The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-03-17
'bALL|NGER PUTS
BLAME ON STATES
Says Public Has Wrong Idea Of
What Government Can Do To
Save Natural Resources.

ST. PAUL, Mimi, March l6.-ln IN
address today before the Minnesota
6tate Conservation convention, Score
larry Of the Interior Ballinger gave his
Interpretation of the national opliga
lions regarding the public domain and
its disposition. The speech. according
TO reports from Washington. had had
the personal o. X. of President Taft.
The greater portion of the burden OF
conserving the natural resources OF
the country was laid by Secretary
Ballinger at the doors of the states.
There has been and is he said. "A
grossly exaggerated notion, among
some people. as to what the general
government can do in conserving the
natural resources that lie IN the de-
posits OF minerals, ana are contained
In the soils and the streams. FOR the
most part, they have passed into pFi-
vate ownership and are under the
municipal jurisdiction of the states.
Amy national conservation policy
must be predicated On the policy az
fecting the public domain, since TOT
the most part, the states are soyerelsa
within their own spheres OF Jurlsdi--
ton. Therefore, believe a greater
obligation rests upon the state thah
upon the national government TO inan'
gurate laws 20 prevent waste In the
atilization OF natural resources
Referring to the duty of the national
government ne first regarded II as
essential that the public domain De
studied and surveyed and an "ade.
cuute and scientific classification or
the remainder OF the public lands be
made. He scored The "idealistic CON
servationists heavily for tackling the
proposition without n sound knowi-
edge of conditions.
II grant you that such people are.
said the secretary. FOR the most part,
sincere but their very sincerity gives
them such a vigor of imagination and
prediction that il is often hard TO COM
bat their vagaries except through prac'
tical demonstrations.
OF his own stand in the matter Sec
rotary Ballinger said:
II am as ardent an advocate or wise
conservation as the most radical, out
II must be wise conservation To appeal
to me- IL must imply as full and free
development OF our national resources
as be consistent with our civilization
and our needs. II may mean the reser-
walton from use for limited periods or
certain of our deposits of coal. OF min
eral oils and gas, of phosphate. or or
timber, tn protect against the inor-
dinate greed OF men who wish TO ex-
plot the present with no regard for
the future or the general welfare, and
when this becomes necessary IL Is
national duty to make such reserva-
tions out of the public domain.
But we must not forget that we
are not through with the policy OF de
velopment, OF building up new com.
munities and settlements, even in far
off Alaska We have not reached that
period where we can say the remain
der of our public lands shall be auc
toned off to the highest bidder 10 in
crease the revenues of the national
treasury
Congress Is now struggling with the
problem relating TO water power. and
other measures designed to retain in
the government the power OF control
and supervision"
Discussing Alaskan matters. he con-
tinued:
"The known coal areas in public
ownership. where not appraised at
their market value, are Withdrawn
from entry awaiting classification and
appraisement. and all the unentered or
INDICATED coal lands in Alaska are
standing under an absolute withdrawal
act of 1906. and not patent has ever
been issued TO al acre OF coal land In
Alaska In fact, nearly all the coal
lands that have been patented have
been obtained not az coal lands but
under the guise OF some other form OF
entry, as agricultural timber or stone.
etc. No man. or set of men. can COM
ply with the present laws and finance
a mine on the public domain on $40
acres OF land except under extremely
favorable conditions. The absurdity
OF the law has, in itself. invited fraud
and Indirect methods OF evading its
provisions.
1T is likewise impractical to secure
oil or gas lands, or phosphate lands,
under the general mineral laws. and
In all these cases there is no power OF
control or ability in the department to
prevent monopoly in the sale OF the
deposits when title Is once secured
thereto. Awaiting remedial legislation
from congress. all known areas OF pub
lie lands containing these deposits are
under temporary Withdrawals from
private entry, and it is hoped that
congress will furnish the interior de-
partment with the necessary machin-
cry to safely and properly guard the
public interest In their ultimate dis
position