Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1910-09-09

the projects. worthy and feasible, might
be romptl completed, and the settlers
might be relieved from their present in
convenience and hardship. In authorizing
the issue of these projects. congress linn
tied the application of their proceeds to
those projects which a board Of army en-
gineers. to be appointed by the president.
should 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-
tation 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 dispo-
sition to look too much to the federal
government for everything. l 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
judicial inhibition. to-wit. by appropria-
tons 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
ship and disposition of these lands were
first fixed by custom in the west. and
then We're 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 our 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 our resources. This
was recognized by congress by an act
authorizing the executive to reserve from
entry and set aside public timber lands
as national forests SpeakinE generally.
there has been reserved Of the existing
forests about seventy per cent. OF all
the timber lands Of the government.
Within these forests (ncluding 26. 600
acres in two forests in Alaska) are 1872
900, 900 of acres. of which 166, O00,o 600 OF
acres are in the United States proper and
include within their boundaries some
thing like %, 000.o 900 Of acres that belong
to the state or to private individuals. We
have then, excluding Alaska forests, a
total of about IA, 900, coo acres of forests
belonging to the government which is
being treated in accord with the princi-
pies of scientific forestry :
The government timber in this coun-
try amounts to only o~ne-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 s50.OW.-
900 worth Of timber a 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
,slatures. I believe that it is within their
constitutional power to require the en-
i forcement Of regulations in the general
public interest. as to fire and other
causes Of waste In the management of
forests owned by private individuals and
corporations.
I 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
vestlng 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
Of this administration they were classi-
fled coal lands amounting to $4,000
acres. and there were withdrawn from
entry Cor purposes of ella ssifcation H.
S67, O0o acres. Since that time there have
been withdrawn by my order from entry
for classification II, Gas, 900 acres. making
a total withdrawal of 95.545,OO acres.
Meantime. Of the acres thus withdrawn.
II. 81. 900 have been classified and found
not to contain coal. and have been re-
stored to agricultural entry. and 4. 1856, 900
acres have been classified as coal lands:
while 70. 7SS. 900 acres remain withdrawn
from entry and await classification. In
addition 336. coo acres have been CLASH
fed as coal lands without prior withdraw
al. thus increasing the classified coal
lands to 10. 16S, 900 acres.
Under the laws providing for the dispo-
sition of coal lands, the minimum price
at Wnlch lanOS are pel1Iltleu 10 De SOFA
is $40 an acre; but the secretary of the
interior has the power to fix a maximum
price and sell at that price. By the first
regulations governing appraisal, II ap-
proved April s, 1907, the minimum was SO,
as provided by law. and the maximum
was 500, and the highest price actually
placed upon any land sold was $75. Tn
der the new .reSuia ions, adopted April 10,
1909. the maximum price was Increased to
s3N0, 81 except in regions where there are
large mines, where no maximum limit is
fixed and the price is determined by the
cstimatod tons of coal to the acre. The
highest price fixed for any land under
this regulation has been SGoS. The ap-
praisaI value of the lands ella ssified as
cO:l lands and valued under the new and
cli REGULATIONS is shown to be as follows:
4>T,T -! acres. valued under the old regu-
lat:ons At $1T.G443S. an average of SIS an
nrI" and = SCI, I02 across classified and
v'lu.,1 under tho new regulation at CG29i.-
g 80. "~ 81 total Of 10. 16S. SIS acres. val
roH a; $i71.S47571.
For the year ending March 81, 1909. 2g7
coal entries w'-e made. embracing an
area of 35.3Sl acres. which sold for S6C3. :
G2i,t0. For the year ending March 81,
1910. there were 10 entries, embracing an
She Was Settled.
Mrs. Uppson-I don't want another