The Nevada County picayune. (Prescott, Ark.) 190?-current, 1910-09-09
CONSERVATION A DUTY,
DECLARES PRESIDENT TAFT
Members of National Congress at St. Paul Find
Him Thoroughly in Accord with Their
ldeas---His Speech

lie Promptly Completed. and the settlers
might be relieved from their present in
convenience and hardship. In authorizing
the issue of these projects. congress Inn
tied the application of their proceeds to
those projects which a board OF army en-
gineers to be appointed by the president,
should examine and determine to be
feasible and worthy OF completion. The
board has been appointed and soon will
make its report
Suggestions have been made that the
United States ought to aid in the drain
age of swamp lands belonging to the
states private owners, because, II
drained, they would be exceedingly val
liable for agriculture and contribute to
the general welfare by extending the
area of cultivation. I deprecate the agi-
tation In favor of such legislation. It Is
inviting the general government into
contribution from It's treasury toward en-
terprises that should be conducted either
by private capital or at the instance of
the state. In these days there Is a dispo-
sition to look too much to the federal
government for everything. I am liberal
In the construction OF the Constitution
with reference to federal power; but
am firmly convinced that the only safe
course for us to pursue is to hold fast
to the limitations Of the Constitution and
to regard as sacred the powers of the
states. We have made wonderful prog
served with Judicial exactness the re-
strictions OF the Constitution. There is
an easy way In which the Constitution
can be violated by congress without
judicial inhibition, to-wit, by appropria-
lions from the national treasury fer IN
constitutional purposes. 1t will be a sorry
day for this country II the time ever
comes when our fundamental compact
shall be habitually dsregarded in this
manner.
Mineral Lands.
bearing metals. or what are called metal
/ liferous minerals. The rules of owner
ship and disposition OF these lands were
| first fixed by custom in the west, and
then were embodied In the law. and they
have worked. on the whole, so fairly and
| we'll that l do not think II Is wise to
attempt to change or better them.
Forest Lands.
Nothing can be more important In the
| matter OF conservation than the treatment
| OF our forest lands 1t was probably the
| ruthless destruction of forests in the
| older states that first called attention to
halt In the waste of our resources. This
WAS recognized by congress by an act
| authorizing the executive to reserve from
entry and set aside public timber lands
| as national forests Speaking generally.
/
forests about seventy per cent. of all
| the timber lands of the government.
| Within these forests dncluding 26,Oooo
acres in two forests in Alaska) are 1872
! 900 900 of acres of which l660o0.0e0 Of
acres are In the United States proper and
| include within their boundaries some
thing like 22.0o0O00 OF acres that belong
to the state or TO private individuals. We
| have then, excluding Alaska forests.
| total OF about IA 900 900 acres OF forests
| belonging to the government which is
being treated In accord with the princi-
pies of scientific forestry
The government timber IN this conn-
| try amounts to only one-fourth OF all the
| timber the rest being In private own
ership. Only three per cent. of that which
| is in private ownership is looked after
properly and treated according to mod
| ern rules of forestry. The usual de-
| structive waste and neglect continues In
| the remainder OF the forests owned by
| private persons and corporations. II II
| estimated that fire alone destroys 10000,
| 600 worth of timber year. The
| management OF forests not on public
! land Ia beyond the jurisdiction Of the fed
eral government. II anything can be done
| by law II must be done by the state leg
| ,slatures. l believe that 1t is within their
| constitutional power to require the en-
/ forcement Of regulations in the general
public interest. as TO fire and other
! causes OF waste In the management of
| forests owned by private individuals and
| corporations.
have shown sufficiently the conditions
as to federal forestry to indicate that no
| further legislation is needed at the mo-
ment except an increase in the fire pro-
| lection to national forests and an act
ve:ting the executive with full power to
make forest reservations in every state
where government land is timher-covered
har. he. In md 10 IAH 10 ctrxy
purposes.
Coal Lands.
The next subject and one most impor-
tant for our consideration. is the DISPOSE
ton OF the coal lands In the United
States and in Alaska. First. as TO those
In the United States. At the beginning
81 this administration they were classi-
fed coal lands amounting TO 5i76,0oo
acres, and there were withdrawn from
entry for purposes OF classification IL
SCI 600 acres. Since that time there have
been withdrawn by my order from entry
for classification II. GAS o00 acres making
total withdrawal OF 95.5l5Ooo acres.
Nee ntme. OF the acres thus withdrawn,
II, 37l 200 have been classified and found
not to contain coal. and have been re-
stored to agricultural entry. and 4 1856. go
acres have been classified as coal lands;
while 79.7Ss.0 900 acres remain withdrawn
from entry and await classification. In
addition 1885,. 600 acres have been classi-
fed as coal lands without prior withdraw
al thus increasing the classified coal
lands to 1o.l6S 900 acres.
Under the laws providing for the dispo-
sition OF coal lands, the minimum price
at which lands are permitted to be sold
4. $40 an acre but the secretary of the
interior has the power TO fix a maximum
price and sell at that price. BY the first
regulations governing appraisal APP
proved April s. 1907, the minimum was $40
as provided by law. and the maximum
was 500, and the highest price actually
placed upon any land sold was SIS I'm
der the new regulations. adopted April 10.
1902 the maximum price was increased to
$40 except In regions where there are
large mines. where no maximum limit Is
fixed and the price is determined by the
estimated tons OF coal to the acre The
highest price fixed for any land under
this regulation has been s6oS. The ap-
praisal value OF the lands classified as
coal lands and valued under the new and
old regulations Is shown TO be as follows
4S03. 92i acres. valued under the old reg,l-
lations at 81. e44.S 2s. an average Of SIS an