The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1910-01-21


the matter OF pHblic-land reform Is
| that lands should be classified accord
| ing to their principal value use. This
ought to be done by that or department
whose force is best adapted to that
work IL should he done by the inter
| tor department through the geological
survey. Much of confusion. fraud. and
contention which has existed in the
present has arisen from the lack Of
| an official and determinatiye classif-
cation of the public lands and their
| contents.
| II ~ new proposed to dispose Of ag-
| ricuituraf lands as such. and at the
| same time to reserve for other DISPOSE
| tinn the treasure Of coal. oil. ashphat.
| tum. natural gas and phosphate con-
| tanned therein This may he hest ae-
compiished by separating the right
/ to min. from the title In the surface.
| giving the necessary nsc nf SO much ut
the latter as may he required for the
| extraction of the deposits The sur
] face might he disposed az as agricul-
1 turnl land under the general agrtcui-
| turat statutes while the coal or other
| mineral could he disposed Of by lease
| an n ROYALTY basis. with the provisions
| recurring n certain amount of develop
| tnent each year: aud In order tn pre-
| vent the use and cession OF said lands
| with others ot similar character so as
| to constitute n monopoly forbidden by
| law the lease should contain suitable
1 VfbNiSipH w 'he
interest Of persons participating in
| such monopoly. Such law should APP
| ply to Alaska as well rs to the United
| States.
Statute Difficult TO Frame.
| u Is exceedingly difficult to frame
| n statute tn retain government control
| over property Ia he developed by
| private capital In such n manner as
| to secure tn. governmental purpose
| and at the same time not brighten
| away the investment of the necessary
| capital Hence. u may he necessary
4 by laws that really only expert
| mental to determine from their prac-
| teal operation what Is the best
| method Of securing the result aimed at.
| The extent Of the value of phosphate
| Is hardly realized. and with the need
| that there viii he for II as the years
| roll ON and the necessity for fertiliz-
| ing the land shall become more acute.
| this will he a product which will prob
ably attract the greed ~ monopoiists.
| Public Land Along Streams.
with respect to the public land
which lies along the streams Offering
opportunity TO convert water power
| into transmissihle electricity. another
| important phase OF the public land
| question is presented. There are val
uabie water power sites through all
| the public land states. The opinion
| IL held that the transfer of sovereignty
| territorial governments as they become
| states. included the water power in
| the rivers except so far as that owned
| by riparian proprietors. I do not
think II necessary I" 80 into discussion
| OF this somewhat mootcd question OF
| law. II seems To me sufficient to say
that the man who owns and controls
the land along the stream from which
the power is to he converted and trans
mitted. owns land which is indispens-
| al IN, hp y.4r and of that
power. I cannot conceive how the
, power in streams flowing through pub
lie lands can ba made available at all
except by using the land itself as the
site for the construction of the plant
by which the power is generated and
converted and securing a right OF way
| thereoxer for transmission lines. I'm
| der these condition. II the government
owns the adjacent land-'ndeed. IL the
| government Is the riparian owner-it
| may control the use OF the water power
| by imposing proper conditions on the
| disposition Of tn. land necessary In the
creation ana utilization of the water
| power.
Value OF Water Power.
Tho development In electrical appii-
| ances for the conversion OF the water
! power into electricity to be transmitted
| long. distances has progressed so far that
IL liz no longer prohiematical. but II Is a
certain Inference that In the future the
to a large extent will take the place OF
natural fuels. In the disposition OF the
domain already granted. many water
power sites have come under absolute
ownership. anh may drift into one own
ership, so that all the water power under
| private ownership shall be monopoly.
IT, however. The water power sites now
owned by the gesernment-and there are
| enough OF them-shali be disposed of to
; private persons tor the investment OF
/ taI IN mt
their union FOR purposes of monopoly
! | with other water pawer sites. and under
conditions thar shall limit the right Of use
to not exceeding thirty years with renewal
. | privileges and some equitable means OF
| fixing terms OF rental and with proper
means for determining a reasonable grad
uafed rental. ~ would seem entirely pos
! | sihle 10 prevent the absorption of these
! | most useful lands by power monopoly.
, As long as the government retains con.
: troll and can prevent their Improper union
: with other plants. competition must be
maintained and prices kept reasonable.
: Soils Must BE Conserved.
6 In considering the conservation of the
n natural resources of the country. the fea.
c ture that transesnds all others. including
: woods. waters. minerals is the soil of the
: country. II is incumbent upon the gov
o eminent 10 foster by all available means
: the resources OF the country that produce
n the food of the people. To this end the
e conservation OF the soils of the countr,
h should be cared for with all means at the
{ governments disposal Their productive
z powers should have the attention OF ouI
: scientists that We may conserve the new
z Soils improve the old soils. drain wei
n soils. ditch swamp soils. levee river over
d | now soils. grow trees on thin soils. pas
>. | lure hillside soils. rotate crops on al
Il soils. discover methods for cropping DR.,
Il land soils. dnd grasses and iegumes fol-
Is all soils. feed grains and mill feeds or
i the farms where they originate. that tn,
j soils from which they come may be en-
u riched.
i work OF the utmost importance TO in
j. form and instruct the public On this chiel
o branch OF the conservation OF our re
Il sources II being carried on successfully
% | in the department of Agriculture: but il
,. ought not to escape public attention thai
b | state action In addition to that OF the de
9 partmenf OF agriculture fas for instances