The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1910-01-21
URGES CONSERVATION OF
THE NATIONS RESOURCES
President Taft Sends Special Message to Con-
gress Recommending Prevention Of Land
Frauds, Control Of Water Power, Fos-
tering Of Soils and Kindred Subjects

One ct the most pressing needs in
tho matter OF public.land reform is
that lands should be classified accord
log to their principal value use. This
ought to be done by that or department.
whose force is best adapted to that
work. 1t should be done by the inter
for department through the geological
survey. Much OF confusion. fraud. and
contention which has existed in the
present has arisen from the lack OF
cation ct the public lands and their
contents.
1t rs now proposed to dispose Of ag-
rtculturat lands MS such. and at the
same time to reserve for other DISPOSE
ton the treasure OF coal. oil. ashphal.
tnm. natural gas and phosphate con-
tanned therein. This may be best ac-
compltshed by separating the right
to mine from the title to the surface.
giving tho necessary use OF so much OF
the latter as may he required for the
extraction OF the deposits The sur
face might he disposed Of as agricul-
tural land under the general agricul-
tural statutes. while the coal or other
mineral could he disposed Of ny lease
on royalty basis. with the provisions
requiring a certain AMOUNT OF develop
ment each year; and in order to pre-
vent the use and cesston OF said lands
with others OF similar character so az
to constitute a monopoly forbidden by
law. the lease should contain suitable
provision subjecttng to forfeiture the
interest OF persons participating in
such monopoly. Such law should ap-
ply to Alaska as we'll as to the United
States.
Statute Difficult to Frame.
It Is exceedingly difficult to frame
n statute to retain government control
over a property to be developed by
private capital in such n manner as
to secure the governmental purpose
and at the same time not brighten
away the investment OF the necessary
capital. Hence. It may be necessary
by laws that are really only expert
mental to determine from their prac-
tical operation what is the best
method " securing the result aimed at
Is hardly realized. and with the need
that there will be for 1t as the years
roll on and the necessity for fertiliz-
ing the land shall become more acute,
this will be product which will prob
ably attract the greed of monopolists
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
liable water power sites through all
the public land states. The opinion
is held that the transfer of sovereignty
from the federal government to the
territorial governments as they become
states. included the water power in
by riparian proprietors. do not
think 1t necessary to go into discussion
Of this somewhat mooted question of
law. 1t 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
United. owns land which is indispens-
power. I cannot conceive how the
power in streams flowing through pub
lie lands can he 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
thereover for transmission lines. I'm
der these condition, If the government
owns the adjacent land-indeed. il the
government is the riparian owner--it
may control the use of the water power
by imposing proper conditions on the
disposition Of the land necessary in the
creation and utilization of the water
power.
Value Of Water Power.
The development in electrical appli-
ances for the conversion of the water
power into electricity to be transmitted
long distances has progressed so far that
it is no longer problematical, but 1t is a
certain inference that in the future the
power OF the water falling in the streams
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. and 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 government-ande there are
enough of them-shall be disposed OF to
private persons tor the Investment Of
their capital III such a way as to prevent
their union for purposes OF monopoly
with other wafer power sites. and under
conditions that 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 reasonable. grad
uated rental. 1t would seem entirely pos
sible to- 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.
In considering the conservation of the
natural resources OF the country. the fea-
ture that transcends all others. Including
woods, waters. minerals. ia the soil of the
country. 1t is,incumbent upon the gov
eminent to foster by all available means
the resources of the country that produce
the food of the people. To this end the
conservation of the soils Of the country
should be cared for with all means at the
governments disposal. Their productive
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