Rocky Ford enterprise., 1910-12-09
SECRETARY BALLINGER
Extending Time of Fl.
nal Proof to Seven Years.

lie, Secretary Ballinger, of the De-
partment of the Interior. devotes a
large amount of space to public-land
problems. After reciting the history
of the public domain and giving sta
tistics to show that there is now re-
naming unappropriated and unre-
served 7II.8o6,4oo acres of public land
in continental United States and Alas
ka. the Secretary says:
Heretofore, as will be seen, it has
been the policy of Congress to dis
pose of the public lands to those who
were disposed to make the best use
of them, none of which were disposed
of with a view to securing revenue for
governmental support. Even the coal
lands were sold at nominal figures.
and until few years ago they were
not entered even at that figure, ex-
cept where market facilities made the
land salable for their product.
Under more conservative theories
the question now is of saving the
remnant of the public lands from mo-
nopolization or misuse without aban-
doning the old policies of encourag-
ing development. The highest pro-
ductivc use of these lands is the con-
cern Of the people. The methods Of
securing this use are the concern of
national and state governments.
New or amendatory legislation re-
specting our public lands should be
direct, simple, effective, and relate
principally to the proper form of dis
water-power sites. oil lands, coal
lands, and rights Of way over public
lands
The area of public and Indian lands
included in original entries and FL
ings during the fiscal year 1910 is
1891 ,26oo9 acres. which is an in
area entered during the year 1909
The area patented during the fiscal
year 1910 is Io,o83.Iso.I2 acres, of
which amount 7.4ol.s08 acres was dis
posed of under the homestead laws.
The total cash receipts from the
sales OF public lands. including fees
and commissions, were $8.37I ,637. 10;
from the sales of Indian lands. $2,o37.-
ssI6S; reclamation water-right
charges, $77o.s86.3S; dcpredations on
public lands. sales of government
property, and copies Of records. $eSl,-
I48o3, making the total cash receipts
from all sources in connection with
the public lands $II,l63.o24.o6, a de-
crease Of $7s2+oI.33 from the fiscal
year 1909.
The excess of receipts over all ex-
penditures and estimated liabilities Of
the public land service is $S,784. 500. 81.
There has teen an increase over
previous years in area ofsiands enter
ed. but q decrease in the acreage pat
ented. although patents issued have
exceeded in number those isued dur
sv- he hox a
wider distribution of the lands patent
ed.
In view of the conflict between
watcr-power Withdrawals and appli-
cations for rights of way for pur-
poses Of irrigation. as we'll as the de-
velopment Of power. the department
is granting, after field investigation,
rights of way for irrigation where
the value of the site is found to be
higher for the reclamation OF arid
lands than for the development of
commercial power. There have been
also granted, after field investigation.
some rcvoeablc permits under the act
of 1901 in cases where the claims
had been initiated prior to withdraw
al and appeared not to conflict with
the public interest. All applications
of both classes, however, have been
granted under stipulations designed
to limit and control the use. The sys-
TEN of granting revocable permits un-
der the act of 1901 is unsatisfactory
both to the Government and the ap-
plicant and tends to discourage in
vestment and the hcalthful develop
ment of such projects. especially in
cases where large capital is necessary
for the construction of plants and
works.
There is now withdrawn from dis
position. pending legislation concern
ing watcr-power sites, approximately
I,45o,ooo acres of the public domain.
In the various public-land States
and Territories containing WATERPROOF
er resources, in so far as there IS
present market for those powers. the
title to areas greater in extent than
that remaining in the Government
has long since passed into private
ownership, and it must be realized
that any radical or burdcnsome re-
striction imposed by the Federal Gov
crnment upon this resource will op-
crate as a servitude on the public
lands and discourage their develop
ment and use.
Taking into consideration the facts
that the States own the waters in the
streams and have police power to
supervise and control public utilities.
it would seem a direct and effective
method of control would be to trus-
tee the power sites to the States in
some such manner as proposed by a
bill now pending in Congress.
earnestly advise the adoption OF
some legislation which will in any
event retain the fee title to the lands
in the people and cffectually vest the
power of regulation and control in
the State or in the Federal Govern
ment, and which will not result in
limiting prompt and economical de-
vclopment or permit monopolization
or extortion.