Smyrna times., 1910-01-19
To SAFEGUARD
OUR RESOURCES
President Urges Congress to
Save Public Wealth.
PRESENT LAWS INADEQUATE
Mr.. Taft Urges a ssO,ooo,ooo Loan to
Develop Lands - Says Millions OF
Acres Have Been Stolen.

Acres have Been OtOlSus
WASHINGTON. Jan. Is. President
Taft sent to congress another special
message, this time dealing with the
conservation of the nations resources.
He urges the continuation OF the
Roosevelt policies, and pays tribute to
his predecessor for his part in start
ing the movement.
Basing his recommendations princ1-
paIly on those contained in the report
of Secretary of the Interior Ballinger,
and declaring the present laws made
auate. Mr.. Taft asks prompt measures
TO save the nations resources. He
recommends a bond issue of $3O,OOO,-
900 for the reclamation of arid lands,
the bonds to run fourteen years or
more and the proceeds to be applied
to the completion of the projects al
ready taken up and their extension.
Rentals from water sites would, he
believes, aid in clearing the debt.
He also urges a careful survey OF
the river improvement work, particu-
larly regarding the Mississippi, in the
hope that it may be pushed still fur
ther eventually. The deepening of the
Ohio and the Missouri, now under way,
should be pushed, he holds.
The message also urges laws to
safeguard the nations water power.
Although the message is of especial
significance in regard to the long dis
pute between Clifford Pinchot, late
chief forester, and Secretary Ballinger,
the president mentions that controver-
sy only briefly, declaring that the re-
suits of the congressional inquiry into
the case are not needed to determine
the value of the new legislation he
urges.
One of the principal recommends
tions of the message is the careful
consideration of the improvement of
the Mississippi and of the pushing OF
the work if it is found justifable.
Millions of Acres Stolen.
Referring to the present situation
of the public lands, President Taft
makes this startling statement:
"The truth is that title to millions
of acres of public lands was fraudu
lently obtained and that the right to
recover a large part of such lands fol
the government long since ceased by
reason of the statute of limitations"
~. Later on, returning to this illega
holding of lands rightfully the ma
tons, and referring specifically, al
though ".thout mention of names, tC
the lands involved in the Ballinger
Pinchot dispute - the Cunningham
Alaska coal land claims-he says:
"The investigation into violations o
the public land laws and the prosecu
ton of land frauds have been vigor
ously continued under my administra
ton, as has been the withdrawal o
coal lands for classification and va
uation and the temporary withholdin
of power sites
The present statutes. except thOs
that relate to purely agricultural land
or those containing precious metals
are. says the president, not adapted t
carry out the modern view of the bes
disposition of public lands to priya:
ownership.
Turning to the new laws he believe
HeC6SSdIys ne ueCldItS lHdt II 10 III
duty Of congress to validate the wit
drawals which have been made by II
secretary of the interior and the pres
dent and to authorize the secretal
temporarily to withdraw lands pendiI
Fubmission to congress of recomme
dations as to legislation to meet co
ditions or emergencies as they arise
zone of the most pressing needs
public land reform" he says, as tn
lands should be classified accordil
to their principal value or use"
The means for accomplishing tn
end, holds the president, is throu'
the interior department and it's bronC
the geological survey.