The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1910-01-21
TAFT ON CONSERVATION
President Sends Special Message
to Congress on Subject.
REFERS TO LAND OFFICE ROW
President Taft Would Issue Bonds to
Deepen Mississippi Valley
Waterways.

Washington, D. C.-President NTaft
sent to congress another special mes
sage, this time dealing with the con-
servation OF the nations resources,
He urges the continuation OF the
Roosevelt policies. and pays tribute
to his predecessor for his part IN
starting the movement
Basing his recommendation espe-
cially on those contained in the re-
port of Secretary Of the Interior Bal
linger and declaring the present laws
INADEQUATE, Mr.. Taft asks prompt
measures to save the nations re-
sources. He recommends bond is
sue Of $4,000 900 for the reclamation
Of arid lands, the bonds to run IA
years or more and the proceeds to
be applied to the completion OF the
projects already taken up and their
extension. Rentals from water sites
would, he believes, aid in clearing the
debt.
TO Safeguard Water Powers.
He also urges a careful survey o.
the river improvement work, partlc-
ularly regarding the Mississippi, III
the hope that it may be pushed still
further eventually. The deepening Oh
the Ohio and the Missouri, now under
way, should be pushed, he holds.
The message also urges laws to
safeguard the nations water power
Although the message is OF especial
significance in regard to the long dis
pute between Clifford Pinchot, late
chief forester, and Secretary HAHN
ger, the president mentions that con-
troyersy but briefly, declaring that
the results Of the congressional in
curry into the case are not needed
to determine the value OF the new
legislation he urges.
Improvement Of the Mississippi.
One of the principal recommends.
lions of the message is the careful
consideration Of the Improvement OF
the Mississippi and the pushing OF
the work if it is found justitiable.
Referring to the present situation
of the public lands President Taft
makes this startling statement:
''The truth is that title to millions
of acres Of public lands was fraudu-
lently obtained and that the right to
recover large part of such lands for
the government long since ceased by
reason of statutes of limitations"
Later on, returning to the, illegal
holding of lands rightfully the ma
tons and referring specifically, al
though without mention of names, to
the lands involved in the Ballinger-
Pinchot dispute the Cunningham
Alaska coal land claims-he says:
The Cunningham Coal Lands.
'"The Investigations into violations
Of the public land laws and the
prosecution, as has been the with
drawal of coal lands for classification
and valuation and the temporary
Withholding of power sites"
The present statutes, except those
that relate to purely agricultural
lands or those containing precious
metals, are, says the president, mot
adapted to carry out the modern view
of the best disposition Of public lands
to private ownership"
Turning to the new laws he be-
Iieves necessary, he declares that 1t
is the duty of congress to validate
the Withdrawals which nave been
made by the secretary of the interior
and the president and to authorize
the secretary temporarily to with
draw lands pending submission TO
congress Of recomIne ndations as. to
legislation to meet conditions or
emergencies ais they arise.
Should Classify Lands.
Zone Of the most pressing needs OF
public land REFORM ne says, lis that
lands should be classified according
to their principal value or USE"
It was on this point that the Bal
linger-P inchot row hung, as the for
mer chief forester maintained that
the governments conduct in the lit
igacion over the Cunningham claims,
was intended to thwart the United
States from securing the full value
of the Alaskan coal claims, which the
claimants wished to secure at a nom
inal value not based on their coal
value strictly.
The means for accomplishing this
end, holds the president, is through
the interior department and its
branch, the geological survey.
Much Of the confusion, fraud and
contention which has existed in the
past has arisen from lack Of an Off
cial and determinatiYe classification,
asserts the message.
Conserve Phosphate Deposits.
The proposal Of the president to Up
ply to Alaska, as well as to the Unit