The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1910-12-06
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Conservation.

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Conservation.
Nothing can be more important in
the mattersof conservation than the
treatment of our forest lands. Speak
Ing generally, the government has re-
served OF the existing forests about 70
per cent of all the timber lands of the
government. Within these forests Gin
Guiding 26,O0D,000 acres in two forests
In Alaska) are 192,OOO,OOO acres, Of
which 166,000,OO0 acres are in the
United States proper and include with
IN their boundaries something like
22,OOO,0OO acres that belong to the
states or to private individuals. We
have, then, excluding Alaska forests,
total Of about 144,00O,OO0 acres of
forests belonging to the government
which are being treated in accord with
the principles of scientific forestry.
The law now prohibits the reserva-
ton Of any more forest lands in Ore
gon, Washington, Idaho, Montana,
Colorado and Wyoming except by
act of congress. I am informed by
the department of agriculture that the
government owns other tracts of tim
Der land in these states which should
be included in the forest reserves. I
recommend to congress that the Iimi-
tation herein imposed be repealed.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 IF this administration there
were classified coal lands in the Unit.
and there We're withdrawn from entry
for purposes of classification 1857 900
acres. Since that time there have been
withdrawn by my order from entry
for classification 78,977,745 acres, max.
ing total withdrawal of 96,S44,745
acres. Meantime of the acres thus
withdrawn 10,061, 1899 have been CLASH
fed and found not to contain coal and
have been restored to agricultural en-
try and 4,726,091 acres have been elias.
sified as coal lands, while 79,9O3 ,239
acres remain withdrawn from entry
and await classification. In addition
$4,000 acres have been classified as
rrSo 1x,;&1 hi,
thus increasing the classified coal lands
to 10,429,372 acres.
The question as to how great an
area oughttto be included~fn 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 liberality in the amount leased
and that $500 acres would not be too
great a maximum. The leases should
only be granted after advertisement
and public competition. O." -
The secretary of the interior thinks
there are difficulties in the way Of
leasing public coal lands. I entirely
approved his stating at length in his
report the objections in order that the
whole subject may be presented to
/ congress, but after a full consideration
I favor a leasing system and recon.
mend it. 4 .u1. Ss-# e
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 it follows that exclusive title tc
these products can normally be Sc.
cured only after they reach the sur.
3face. Oil should be disposed of as a
commodity in terms of barrels OF
transportable product rather than in
acres Of real estate.
Water Power Rates. =
The water power sites subject is one
that calls for new legislation. It has
been thought that there was danger
of combination to obtain possession of
7 all the power sites and to unite: them
under one control. Whatever the evil
dence of this or lack of it, at present
we have had enough experience to
know that combination would be prof
table, and the control Of a great num-
Der of power sites would enable the
/ holders or owners to raise the price
of power at will within certain sec
tons, and the temptation would
promptly attract investors, and the
danger Of monopoly and extortion
would not be a remote one.
However this may be, it is the plain
duty of the government tc see to it
that in the utilization and develop
ment Of all this immense amount Of
water power conditions shall be i'm.
posed that will prevent extortionate
charges, which are the usual accompa,.
niment of monopoly.
Queer Eyes Of Queer Spider.