The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-09-06

The representatives OF the govern
ment in the hearings before the land
Office have attacked the validity Of
these Cunningham claims on the
ground that prior TO their location
there was an understanding between
/ the claimants TO pool their claims after
they had been perfected and unite
them IN one company. The trend Of
decision seems to show that such an
agreement would invaiidate the claims,
although under the subsequent law Of
MAY 2S, 1905. the consolidation OF such
claims was permitted. after location
and entry. in tracts Of 2.5e0 acres.
It would be, Of course. improper for
me to intimate what the result Of the
issue as to the Cunningham and other
Alaska claims Is likely 20 be. but II
ought to be distinctly understood that
no private claims for Alaska coal lands
have as yet been allowed or perfected
ana also that whatever the result as to
pending claims the existing coal land
laws Of Alaska are most unsatisfac-
tory and should be radically amended.
oil and Gas Lands.
In the last administration there were
withdrawn from agricultural entry
$4,000 acres Of supposed oil land in
California. about 100000 acres In
Louisiana. OF which only $500 acres
were known 10 be vacant unappropri-
atcd land: 10000 acres in Oregon and
i74,0o0 acres in Wyoming. making
total Of neurly 100000 acres.
In September. 1909. | directed TINT
all public oil lands. whether then with
drawn or not, should BE withheld from
disposition pending congressional ac-
ton for the reason that the existing
placer mining law. although fan6e ap-
plicabie to deposits Of this character,
8 not suitable to such lands and for
the further reason that It seemed de-
slrable to reserve certain fuel oil dc
posits for the use Of the American
navy.
Accordingly the form Of all existing
Withdrawals was changed. and new
Withdrawals aggregating 2.T50.000
acres were made in Arizona. Caiifor-
MIA. Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and
Wyoming Field examinations during
the year showed that of the original
Withdrawals 2.1T0.000 acres were not
valuable for oil. and they were re
stored for agricultural entry Mean.
time other Withdrawals Of public oil
lands in these states were made, so
that July 1, 1910. the outstanding with
drawals then amounted to 4,550,000
acres.
Oil For Navy.
The principal underlying feature Of
such legislation should be the exercise
of beneficial control rather than the
collection of revenue. As not only the
largest owner Of oil lands, but as a
prospective large consumer of oil by
reason of the increasing use of fuel oil
by the navy. the federal government
is directly concerned both IN encourag-
ing rational development and at the
same time insuring the longest pos
sible life TO the OIL supply.
The royalty rates fixed by the gov
eminent should neither exceed nor fall
below the current rates. But much
more important than revenue IS the
enforcement of regulations to conserve
the public interest so that the cove
nants OF the lessees shall specifically
safeguard oil fields against the penal
ties from careless drillings and Of
production In excess of transportation
facilities or of market requirements.
One Of the difficulties presented. Is.
pecially in the California fields, Is that
the Southern Pacific railroad owns
every other section OF land In the oil
fields. and In those fields the oil seems
to be in a common reservoir or series
Of reservoirs communicating through
the oil sands, SO that the excessive
draining OF oil at one well or on the
railroad territory generally would ex-
haust the oil In the government land;
hence 1t Is important that II the gov
eminent Is to have its share Of the oil
1t should begin the opening and deyel-
opment Of wells on its own property.
In view of the Joint ownership
which the government and the adioin.
ing landowners like the Southern Pa
clfic railroad have in the oil reservoirs
below the surface, II is a most inter
esting and intricate question, difficult
of solution, but one which ought to adj
dress itself at once to the state law
makers how far the state legislature
might impose appropriate restrictions
to secure an equitable enjoyment OF |
the common reservoir and to prevent |