Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-09-05

striving worthily II tne cause all prop
er motives and unless we judicially
consider every measure or method pro-
posed with a view to its effectiveness
in achieving our common purpose and
wholly without regard to who proposes
it or who will claim the credit for it's
adoption.
The problems are of very great diff
Guilty and call for the caimeSt consider
alton and clearest foresight. Many of
the questions presented have phases
that are new in this country, and it is
possible that in their solution we may
have to attempt first one way and then
another
What I wish to emphasize. however.
is that a satisfactory conclusion can
only be reached promptly if we avoid
acrimony, impntations of bad faith
and political controversy.
The public domain of the govern
ment of the United States. including
all the cessions from those OF the
thirteen states tf1at made cessions to
the United States and including Alas
ka, amounted in all to about 100000
600 acres. OF this there are left as
purely government proper,y outside Of
Alaska something like T00.000,O00 Of
acres. OF this the national forest re-
serves in the United States proper en-
brace 144.OO0,OOO acres.
The rest IS largely mountain or ariG
country. offering some opportunity for
agriculture by dry farming and by
reclamation and containing metals as
well as coal. phosphates. oils and nat
urai gas. Then the government owns
many tracts of land lying along the
margins of streams that have water
power the use of which is necessary
In the conversion Of the power into
electricity and its transmission.
Government Ownership.
Inc present congress passed a bin
Of great importance. severing the own
ership Of coal by the government In
the ground from the surface and per-
mitting homestead entries upon the
surface of the iaris. wh;ch, when per-
fected, give the settler the right to
farm the sursS+e. while the coal be
meath the surface is retained in own
ership by the government and may be
disposed of b. II under other laws.
There is no crying need for radical
reform in the methods of disposing OF
what are really agricultural lands.
The present laws have worked well.
The enlarged homestead law has en-
couraged the successful farming OF
lands in the semiarid regions. or
course the teachings of the agricul-
tural department as to how these sub
arid lands may be treated and soil
preserved for useful culture are of the
very essence of conservation.
Then conservation of agricultural
lands is shown in the reclamation Of
arid lands by irrigation. and l should
devote a few words to what the gov
ernment has done and is doing in this
regard
By the reclamation act a fund has
been created of the proceeds of the
public lands of the United States with
which to construct works for storing
great bodies of water at proper alti.
tudes. from which. by a suitable sys-
tenn of canals and bitches, the water
is to be distributed over the arid and
subarid lands of the government to
We SOIu ~ SctllciS at DAlNC
to pay for the Improvements.
The total sum already accumulated
In the reclamation fund is S60.2T3,-
25S.22, and of that all but $6.491 ,955.34
has been expended. 1t became very
clear to congress at its last session.
from the statements made by experts.
that these thirty projects could not be
promptly completed with the balance
remaining on hand or with the funds
likely to accrue in the near future.
1t was found. moreover. that there
are many settlers who have been led
into taking up lands with the hope and
understanding of having water fur
nished in a short time who are left in
a most distressing situation.
Draining Swamp Lands.
Suggestions, ,I,tse ueeiI made that the
United States ought TO aid in the
drainage of swamp lands belonging to
the states or private owners. because
If drained they would be exceedingly
valuable for agriculture and contribute
to the general welfare by extending the
area of cultivation. l deprecate the
agitation in favor of such legislation.
1t is inviting the general government
into contribution from its treasury to-
ward enterprises that should be con-
Quoted either by private capital or at
the instance of the state. In these
days there is disposition to look too
much to the federal government for
everything.
/ am liberal in the construction OF
the constitution with reference to fed
,eral poMex. hnt 1 am firmly con-