The Nevada County picayune. (Prescott, Ark.) 190?-current, 1910-09-09

deep interest to President Tafts ad-
dress today. The chief executive
spoke substantially as follows:
Gentlemen of the National Conservation
Congress:
Conservation as an economic and po-
itical term has come to mean the preser-
walton of our natural resources for
economical use. so as to secure the great
est good to the greatest number.
The danger to the state and to the peo-
pie at large from the waste and disspa-
ton of our national wealth Is not one
which quickly impresses itself on the peo-
pie OF the older communities, because its
most obvious instances do not occur in
their neighborhood, while In the newer
part of the country the sympathy with
expansion and development 10 strong
that the danger is scoffed at or ignored.
Among scientific men and thoughtful OBJ
servers. however, the danger has always
been present; but 1t needed some one to
bring home the crying need for remedy
OF this evil so as to impress itself on the
public mind and lead to the formation of
public opinion and action by the repro
sentatives of the people. Theodore Roose-
welt took UP this task In the last two
years OF his second administration, and
well did he perform 1t.
As president of the United States I
and l rejoice in my heritage I prize my
high opportunity to do all that an ex-
ecutive can do to help a great people
realize great national ambition For
conservation is national 1t affects every
man of US, every woman, every child.
What l can do In the cause l shall do,
not president of party. but presi-
dent OF the whole people. Conservation
is not question OF politics. of fac
lions. or OF persons. 1t Is question that
affects the vital welfare of all OF us-of
| our children and our children's children.
| l urge that no good can come from meet
| ings OF this sort unless we ascribe to
! those who take part In them. and who
are apparently striving worthily in the
| cause all proper motives, and unless we
| judicially consider every measure or
/ method proposed with view to its effec-
tiveness In achieving our common pur-
pose. and wholly without regard to who
| proposes II who will claim the credit
for Its adoption. The problems of
very great difficulty and call for the
calmest consideration and clsarest fore
sight Many OF the questions presented
| have phases that are new in this co1n-
| try. and Il is possible that in their solu-
ton We may have to attempt first one
| way and then another. What | wish to
emphasize. however. Is that a satisfac-
tory conclusion can only be reached
/ promptly II we avoid acrimony, imputa-
lions of bad faith. and political contro-
| versy
The public domain OF the government
| of the United States, including all the
| cessions from those OF the thirteen states
| that made cessions to the United States
and including Alaska amounted In all to
about 1S00, 600 900 acres. or this there is
| left as purely government property out
| side OF Ala ska something like 100 900 900 OF
| acres. or this the national forest re-
| serves in the United States proper en-
| brace IA. 900, 600 acres
shall divide my discussion under the
heads OF % agricultural lands; (2 min
! eral lands-that is, lands containing
metalliferous minerals: (s) forest lands
| 90 coal lands: 90 oil and gas lands: and
| (6) phosphate lands.
Agricultural Lands.
Our land laws for the entry OF agricul-
| tural lands are now follows.
The original homestead law. with the
requirements of residence and cultivation
for Ave years, much more strictly en-
| forced than ever before.
The enlarged homestead act, applying
TO nonirrgable lands only. requiring five
years residence and continuous cultiva-
ton OF one-fourth OF the area.
The desert-land act. which requires on
| the part of the purchaser the ownership
of a water right and thorough reclcma-
ton OF the land by irrigation. and the
payment OF 81 % per acre.
The donation or Carey act. under which
the state selects the land and provides
for Its reclamation. and the title vests In
the settler who resides upon the land and
eultivates it and pays the cost OF the
reclamation.
The national reclamation homestead
law, requiring FIVE years residence and
cultivation by the settler on the land ir-
rigated by the government and payment
by him to the government OF the cost OF
the reclamation.
The present congress passed a bill OF
great Importance. scoring the ownership
of coal by the government In the ground
from the surface and permitting home
stead entries upon the surface OF the
land. which, when perfected. give the
settler the right to farm the surface,
while the coal beneath the surface is re-
tanned in ownership by the government
and may be disposed OF by 1T under other
laws.
There IL no crying need for radical re-
form In the methods OF dlsposing OF what
are really Agricultural lands. The pres
ent laws have worked well. The on
larged homestead law has encouraged the
successful farming of lands in the semi
arid regions
Reclamation.
BY the reclamation act fund has been
created OF the proceeds OF the public
lands OF the United States with which to
construct works fer storing great bodies
OF water at proper attitudes from which
by a suitable system of canals and ditch
es, the water is to be distributed over the
arid and suearid lands of the government
10 be sold 10 settlers at price sufficient
To pay for the improvements Primarily,
the projects are and must be for the inn
provement OF public lands. Incidentally.
where private land is also within reach
OF the water supply. the furnishing at
cost or profit of this water to private
owners by the government is held by the
federal court OF appeals not to be
usurpation OF power. But certainly this
ought not TO be done except from sur
plus water. not needed for government
land. The total sum already accumula-
ted In the reclamation fund Is $50. 27S.-
ESP, and OF that all but s6.4ai. 1855. 81 has
been expended. II became very clear TO
congress at its last session. from the
statements made by experts that these
80 projects could not be promptly COM
pleted with the balance remaining on