The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1910-01-20

Washington.-The president trans.
mitted to congress Il 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-
tives;
In my annual message I reserved the
subject OF the conservation Of our ma
tional resources for disposition in a spc-
cial message, us follows
In several departments there In pre-.
scented the necessity for legislation look
lns 10 the further conservation OF our
national resources, and the subject is one
OF such importance as 90 require n more
detailed md extended discussion than
can be entered upon in this communlca-
ZION. For that reason / shall take an
early opportunity to send q 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 prcscr-
walton OF our forests and the re-foTestIng
Of suitable areas. upon the re-classiflca-
ton Of the public domain with n view OF
separating from agricultural settlement
mineral coal and phosphate lands and
sites belonging TO the government Dor
dering on streams suitable for the utlli-
Eation of water power
In 1860 we had n public domain OF lci5.-
I'll .2SS acres. We have now T3t35{ GSi
acres, confined largely TO the mountain
rnnges and the arid and scm.arid plans
We have. in addition. 3GS OK. s55 acres Of
land in Alaska.
Disbursement Of Public Lands.
The public lands were. during the earll-
est administrations. treated as n national
asset for the liquidation Of the public
debt and as n source OF reward FOR our
soldiers and sailors, Later on they we're
donated in large amounts in aid Of the
construction OF wagon roads and rail-
ways, In order to open up regions In the
west then almost inaccessible All the
principal land statutes were enacted more
than quarter OF 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 fraudulcntly
obtained and that the right to recover a
large part OF such lands for the govern
ment long since ceased by reason ~ stat
utes Of limitations There has developed
In recent years r. deep concern In the
public mind respecting tho preservation
and proper use Of our natural resources.
This has been particularly directed
toward the conservation Of the resources
Of the public domain. vast amount OF
discussion has appeared IN tho public
prints In generallzed form m this sub
ject. but there has been little practical
suggestion II has been easy to say that
the natural resources In fuel supply. I'm
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. as they are 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
only for unborn generations.
Noteworthy Reforms.
Among the most noteworthy reforms
initiated by my distinguished predecessor
were tho vigorous prosecution u land
frauds and the bringing to public atten-
ton OF the necessity for preserving the
remaining public domain from further
epoliation. for tho maintenance and ex-
tension OF our forest resources. and for
the enactment OF laws amending tho OBJ
so!ete statutes so as 20 retain govern
mental control over that part OF the pub
Nc domain in which there are 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 tho streams in
which the fall of water can be- made to
generate power to be Transmitted In the
form OF electricity many miles to the
point OF its use. known us water power
sites.
The present statutes except so far
as they dispose of the precious metals
and the purely agricultural lands, are
not adapted TO carry out the modern
view OF tine best disposition OF public
lands to private ownership. under con.
ditions offering on the one hand sum-
Client inducement to private capital to
take them over for proper develop
ment, with restrictive conditions on
the other which shall secure to the
public that character OF control which
will prevent monopoly or misuse of
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 would
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 execJ-
tive by laws adapted to the new condi-
tIonH. Unfortunately, congress has not