The Ordway new era., 1910-01-21

01tted to congress a special message
on the subject Of the conservation Of
tie nations natural resources. In
substance 1t was as follows:
tTe the Senate and House Of Representa-
dives:
In my annual message reserved the
subject of the conservation of our ma
'0onal resources for disposition in o spe-
sial message. as follows:
In several departments there Ia pre-
ssnted the necessity for legislation look
Ing to the further conservation OF our
aational resources. and the subject Is one
Of such Importance rs to require a more
detailed and extended discussion than
can be entered upon In this communica-
Seon. For that reason I shall take an
| early opportunity to send a special mos
.sage to congress on the subject OF tho
Improvement of our waterways: upon the
Exclamation and Irrigation Of arid. semi
tarid and swamp lands: upon the preser-
kvation OF our forests and the re-foresting
Of suitable areas: upon tho re-clnssIfca-
Hon OF the public domain with view OF
Separating from agricultural settlement
mineral. coal and phosphate lands and
tsites belonging to the government bor-
{dering on streams suitable for the utili-
t1ation OF water power.
d In 1850 we had n public domain of 1.o65.-
nl. .2ss acres. We have now 73l, ,35t. .0Sl
acres. confined largely to the mountain
,Sangcs and the arid and semi arid PLAINS
We have. in addition. 36s. .035. .975 acres OF
land in Alaska.
~ Disbursement Of Public Lands.
The public lands were, during the enrli-
| est administrations. treated as a national
ksset for the liquidation of the public
debt and as a source OF reward for our
Soldiers and sailors. Later on they were
n fnI in In In, nj ~ hn
a1onstruction OF wagon roads and rail-
Ways. in order to open up regions In tho
west then almost inaccessible. All the
principal land statutes were enacted more
homestead act. the pre-emption and tim
eer-culturc act. the coal land and the
tpinins acts were among these.
IA Fraudulent Titles.
Tho truth Is that title to millions OF
Scres OF public lands was frnudulently
obtained. and that the right to recover n
large part OF such lands for the govern
innent long since ceased by reason OF stat
,tftes of limitations. There has developed
In recent years n deep concern In the
and proper use OF our natural resources.
This has been particularly directed
d coward the conservation OF the resources
Pf the public domain. vast amount OF
discussion hns appeared In the public
5brints In genernlized form on this sub
t3ect. but there has been little practical
;bugg"stion. 1t has been easy to say that
ftAe natural resources In fuel supply. in
fforests. In water power. and In other
public utilities. must he saved from
; haste. monopoly. and other abuses. and
.the general public is in accord with this
proposition. they are with most
Htrusms. The problem. however. Ii how
$te save and how to utilize how to con-
serve and still develop. for no sane per-
son can contend that 1t Is for the COM
mon good that natures blessings nre
|, Snly for unborn generations.
III Noteworthy Reforms.
Among the most noteworthy reforms
ssaitiated by my distinguished predecessor
iwere the vigorous prosecution OF land
frauds and the bringing to public nttcn-
iuon of the necessity for preserving the
sSremaining public domain from further
fspoliation. for the maintenance and ex-
ttension OF our forest resources. and for
.the enactment OF laws amending the OBJ
1solete statutes as to retain govern
Tmental control over that part OF the pub
lie domain in which there are valuable
deposits of coal. OF oil. and Of phosphate.
gand. In addition thereto. to preserve con-
troll. under conditions favorable to the
public. OF the lands along the streams In
Which tho fall OF water can be made to
\ generate power to be transmitted In tho
form of electricity many miles to tho
1ites.
The present statutes. except so far
A. they dispose OF the precious metals
end the purely agricultural lands. are
not adapted to carry out the modern
view OF the best disposition or pubHc
lands to private ownership. under con
ditions offering on the one hand sum
eient 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 n monopoly or misuse or
the lands or their products. The power
of the secretary Of the interior I" 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.
Ia not clear or satisfactory. This power
has been exercised In the interest or
.the public. with the hope that congress
might affirm tho action Of tn" cx"cu-
tive by laws adapted to the new roHdl- :
tions. Unfortunately, congress has not