Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-05
PHOSPHATE LANDS

phosphorus is one OF the three es-
sentials to plant growth. the other ele-
ments being nitrogen and potash. OF
these three. phosphorus is by all odds the
scarcest element in nature. 1t is easily
extracted in useful form from the phos-
phate rock. and the United States con-
tains the greatest known deposits of this
rock in the world. They are found in
Wyoming. Utah and Florida, as well as in
South Carolina. Georgia and Tennessee
The government phosphate lands are
confined to Wyoming. Utah and Florida
Prior to March 4. 1909, there were 1000
600 acres withdrawn from agricultural
entry on the ground that the land cover
ed phosphate rock. Since that time
2,322,0OO acres OF the land thus with
drawn was found not to contain phos-
phate In profitable quantities. while 1,61S.-
600 acres was classified properly as phos-
phate lands During this administration
there has been withdrawn and classified
4S .OOO acres. so that today there is CLASH
fled as phosphate rock land 21I5. ono
acres. This rock is most important in
the composition OF fertilizers to improve
the soil. and as the future is certain to
create an enormous demand throughout
this country for fertilization, the value
10 the public OF such deposits as these
can hardly be exaggerated
Certainly with respect to these deposits
a careful policy OF conservation should
be followed Half OF the phosphate of
the rock that Is mined In private fields In
the United States is exported. AZ onr
farming methods grow better the demand
for the phosphate will become greater.
and It must be arranged SO that the sup
ply snail equal the needs of the country.
1t Is uncertain whether the placer or lode
law applies TO the government phosphate
rock. There Is. therefore, necessity for
some definite and well considered legisla-
tion on this subject and in aid OF such
legislation all OF the government lands
known to contain valuable phosphate rock
are now withdrawn from entry. A law
that would provide a leasing system for
the phosphate deposits, together with a
provision for the separation of the sur
face and mineral rights as is already pro-
vided for In the case of coal, would seem
to meet the need of promoting the de-
velopment OF these deposits and their
utilization in the agricultural lands OF
the west. II II Is thought desirable TO
discourage the expectation of phosphate
rock and the saving OF II for our own
lands. this purpose could be accomplished
bv conditions in the lease granted by the
government TO its lessees or course,
under the Constitution the government
could not tax and could not prohibit the
of phosphate but as pro-
prietor and owner OF the lands in which
the phosphate Is deposited IL could i'm
nose conditions upon the kind of sales,
whether foreign or domestic. which the
lessees might make of the phosphate
mined.
"The tonnage represented by the phos-
ohate lands In government ownership Is
very great, but the lesson has been
learned in the case of such lands that
have passed into private ownership In
south Carolina, Florida and Tennessee
that the phosphate deposits there are in
NO sense inexhaustible. Moreover, IL
,s also well understood that in the
process of mining phosphate. as IL has
been pursued. much of the lower grade
of phosphate rock, which will eventually
All be needed. has been wasted beyond
recovery. Such waSteful methods can