Barbour County index., 1910-09-14
CONSERVATION A DUTY,
DECLARES PRESIDENT TAFT
Members of National Congress at St. Paul Find
Him Thoroughly in Accord with Their
Ideas---His Speech.

sured earnings by the projects, so that
the projects. worthy and feasible. might
be promptly completed. and the settlers
might be relieved from their present in
convenience and hardship. In authorizing
the Issue of these projects, congress linn
tied the application of their proceeds to
those projects which 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 It's report.
Suggestions have been made that the
United States ought to aid in the drain
age of swamp lands belonging to the
states or private owners, because, If
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. 1t is
Inviting the general government into
contribution from its treasury toward en-
terprises that should be conducted either
by private capital or at the instance OF
the state. In these days there is diSpo-
sitton 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 l
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
ress and at the same time have pre-
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-
| tions from the national treasury for un-
| constitutional purposes. 1t will be a sorry
! day for this country II the time ever
comes when our fundamental compact
hol ha hah 1ly Io6 IN, h;o
! manner.
Mineral Lands.
BY mineral lands I mean those 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
| well that l do not think 1t 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
| a 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.
| there has been reserved of the existing
| forests about seventy per cent. of all
| the timber lands of the government.
| Within these forests Gncluding 26,000000
acres in two forests in Alask) are 1872
| 000 900 of acres, Of which 166,000,000 of
| acres are in the United States proper, and.
| include within their boundaries some
| thing like 100000 Of acres that belong
| to the state or to private individuals. We
| have then, excluding Alaska forests. a
| 1f
belonging to the government which is
! being treated in accord with the princi-
| pies of scientific forestry.
The government timber in this coun-
| 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. 1t is
estimated that fire alone destroys $50,O0O,-
| 600 worth of timber a year. The
| mana cement of forests not on public
! land is beyond the jurisdiction Of the fed
| eral government If anything can be done
| by law it must be done by the state leg
| 'slatures. I believe that 1t is within their
| constitutional power to require the en-
/ forcement of regulations in the general
| public interest. to fire and other
causes OF waste In the management Of
forests owned by private individuals and
corporations.
I 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
vesting the executive with full power to
make forest reservations in every state
where government land Is timber-covered.
or where the land Is needed for forestry
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
OF this administration they were classi-
fed coal lands amounting to 5476, ,OCC
acres, and there were withdrawn from
entry for purposes of classification IL
$4,000 acres. Since that time there have
been withdrawn by my order from entry
for classification 77,64SOOo acres. making
total withdrawal of 95515,0o0 acres
| Meantime, of the acres thus withdrawn
, ! 11.S71. 900 have been classified and found
not to contain coal, and have been re-
stored to agricultural entry. and 4356, ,0O(
acres have been classified coal lands
while T9,7SS,0oO acres remain withdrawn
from entry and await classification Ir
, addition $4,000 acres have been classi
} fed as coal lands without prior withdraw.
al, thus increasing the classified Goa
lands to 10 16s. 900 acres
Under the laws providing for the dispo
, sition of coal lands, the minimum price
I at which lands are permitted to be solo
I is $40 an acre: but the secretary OF tn,
, interior has the power to fx a maximum
price and sell at that price BY the frs
I, regulations governing appraisal an
4 proved April s. 1907 the minimum was $40
I as provided by law. and the maximum
3 was 500. and the highest price actualI,
3 placed upon any land sold was $40. Un
4 der the new regulations adopted April 10
3 1893. the maximum price was increased I,
= $50. except in regions where there ar
[ large mines. where no maximum limit Il
: fixed and the price is determined by tn
= estimated tons OF coal to the acre Th
s highest price fixed for any land unde
o this regulation has been secs. The ap
e praisal value of the lands classified a
e coal lands and valued under the new an,
: old regulations Is shown 10 be as follows
n 4-SJs. .921 acres. valued under the old reg5I
q lations at S77.s4.229. an average OF SIS a,
: acre: and 5.s6i.7O2 acress classified an,