The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1910-09-08

area NJ o3.il3 ncrcs which sold for sos T.
sl3. and down to August 1910 there were
but Il entries. with an area Of 40 acres.
which sold for 81 80 a. making a dispo-
| Hiil"n OF the coal lands IN the last two
| years Of about 1000 a,rcs for 81 $4,000
Tho present congress. as already said,
! las separated the surface Of coal lands.
! either classified or withdrawn for clnssl-
0ca'on, from the coal beneath. go as TO
permit at all times homestead entries
upon the surface n lands useful for ag.
rl.ulturc and 20 reserve the ownership
In the coal 20 the government The qucg-
lion which remains to be considered IL
whether the existing law for the sale Of
tho coal In the ground should continue
In force or be repealed and n new method
OF disposition adopted Under the prencnt
law the absolute title In tho coal be-
meath the surface passes 20 the grantee
Of the government Tho price fixed IS
uDon an estimated amount Of tho tons
81 conl per acre beneath the surface, and
tho prices are fixed so that tho earnings
VIII only be reasonable pront upon the
amount paid and the Investment necCs-
snry. But, Of course, this 81 moro or less
CROSSWORD, and the government parts
with tho ownership ~ the coal in tho
ground absolutely, Authorities OF tho Re-
illogical survey estimate that In the
about three thousand billions Of tons Of
coal, and TINT ~ this on" thousand billions
arc In tho public domain. or course, the 9th
'r TWO thousand billions Hre within private
ownership aud under no more control as
Pm th" use or the prices nj which the
.onI may De- sold than any other private
property II tho government leases the
'"al lands and acts as any landlord
would and imposes conditions In It's
IA
hy the owners IN f." Of coal mines In tho
various coal regions u the east then Il
would retain over the disposition of the
coal doposts n choice AZ 20 tho assignee
NJ the lcag" or Of rcsuming possession at
'he end Of IN" term OF the base which
might easily he fram1l 10 enable It 10
oNernis" "A limited but effective control
IN IN" disposition nnd -n's OF tho coal to
m" public. II has been urged that the
leasing s"stom has never been adopted In
this country, and that its adoption would
largely interfere with the Investment Of
capital and the proper development and
opel Ming Up ~ the coal resources. ] ven
luro 20 differ entirely from this Wow.
Tie question as 20 how great an area
ought TO be Included lu n lease TO one
individual or corporation, is not free from
difficulty, but In view OF tho fact that
~" government retains control MS owner.
] think there might De some l,heralIty In
the amount leased un1 that 800 acres
would not be too great q maximum.
BY the opportunity 90 roadJust tho
terms upon which tho coal shall be held
lF the tenant, either NJ tho end Of each
lease or at periods during tho term. the
government may secure tho bcncnt OF
sharing in the increased price Of coal and
60" additional profit made by the tenant
ly imposing conditions I'm respect TO the
character " work to DO done In the
miuos, the government may control the
character Of the development OF tho
mines and the treatment Of employees with
reference TO safety. ny denying the
right 70 transfer the lease except by tho
written permission Of the governmental
authorities, It may withhold the needed
consent whom It IL proposed to transfer
The lcaschoid 10 persons interested In es-
tablisblng a monopoly Of coal production
In nny state or n"ighborhood. The change
from tho absolute grant 90 the leasing
system will involve "A good deal OF
trouble IN the outset, and the training OF
experts In tn" matter OF making proper !
leases: but the change viii be n good |
one and can be made. The change is IN |
the Interest Of conservation, and l am |
glad IN aUUrpta