The Montgomery tribune., 1910-09-09

carry up the maximum OF value 70 800
an acre. In my Judgment II Is essential
in tho proper development OF Alaska that
these coal lands should be opened and
that tho Pacific slope should be given the
benefit of the comparatively cheap coal
OF fine quality which can be furnished at |
a reasonable price from these fields; but
the public. through the government,
ought certainly to retain n wise control
and interest in these coal deposits, and /
think II may do 80 safely II congress will
authorize the granting OF leases, as al
ready suggested for government coal
lands in the United States, with provi-
sions forbiddng the transfer of the
leases except with the consent OF the
government thus preventing their acqui-
sition by n combination or monopoly and
upon limitations as to the area to be In |
cluded In any one lease to one individual
and at certain moderate rental. with |
royalties upon the coal mined propor- |
toned to the market value OF the coal |
either at Seattle or at San Francisco or |
course such leases should contain condi- |
tions requiring the erection OF proper
plants, the proper development by mod
ern mining methods OF the properties |
| lea sed, and the use OF every known and |
| practical means and device for saving the
| life OF the miners
OIL and Gas Lands.
In tho last administration there were
withdrawn from agricultural entry 2.s2O,-
| 600 acres of supposed oil land in Califor-
| MIA: about q million and half acres in
| Louisiana, OF which only $500 acres
| were known to be vacant unappropria-
ted land; 1900 acres in oregon and 14.-
900 acres in Wyoming. making total OF
| nearly 1000, 900 acres. In September 1909,
| directed that all public oil lands.
| whether then withdrawn or not, should
| be withheld from disposition pending con-
| gressional action, for the reason that the
| existing placer mining law, although
| made applicable to deposits of this char
| acter, Is net suitable to such lands, and
| for the further reason that Il seemed de-
| sirable to reserve certain fuel-oil deposits
for the use of the American navy. Ac-
| cordingly the form of all existing with
l drawals was changed, and new with
| drawals aggregating 2.750.0o0 acres were
made in Arizona. California Colorado,
New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. Field
examinations during the year showed
that of the original Withdrawals, 2.17o,-
900 acres were not valuable for OIL and
they were restored for agricultural entry.
Meantime, other Withdrawals of public
oil lands in these states were made, so
that July 1, 1910, the outstanding with
drawals then amounted to 4b50,00o acres.
The needed oil and gas law Is essential
ly leasing law. In their natural occur
renee, oil and gas cannot be measured In
terms of acres, like coal, and 1t follows
that exclusive title to these products can
normally be secured only after they reach
the surface. Oil should be disposed of as
commodity in terms of barrels of
transportable product rather than in
acres of real estate This is of course.
the reason for the practically universal
adoption of the leasing system wherever
oil land Is in private ownership. The
government thus would not be entering
| on an experiment but simply putting
into effect plan successfully operated in
private contracts. Why should not the
government as q landowner deal directly
with the oil producer rather than through
the Intervention of a middleman to whom
the government gives title to the land?
The principal underlying feature of
such legislation should be the exercise of
beneficial control rather than the collec-
ton of revenue. AS not only the largest
owner of oil lands, but as a prospective
large consumer of of by reason of the
increasing use OF fuel oil by the navy.
the federal government is directly con-
cerned both In encouraging rational de-
velopment and at the same time insuring
the longest possible life to the oil sup
| ply.
One of the difficulties presented, espe-
ciaIly in the California fields. Is that the
Southern Pacific railroad owns every
| other section of land in the oil field,
and in those fieldE the oil seems to be in
| common reservoir, or series OF reser-
yoirs. communicating through the oil
| oil at one well, or on the railroad terri
tory generally, would exhaust the oil In
the government land. Hence II is I'M
| portant that II the government Is to have
| its share of the oil it should begin the
| opening of wells on Its own property.
D 1t has been suggested, and believe the
8 suggestion to be sound one, that per-
mits be issued to a prospector for Oil
/, giving him the right to prospect for two
!, years over a certain tract of government
l 49, Atl ftNa y~tcrnf ff
: be evidenced by license for which he
n paws a small sum. When the oil is dis
Q i covered, then he acquires title to GER
Q tain tract. much In the same way as ne
o would acquire title under mining law
: OF course II the system OF leasing II
T adopted, then he would be given thu
t benefit of lease upon terms like tha
II above suggested. What has been said II
II respect to oil applies also to government
II gas lands.
d Phosphate Lands.
l. Phosphorus is ono of the three essen
It tials to plant growth, the other element
Ie being nitrogen and potash. or thes
% three, phosphorus Is by all odds tn
scarcest element in nature. It is easil
Al extracted in useful form from the phos
,e | phate rock, and the United States con
- tains the greatest known deposits of thi
ot rock In the world. They are found ]
az | wyoming, Utah and Florida, as well q
,e in South Carolina, Georgia and Tennes
Id | see. The government phosphate lands ar
e. confined to wyoming. Utah and Floridt
g. Prior to March 4, 1909, there were 400o.0t
le acres withdrawn from agricultural entr
"a in the ground that tho land covered pho'
a. phate rock. Since that time, 2,322,0oo acre
of the land thus withdrawn was foun
a. not to contain phosphate in profitab
h. quantities, while 1.67S000 acres was class
"a fed properly as phosphate lands. Durir
be this administration there has been will
m | drawn and classified $4,000 acres, so thu
"a, | today there is classified as phosphate roc
nv | land 2,1150b0 acres. This rock is mo
M | important in the composition OF fertilize
IA to improve the soil. and as the future
NJ certain to create an enormous demar
~ throughout this country for fertilizatio
nr the value to the public of such deposi
Io- as these can hardly be exaggerated. Ce
IL tainiy with respect to these deposits
&c careful policy of conservation should