Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1910-09-09
TAFT FIRM FRIEND
OF CONSERVA TON
His Address Before ST. Paul Congress Leaves No Doubt
as to His Position Country's Duty Plain He Declares
Most En1phaticaLly


those projects which board of army en-
glneers, to be appointed by the president,
shouid examine and determine to be
feasible and worthy of completion The
BOARD has been appointed and soon will
make its report.
Suggestions have been made that the
United States ought to aid in the drain
age Of swamp lands belonging to the
states or private owners because If
drained, they would be exceedingly val
liable for agriculture and contribute to
the general welfare by extending the
area of cultivation I deprecate the agi-
tatlon In favor of such legislation 1t is
inviting the general government into
contribution from it's treasury toward en-
terprises that should be conducted either
by private capital or at the instance of
the state. In these days there Is a dspo-
slt1on to look too much to the federal
government for everything. I am liberal
In the construction of the Constitution
with reference to federal power; but I
am firmly convinced that the only safe
course for US to pursue is to hold fast
to the limitations of the Constitution and
to regard as sacred the powers of the
states. We have made wonderful prog
ress and at the same time have pre-
served with judicial exactness the re-
strictions Of the Constitution. There is
an easy way in which the Constitution
can be violated by congress without
lions from the national treasury for I'M
constitutional purposes 1t will be a sorry
day for this country If the time ever
comes when our fundamental compact
shall be habitually disregarded in this
manner.
Mineral Lands.
BY mineral lands I mean those lands
bearing metals, or what are called metal
liferous minerals The rules of owner
oh md .of oIr
first fixed by custom in the west and
then were embodied in the law, and they
have worked on the whole, so fairly and
we'll that I do not think it is wise to
attempt to change or better them.
Forest Lands.
Nothing can be more important in the
matter Of conservation than the treatment
of forest lands. 1t was probably the
ruthless destruction of forests in the
older states that first called attention to
a halt in the waste of resources. This
was recognized by congress by act
authorizing the executive to reserve from
entry and set aside public timber lands
as national forests Speaking generally.
there has been reserved Of the existing
forests about seventy per cent. Of all
the timber lands of the government.
Within these forests Gncluding 26,00o0OO
acres in two forests in Alaska) are 1872
900 900 Of acres, of which 166, 100000 of
include within their boundaries some
thing like %, 900 600 Of acres that belong
to the state or to private individuals. We
have then, excluding Alaska forests,
total of about 100000 acres Of forests
belonging to the government which is
being treated in accord with the princ1-
pies Of scientific forestry
The government timber in this coun-
try amounts to only one-fourth OF all the
timber, the rest being in private own
ership. Only three per cent. of that which
is in private ownership Is looked after
properly and treated according to mod
ern rules of forestry. The usual de-
structive waste and neglect continues in
the remainder of the forests owned by
private persons and corporations. 1t Is
estimated that fire alone destroys S5O,00O,-
900 worth of timber year. The
management of forests not on public
land is beyond the jurisdiction of the fed
eral government. If anything can be done
by law it must be done by the state leg
islatures I believe that it is within their
constitutional power to require the en-
forcement of regulations in the general
public interest, as to fire and otner
causes Of waste in the management OF
forests owned by private individuals ana
corporations.
7 have shown sufficiently the conditions
as to federal forestry to indicate that no
further legislation is needed at the mo-
ment except an increase in the fire pro-
lection to national forests and an act
vesttng the executive with full power TO
make forest reservations in every state
where government land is timber-coVered
or where the land is needed for forestry
purposes.
Coal Lands.
The next subject. and one most impor-
tant for our consideration, is the DISPOSE
ton of the coal lands in the United
States and in Alaska. First, as to those
in the United States. At the beginning
of this administration they were class1-
fed coal lands amounting to 5,46,0O0
acres and there were withdrawn from
entry for purposes of classification IT,
SGT 900 acres. Since that time there nave
been withdrawn by my order from entry
for classification 77,64S000 acres, making
a total withdrawal of 95515,000 acres
Meantime of the acres thus withdrawn
IL All 900 have been classified and found
not to contain coal, and have been re-
stored to agricultural entry, and 4,356,0OO
acres have been classified as coal lands;
while 49, 5000 acres remain withdrawn
from entry and await classification. In
addition 33s. 600 acres have been classi-
fed as coal lands without prior withdraw
al thus increasing the CLASSIFIED coal
lands to 10.16S000 acres.
Under the laws providing for the dispo-
sition of coal lands, the minimum price
AFT which lands are permitted to be sold
is $40 an acre; but the secretary of the
interior has the power to fix maximum
price and sell at that price. BY the first
regulations governing appraisal APP
proved April s, 1907, the minimum was $40,
as provided by law. and the maximum
was $780, and the highest price actually
placed upon any land sold was S75. I'm
der the new regulations, adopted April 10,
1909. the maximum price was increased to
s30o except in regions where there are
large mines, where no maximum limit is
fixed and the price is determined by the
estimated tons of coal to the acre. The
highest price fixed for any land under
this regulation has been Sso8. The ap-
nraisal value of the lands classified as
coal lands and valued under the new and
old regulations is shown to be as follows:
l. sos 921 acres valued under the old regu-
lations at ST, GA, 329 an average of SIS an
acre and 5S64, 702 across classified and
valued under the new regulation at $S94,-
s03, 30 or a total of 1o.16s.623 acres, val
ued at SAT-. S47.571
For the year ending March 81. 1909, 227
coal entries were made, embracing an
area of 81, 331 acres. which sold for $685.
900. 40. For the year ending March 81,
No A,{.1 @lNr-oo4