otainsd and that the right to recover a .
rse part OF such lands for the govern
ent long since ceased BY reason OF stat ..
Ice OF limitations. There has developed
reoent years deep CONCERN IN the
tbiic mind respecting the preservation
"a proper use Of our natural resourcas
hla has baen particularly directed !
ward ths conservation OF the resources
ths public domain. A vast amount OF
sousston has appeared IN the public :
ints IN eeneralIsed form on this sub
at hut there has been little practical :
gEastion. Il has besh easy 10 say that \
. natural resources IN fuel supply, In Z
rests, IN water power, and IN other :
bio utilities, must Be saved from :
lste. monopoly, and other abuses, and :
. general public is IN accord with this =
opposition, as they are with most =
lisuls. The problem. however, : how :
save and how 70 utilise. how 10 con- =
rvs and SIN develop, for no sane per-
D can contend that Il ls for the com
PC coed that natures blessings are
" for unbnrn eenerations a
Noteworthy Reforms. z
Lmsag the most notswortky rsforns Il
tiats1 ~ NJ dislinesishsd rrttsosa.or 4,
~ DE svig1raul pfpsaoutiSnI % lanf =
lufa aa6 fhe tfiaFlng % pnhfia afteu- a
b e tha nscesEIlY ~ plo.srvIne ths :,
"a = - s.l...i.l -