The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1910-01-21

thus far fully acted on the rccommen-
dations Of the executive. and the uues-
tiou as TO What the executive De- 60
DO ia under the circumstances fun ~
difrculty II seems to me that " b.
the duty 81 congress now hJ a statute
10 validate the Withdrawals which
have been made by the secretary of the
Interior and the president ana 60 use
the secretary ~ the interior temporar-
ny to withdraw lar'a nendlnE submits
sion 90 congress 90 recommendations a.
to legislation to meet conditions or
emergencies as they arise.
Public Land Along Streams.
with respect to the public land
which lies along the streams Offering
opportunity Co convert water power
into trausmissible electricity. another
important phase of the public land
question rs presented There are val
liable water power sites through all
the public land states The opinion
is held that the transfer 81 sovereignty
from the federal government 60 the
territorial governments as they become
states included the water power In
the rivers except 80 far MS that owned
by riparian proprietprs do not
think IL necessary to 10 into discussion
" this somewhat mootod question ~
law II seems 90 me SUFFICIENT 10 say
that the man who owns and controls
the land along the stream from which
the power is to be converted and trans
mitted. owns land which ~ indispena.
able 20 the conversion ana use of that
power. / cannot conceive how the
power In streams flowing through pub.
lie lands can be made available at all
except by using the land itself NJ the
site for the construction ~ the plant
hv which the power 10 generated ana
converted and securing right ~ way
thprcoygr for transmission lines. TN
dor tFFfs IL
owns the adjacent innd-aindeod N the
government 10 the riparian owuor-it
may control the use Of the water power
hy imposing proper conditions ON the
disposition 81 the land necessary In the
creation and utilization of the water
power
Value Of Water Power.
The development In electrical appli-
nucua Tor the conversion Of the water
power into electricity to be- transmitted
long distances has progressed 30 Tar that
10 D. no longer pruhlvmuticul but u IL "a
certain inference that in the future the
power of the water falling in the streams
to large extent viii take the place of
natural fuels In the disposition NJ tho
domain already granted. many water
power sites have come under absolute
ownership. and may drin into one own.
prahlp, 20 that all the water power under
private ownership shall De monopoly
] however
owned by the guNUrnmVutHuud there are
enough ~ them shall be- disposed ~ to
private pgtfuns Tor the Investment ~
their capital In such h way ~ a. Prevent
their union Tor purposes 81 monopoly
with other water power sites. ana under
conditions that shall limit the gfght ~ use
tu not exceeding thirty years with renewal
privileges and some equitable means ~
liking terms of rental ana with proper
means Tor determining u reasonable grad
uatod rental II would seem entirely pos
fible 20 prevent the absorption ~ these
most useful lands by power monopoly.
As long as ~ government retains con-
troll and can prevent their improper union
| with other plants, competition must be
maintained and prices kept reasonable.
Soils Must Be Conserved.
/ In considering the conservation Of 'he
natural resources Of the country. the fcn-
! turc that transconda all others including
woods. waters minerals, II the soil Of tho
/ country. II IN incumbent upon the gov
eminent 10 foster by all available means
| the resources OF the country that produce
tho food Of the people To this end the
conservation Of the soiia 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 W. may conserve tho new
soils. improve the old soils. drain wet
soils. ditch swamp soils lovec river over
How soils. grow trees on thin soils. pas
ture hillside soils. rotate crops m all
soils discover methods for cropping dry
land soils. md grasses and lrRumcs for
all soils. feed grains ana mill feeds on
| the farms where they originate that the
soils from which they come may be en-
riched
a work OF tho utmost Importance 10 In.
form and Instruct the public on this chief
branch Of the conservation Of our re-
sources IN being carried on successfully
In the department OF agriculture. but IL
ought not 60 escape public attention that
state action In addition Co that Of the de-
pnrimcnt Of agriculture las for Instance
In the drainage Of swamp landsl II cs-
sentlal 10 the best treatment ~ 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 iG1 90 $50
acres has resulted most benehclnlly In
the extension or dry farming and In
the demonstration which has been made
Of the possibility. through variation In
the character and mode Of culture. OF
raising substantial crops without the
presence OF such n supply Of water as
has been heretofore thought to be neces-
snry for agriculture
No one can visit tho far west and the
country OF arid ana semi-arld lands with
out being convinced that this n one Of
the most important methods OF the com
Horvation Of our natural resources that
the government has entered upon IL
would appear that over 90 projects have
been undertaken, and that a few OF
these are likely 20 be unsuccessful be-
cause Of lack Of water, or for other roa-
sons, but generally the work which has
been done has been wen done and many
important engineering problems have
boon met and solved
Funds Inadequate for Service.
one OF the difficulties which has
arisen IN that too many projects In
view Of the available funds have been
set ON foot The funds available under
the reclamation statute are inadequate
to complete these projects within "a
reasonable time. And yet the projects
have been begun; settlers have been
invited TO take up ana. In many in
stances, have taken IN, the public land
within the projects, relying upon their
prompt completion. The failure to
complete tho projects for their benefit
In, In effect breach of faith and
leaves them In a most distressed con-
dillon. | urge that the nation ought
to afford the means TO lift them out Of
the very desperate condition In which
they now are.
This condition does not indicate any
excessive waste or any corruption on
the part OF the reclamation service ~
only Indicates an over-zealous desire
To extend the benont Of reclamation