The Springfield herald., 1910-01-21

Washington.-The president trans
mitted to congress special message
on the subject of the conservation of
the nations natural resources. In
substance 1t was as follows:
To the Senate and House of Representa-
tves:
subject of the conservation of our ma
tional resources for disposition in a spe-
cial message, as follows:
In several departments there is pre-
sentcd the necessity for legislation look
Ing to the further conservation of our
national resources. and the subject is one
OF such Importance as to require a more
detailed and extended discussion than
can be entered upon In this communlca-
ton. For that reason ] shall take an
early opportunity to send n special mes
sage to congress on the subject of the
Improvement OF our waterways: upon the
reclamation and irrigation of arid. semi
arid and swamp lands: upon the preser
walton of our forests and the re-foresting
of suitable areas. upon the re-classifca-
ton OF the public domain with view of
separating from agricultural settlement
mineral. coal and phosphate lands and
sites belonging to the government bor-
dering on streams suitable for the utili-
xation of water power
In 1850 we had a public domain of l. .065.
e11, 2ss acres We have now 73l .354 ,0s1
acres. confined largely to the mountain
ranges and the arid and semi-arid plains.
We have. in addition. 36s 035, ,9I5 acres of
land in Alaska.
Disbursement Of Public Lands-
The public lands were. during the earii-
est administrations. treated as a national
asset for the liquidation of the public
debt and as a source of reward for our
soldiers and sailors. Later on they were
donated in large amounts in aid of the
AMI nf nd mi
ways. in order to open up regions in the
west then almost inaccessible. All the
principal land statutes were enacted more
than a quarter of a century ago. The
homestead act. the presumption and tim
ber-culture act. the coal land and the
mining acts were among these.
Fraudulent Titles.
Tho truth Is that title to millions of
acres of public lands was fraudulently
obtained and that the right to recover a
large part OF such lands for the govern
ment long since ceased by reason of stat
utes of Limitations. There has developed
in recent years deep concern in the
public mind respecting the preservation
and proper use of our natural resources.
This has been particularly directed
toward the conservation OF the resources
OF the public domain. a vast amount of
discussion has appeared in the public
prints in gcneralized form on this sub
ject. but there has been little practical
SuKEeSuOn II nus Deen easy 10 say tnAt
the natural resources in fuel supply. in
forests, in water power, and in other
public utilities. must be saved from
waste, monopoly, and other abuses. and
the general public is in accord with this
proposition. they with most
truisms. The problem. however. Is how
to save and how to utilize, how to con-
serve and still develop. for no sane per-
son can contend that II is for the COM
mon good that natures blessings are
np1x, Tor ltpI
Noteworthy Reforms.
Among the most noteworthy reforms
Initiated by my distinguished predecessor
were the vigorous prosecution of land
frauds and the bringing to public ntten-
ton of the necessity for preserving the
remaining public domain from further
| spoliation. for the maintenance and ex-
tension of our forest resources and for
| the enactment OF laws amending the OBJ
| solete statutes as to retain govern
mental control over that part of the pub
| lie domain in which there valuable
| deposits of coal. of oil. and of phosphate.
and In addition thereto, to preserve con-
| troll, under conditions favorable to the
| public. of the lands along the streams in
| which the fall of water be made to
generate power to be transmitted in the
| form of electricity many miles to the
point of Its use. known as water power
| sites.
| The present statutes, except so far
/ as tneS dispose OIL tnt precious
| and the purely agricultural lands. are
| not adapted to carry out the modern
| view of the best disposition of public
| lands to private ownership. under con
ditions Offering on the one hand suffi
| cient inducement to private capital tc
take them over for proper develop
! ment. with restrictive conditions or
| the other which shall secure to the
| public that character of control which
| will prevent n monopoly misuse oil
| the lands or their products. The power
| OF the secretary of the Interior to with
| draw from the operation of existing
statutes tracts of land. the disposition
| of which under such statutes woult
| be detrimental to the public interests
| is not clear or satisfactory. This power
| has been exercised in the interest OF
the public, with the hope that congress
might affirm the action of the execu'
| tive by laws adapted TO the new condi'
tions. Unfortunately. congress has no
|