The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1910-01-21

tons resources sent tn the senate
and house of representatives by Pres.
ident Taft today:
To the Senate and House Of Representa-.
tives:
In my annual message reserved the
subject OF the conservation OF our va.
'sional resources for disposition in q spe-
cial message. as follows:
In several departments there is pre-
scented the necessity for legislation took
Ing to the further conservation OF our
national resources, and the subject ls one
OF such Importance as to require more
detailed and extended discussion than
can be entered upon in this communlc:a-
ton. For that reason l shalt take an
early opportunity to- send Il special mes
sage to congress on the subject OF the
Improvement OF our Waterways: upon the
reclamation and irrigation OF arid semi.
arid and swamp lands; upon the preser-
walton OF our forests and the re- roresttng
OF suitable areas; upon the re-classtica-
tion OF the public domain with a view Of
separating from agricultural settlement
mineral. coal and phosphate lands and
sites belonging to the government bor-
cation of water power.
In 1860 we had Il public domain Of ,O55,-
.el1.2SS acres. We have now III 354 OSl
acres. confined largely to the mountain
ranges and the arid aud semi-arid plains.
We have. in addition. 36s. O3L. SIS acres uf
iand in Alaska.
Disbursement of Public Lands.
The public lands were. during the ear,I-
est administrations. treated AS a national
asset Tor the liquidation OF the public
dent and as source OF reward foe our
soldiers and sailors Later on they were
donated In large amounts in aid or tho
construction OF wagon roads and rail-
ways. IN order to open up regions in the
west then almost inaccessible. All the
principal land statutes were enacted more
. tnam quarter "ft ,, Of cenfry ago The
'ber-culture act, nd aud the
mining acts wer q.
The rapid disp ,blic ian
under the earl. fhe lax
methods Of di" due. r
think. to the lands
should rapidl. yateyuwner-
ship. gave RISE eyS5hn that
the public dorrs ~ 6te prey
for the unscrup5 ,as was not
contrary to goodN :,i Nrcumyent
the land laws. TIN 81 manner NJ
disposition resulted& passing Of
large areas OF valuSbtsI land and many
Of our national resources into the hands
of persons who felt little or no RESPONSE
bility for promoting the national vel
Care through their development.
Fraudulent Titles.
The truth is that title to millions Of
acres Of public lands was fraudAently
obtained and that the right to recover a
large part of such lands for the govern.
ment long since ceased by reason of stat
utes OF limitations. There has developed
In recent years dec, concern In the
public mind respecting the preservation
and proper use Of our natural resources.
This has been particularly directed
toward the conservation Of the resources
OF the public domain. vast amount Of
discussion has appeared in the public
prints tn generalized form on this SUBJ
ject. but there has heen little practical
suggestion. 1t has been easy to saw that
the natural resources in fuel supply, in
. forests. in water power. and in other
public utilities. must be saved from
waste. monopoly. and other abuses, and
the general public is in accord with this
proposition. as they are with most
truisms. The problem. however, is how
to save and how to utilize, how to con-
serve and still develop. for no sane per.
SON can contend that 1t is for the COM
mon good that natures blessings are
only for unborn generations.
Noteworthy Reforms.
Among the most noteworthy reforms
initiated by my distinguished predecessor
were the vigorous prosecution OF land
frauds and the bringing to public atten-
ton OF the necessity for preserving the
remaining public domain from further
spoliation. for the maintenance and ex-
tension Of our forest resources, and for
the enactment Of laws amending the oh
solete statutes so as to retain govern
mental control over that part of the pub
Tic domain in which there are valuable
deposits of COAL of oil, and of phosphate.
and, in addition thereto. to preserve con-
400
public. of the lands along the streams in
which the fall of water can be made to
generate power to be transmitted in the
form OF electricity many miles to the
point Of its use, known as water power.
sites.
The investigations into violations OF the
public land laws and the prosecution OF
land frauds have been vigorously con-
tinued under my administration, as has
been the withdrawal Of coal lands for
classification and valuation and the tenn.
porary withholding Of power sites. Since
March 4, 1902 temporary Withdrawals Of
power sites have been made on 102
streams and these Withdrawals therefore
cover 229 per cent. more streams than
were covered by the Withdrawals made
prior to that date.
The present statutes. except so far
rs they dispose of the precious metals
and the purely agricultural lands. are
not adapted to carry out the modern
view Of the best disposition of public
lands to private ownership. under con-
ditions offering on the one hand suffi-
cient inducement to private capital to
take them over for proper develop
ment. with restrictive conditions on
the other which shall secure to the
public that character Of control which
will prevent monopoly or misuse Of
the lands or their products. The power
Of the secretary Of the interior to with
draw from the operation Of existing
statutes tracts Of land. the disposition
OF which under. such statutes would
be detrimental to- the public interests.
- not clear or satlsfactory.gT This power
has been exercised In the interest OF
the public. with the hope that congress
might affirm the Action Of the execu-
tive by laws adapted 10 the new condl-
tons. Unfortunately. congress has not
thus far fully acted on the recommen-
Nations Of the executive. and the ques.
1ton ~ to what the executive 70 to
% . under the esropqaltances full Ct
limcuity.s Ity sSSsS9 Al hS that y isS
8. sas ss III !: 'sst s,s's
Ars bsen made By the secretary Of the.
I|oI c. q 3 IS 81 eaasI ssa &C.