Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1910-09-09


.noocb here today before the National
Tonservation congress left his hear
.rs in no doubt as to his position. In
S.bstance his address was as follows:
.,,.rnen of the National Conservation
Congress-;
CsarvatiOn as an economic and po-
s.IooI term has come to mean the preser-
mn of our natural resources for
,ooror7ical use, so as to secure the great
,st GOOD to the greatest number.
The danger 20 the state and to the peo-
Ia at large from the waste and dissipa-
y"or NJ our national wealth is not one
r,bich quickly impresses itself on the peo-
~ np the older communities, because it's
s.os+ obvious instances do not occur in
tbeir neighborhood while in the newer
nort Of the country the sympathy with
,vnanstor and development is so strong
,nat the danger is scoffed at or ignored.
Among scientific men and thoughtful OBJ
,arvers. however, the danger has always
5aen present; but it needed some one to
oring home the crying need for remedy
~ this evil so as to impress itself on the
ouhIic mind and lead to the formation Of
2nbIIc opinion and action by the repre-
,antatives of the people. Theodore Roose-
yelt took up this task in the last two
.,nars Of his second administration, and
we'll did he perform it,
As president Of the United States ]
have as it were, inherited this policy,
and 7 rejoice in my heritage. I prize my
high opportunity to do all that an ex-
scutive can do to help a great people
realize q great national ambition. For
conservation is national. 1t affects every
man Of us, every woman, every child.
What I can do in the cause I shall do,
not as president of party, but as presi-
dent Of the whole people. Conservation
Is not a question of politics, or 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.
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
iudicialIy consider every measure or
method proposed with view to it's effec
tyeness in achieving our common pur-
pose and wholly without regard to who
proposes it or who will claim the credit
for its adoption. The problems are of
very great difficulty and call for the
carnest consideration and clearest fore
sight Many of the questions presented
have phases that are new in this coun-
try and it is possible that in their solu-
ton we may have to attempt first one
way and then another. What 1 wish to
tory conclusion can only be reached
promptly if avoid acrimony, imputa-
tons of bad faith, and political contro-
veFsy
The public domain Of the government
Of the United States, including all the
sessions from those of the thirteen states
that made cessions to the United States
and including Alaska, amounted in all to
about 1900 OO0 900 acres. OF this there is
eft as purely government property out
side of Alaska something like 100 200, 900 of
acres. OF this the national forest re-
serves in the United States proper en-
brace 144, coo, 900 acres.
shall divide my discussion under the
heads of % agricultural lands; (2) min
eral lands-that is, lands containing
metalliferous minerals; C3) forest lands;
% coal lands: 60 oil and gas lands; and
o. phosphate lands.
Agricultural Lands.
Our land laws for the entry of agricul-
tural lands are now as follows:
The original homestead law, with the
requirements Of residence and cultivation
for five years, much more strictly en-
forced than ever before.
The enlarged homestead act, applying
TO noniTrigable 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 water right and thorough reclama-
ton Of the land by irrigation, and the
payment Of $1.25 per acre.
The donation or Carey act, under which
the state selects the land and provides
sOT its reclamation, and the title vests in
he settler who resides upon the land and
eultvates it and pays the cost of the
reclamation.
The national reclamation homestead
aW, requiring five years residence and
cultivation by the settler on the land ir-
'igated by the government, and payment
oy him to the government Of the. cost of
the reclamation.
The present congress passed a bill of
great Importance, severing 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 it under other
laws
There is no crying need for radical re-
FORM in the methods of disposing Of what
are really agricultural lands. The pres
ent laws have worked we'll The en-
Iarged homestead law has encouraged the
successful farming of lands in the semi
arid regions.
Reclamation.
ny the reclamation act a fund has been
created Of the proceeds of the public
lands Of the United States with which to
construct works for storing great bodies
or water at proper attitudes from which,
u! suitable system of canals and ditch
sS The water is to be distributed over the
arid and subarid lands of the government
10 De sold to settlers at price sufficient
10 pay for the improvements. Primarily,
tue projects are and must be for the i'm
pseFement 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
1soeral court Of appeals not to be
usurpation of power. But certainly this
ought not to be done except from sur
Pios water, not needed for government
tand. The total sum already accumula-
eea IN the reclamation fund is $50. 27S.-
- q and of that all but $6,491, 1914 has
osen expended. 1t became very clear to
congress at its last session, from the
statements made by experts. that these
o. projects could not be promptly COM
pIeted with the balance remaining on
neha or with the funds likely to accrue
IA The near future. 1t was found, more
SNee' that there are many settlers who