Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1910-01-20

thu far fully acted on the recommen-
dations OF the executive. and the ques-
ton as to what the executive is to
do Is under the circumstances. full Of
dinlculty. It seems to ms that IL 10
the duty of congress now. by a statute.
TO validate the withdrawals which
have been made nv the secretary of tho
interior and the president and to use
the secretary of the Interior temporar-
lily TO withdraw lands pending submis-
sion to congress Of recommendations as
to legislation TO meet conditions or
e"mergencics as they arise.
Public Land Along Streams.
with respect TO the public land
which lies along the streams offering
opportunity to onvcrt water power
into transmissible electricity. another
important phase OF the public land
question Is presented. There are val
liable water power sites through all
the public land states. The opinion
Is held that the transfer of so~vereignty
from the federal government to the
territorial governments as they become
states, included tho water power In
the rivers except 30 far as that owned
by riparian propriotors. ! do not
think II necessary TO so into discussion
of this somewhat mooted question of
law. IL seems to mo sufficient TO say
that the man who owns and controls
the land along the stream from which
the power !s 70 be converted and trans
mittcd. owns land which In indispcn3-
sble to thu conversion and use OF that
power. cannot conceive how the
power In ctreainB flowing through pub
lie lands can be made available at all
except by uGinE tho land itself az the
site for tho construction of the plant
by which the power is generated and
converted and ACQUIRING @ right OF way
thereover for transmission lines. I'm
Hor eh.oa condition ~ Aha npyarpp,nns
owns the adjacent land-indeed, IL the
government in the riparian owner-it
may control the use of the water power
by importing proper conditions on the
disposition Of the land necessary in the
creation and utilization of the water
power.
Value - Water Power.
The development In electrical april
ances for the conversion OF the water
power into electricity 80 be trr nsmitted
long distances has progressed Sc far that
Il Is no longer problemGtical. but II lie a
certain inference that In the future the
power OF the water falling in the streams
to 6 large extent will take the place of
natural fuels. In the disposition OF the
domain already granted. many water
power sites have come under absolute
ownership, and may drift into ono own
ership, so that all the water power under
private ownership shall be a monopoly.
III, however, mo water power sites now
owned by the government-and there are
enough OF them-shall be disposed OF ts
private persons for the investment OF
their capital In such q way as to prevent
their union for purposes OF monopoly
with other water power sites. and under
conditions that shall limit the right OF use
20 not exceeding thirty years with renewal
privileges and some equitable means OF
Axing terms OF rental and with proper
means for determining a reasonable grad
uated rental. II would seem entirely pos
sible to prevent the absorption Of those
most useful lands by . power monopoly.
A. Ions a. tho government retains con-
troll and can prevent their improper union
with other plants. competition must b
maintained and prices kept reasonable.
Soils Must % Conserved.
In considering the conservation Of the
natural resources OF the country. the fsa-
ture that transcends all others, including
woods. waters. minerals. 10 the soil Of the
country. II 10 incumbent upon the gov
eminent TO foster by all available means
the resources Of the country that produce
the food OF the people. To this end the
conservation OF the soils OF the country
should be cared for with all means at the
governments disposal. Their productive
powers should have the attention OF our
scientists that We may conserve the new
soils, improve the old soils, drain wet
bpll.. Nv s"aihp Soii- AfNtN river over
flow soils. grow trees on Thin soils. pas
ture hillside soils. rotate cropa on all
coils. discover methOds for cropping dry
land BoilS. And grasses and legumes for
all soils. feed grains and mill feeds on
the farms where they originate. that the
aoilS from which they como may be en-
rlChed.
A work OF the utmost Importance to in
form and instruct the public on this chief
branch OF the conservation OF our re-
sources Is being carried on successfully
In tho department OF agriculture: but II
ought not to escape public attention that
state action in addition 20 that Of the de-
pariment o! agriculture las for instance
in the drainage OF swamp lands) 10 es-
.ential 10 the best treatment OF the soils
In the manner above indicated.
The act by which. in semi arid parts OF
the public domain. the area OF the home
stead has been enlarged from l6O to 800
ceres has resulted most benencially In
the extension OF dry farming and In
the demonstration which has been made
OF the possibility, through q variation in
the character and mode OF culture. of
raising substantial crops without the
presence OF such 81 supply OF water as
has been heretofore thought to DO neces.
sary for agriculture,
No one can visit the far west and the
country OF arid and semi-arid lands with
out being convinced that this Is one OF
the most important methods OF the con-
s~ervation OF our natural resources that
the government has entered upon. 1t
would appear that over 30 projects have
been undertaken. and that n few OF
these are likely to be unsuccessful be-
cause of lack of water. or for other rea-
sons. but generally the work which has
been done has been well done. and many
important engineering problems have
been met and solved.
Funds Inadequate for Service.