The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-12-06


soil and government work done. in a
private establishment.
Workmsn,s Compensation.
In view OF the keen, widespread tn.
terest now felt In the United States in
system Of compensation for indus.
trial accidents to supplant our present
thoroughly unsatisfactory system OF
employers liability "a subject the i'm
portance of which congress has al
ready recognized by the appointment
of a commission, | recommend that
the international congress on indus
trial insurance be invited to hold its
meeting in 1918 in Washington and
that an appropriation of $4,000 be
made to cover the necessary expenses
of organizing and carrying on the
meeting.
Safety Appliances and Provisions.
The protection of railroad employees
from personal injury Is subject of
the highest Importance and demands
continuing attention.
Negro Exposition.
I also renew my Recommending ton
that steps be taken looking to the hold
ing OF a negro exposition in celebra-
ton OF the fiftieth anniversary of the
issuing by Mr.. Lincoln of the emanci-
patton proclamation.
Conservation.
Nothing can be more important In
the matter of conservation than the
treatment of our forest lands Speak
Ing generally, the government has re-
served of the existing forests about 20
per cent of all the timberlands of the
government. Within these forests Tin
Guiding 20,000.000 acres In two forests
in Alaska) are 192.OO0.000 acres. OF
which 1e6,00O,0oO acres are in+ the
United States proper and include with
In their boundaries something like %
000,o acres that belong to the states
or. to private Individuals. we have,
then, excluding Alaska forests, a total
of about IA, 0OO, 900 acres of forests
belonging. .tosgth essgoyernment which
are being treated In accord with the
principles of scientific forestry.
The law now prohibits thezreseryn-
ton of any more forest lands in Ore
gon, Washington. Idaho, Montana.
Colorado and Wyoming except by
act of congress. am informed by
the department of agriculture that the
government owns other tracts OF tim
berland IN these states which should
be included in the forest reserves. /
recommend to congress that the limi-
tation herein imposed be repealed. In
the present forest reserves there are
lands which are not properly forest
land and which ought to be subject to
homestead entry.
Coal Lands.
The next subject, and one most i'm
portant for your consideration, Is the
disposition OF the coal lands in the
United States and In Alaska. At the
beginning Of this administration there
were classified coal lands in the Unit
ed States amounting to 5,416, 900 acres,
and there were withdrawn from entry
for purposes Of classification 1887, 600
acres. Since that time there have been
withdrawn by my order from entry
for classification TS,9T7.745 acres, max
ing a total withdrawal of 0GS4.T45
acres. Meantime of the acres thus
withdrawn 1O,O01 $50 have been classj-
fed and found not to contain coal and
have been restored to agricultural en-
try and 4.726.031 acres have been clas-
sif1ed as con lands. while 79.9O3 80
acres remain withdrawn from entry
and await classification. In addition
3S7, 600 acres have been classified MS
coal lands without prior withdrawal,
thus increasing the classified coal lands
to 10.429,372 acres.
The question as to how great an
area ought to be included in lease to
one individual or corporation Is not
free from difficulty but in view of the
fact that the government retains con-
troll as owner ! think there might be
some lberaIity in the amount leased
and that $500 acres would not he TOO
great maximum. The leases should
only be granted after advertisement
and public competition.
The secretary Of the interior thinks
there are difficulties in the way of
leasing public coal lands. entirely
approved his stating at length in his
report the objections in order TINT the
whole subject may be presented to
congress, but after full consideration
] favor leasing system and recon-
mend it
The needed oil and gas law is essen
tally leasing law. In their natural
occurrence oil and gas cannot be
measured in terms of acres. like coal,
and 1t follows that exclusive title 10
these products can normally be Sc
cured only after they reach the sur
face. Oil should be disposed of as
commodity in terms OF barrels OF
transportable product rather than in
acres Of real estate.
Water Power Ra.es.
The water power sites subject Is one
that calls for new legislation. 1t has
been thought that there was danger
OF combination to obtain possession of
all the power sites and to unite them
under one control Whatevar tho ax-t