The Richfield recorder. (Richfield, Idaho) 1909-1931, 1910-01-20

| datiOnS of the executive, and the ques-
| ton as to what the executive is to
do is under the circumstances. full of
| difficulty. 1t seems to me that it is
the duty of congress now. by a statute.
| to validate the Withdrawals which
have been made by the secretary of the
| interior and the president and to use
| the secretary of the interior temporar-
lily to withdraw lands pending submis-
sion to congress of recommendations as
| to legislation to meet conditions or
| emergencies as they arise
Public Land Along Streams.
With respect to the public land
which lies along the streams offering
| opportunity to convert water power
into transmissible electricity. another
question is presented. There are val
liable water power sites through all
the public land states. The opinion
is held that the transfer of sovereignty
from the federal government to the
territorial governments as they become
states. included the water power in
the rivers except so far that owned
by riparian proprietors. l do not
think it necessary to go into discussion
of this somewhat mooted question of
law. 1t seems to me sufficient to say
that the man who owns and controls
the land along the stream from which
the power is to he converted and trans
mitted, owns land which is ndispens-
a BILE to the conversion and use of that
power. l cannot conceive how the
power in streams flowing through pub
lie lands can be made available at all
except by using the land itself as the
site for the construction OF the plant
by which the power is generated and
converted and securing right of way
thereover for transmission, lines. Un-
der these condition, if the government
owns the adjacent land-indeed, if the
MT the
may control the use of the water power
by Imposing proper conditions on the
disposition of the land necessary in the
creation and utilization of the water
power.
Value of Water Power.
The development in electrical appli-
ances for the conversion of the water
power into electricity to be transmitted
long distances has progressed so far that
il is no longer probematcal, but it is a
certain inference that in the future the
power of the water falling in the streams
to a large extent will take the place of
natural fuels. In the disposition of the
domain already granted, many water
power sites have come under absolute
ownership and may drift into one own
ership so that all the water power under
private ownership shall be monopoly.
IT, however, the water power sites now
owned by the government-and there are /
u
private persons for the investment of
their capital in such way as to prevent |
their union for purposes of monopoly |
with other water power sites. and under |
conditions that shall limit the right of use |
to not exceeding thirty years with renewal |
privileges and some equitable means of |
fixing terms of rental and with proper
means for determining a reasonable grad
uated rental, it would seem entirely pos
sible to prevent the absorption of these
most useful lands by power monopoly.
AS long TIE government retains con-
troll and can prevent their improper union
with other plants, competition must be
and prices kept reasonable.
Soils Must Be Conserved.
In considering the conservation of the
natural resources of the country, the fea-
.ure that transcends all Others including
woods, waters. minerals, is the soil of the
1t is incumbent upon the gov
to foster by all available means
he resources of the country that produce
he food of the people. To this end the
of the soils of the country
should be cared for with all means at the
disposal Their productive
powers should have the attention of our
that we may conserve the new
soils. improve the old soils, drain wet
;ols ditch swamp soils, levee river over
low soils. grow trees on thin Soils pas
ure hillside soils, rotate crops on all
oils discover methods for cropping dry
and soils, find grasses and legumes for
Ill Soils feed grains and mill feeds on
he farms where they originate. that the
oils from which they come may be en-
iched
work of the utmost Importance to in
orm and instruct the public on this chief
ranch of the conservation of our re-
ources is being carried on successfully
n the department of agriculture: but it
ught not to escape public attention that
tate action in addition to that of the de-
artment of agriculture (as for instance
n the drainage of swamp lands) is
entail to the best treatment of the soils
n the manner above indicated.
The act by which. in semi-arid parts of
he public domain, the area of the home
tead has been enlarged from 100 to 800
cres has resulted most beneficially in
he extension or dry farming" and in
he demonstration which has been made !
the possibility, through a variation in .
ne character and mode of culture, of .
asng substantial crops without the
resence of such supply of water as
as been heretofore thought to be neces-
ary for agriculture. =
No one can visit the far west and the
ountry of arid and semi-arid lands with
ut being convinced that this is one of
lie most important methods Of the con-
ervation of our natural resources that =
lie government mas tutcIcu upOn II
ould appear that over 80 projects have ,
cen undertaken, and that few of =
lese are likely to be unsuccessful be- d
luse of lack of water, or for other rea-
ms but generally the work which has
zen done has been well done, and many b
nportant engineering problems have s.
sen met and solved. b
Funds Inadequate for Service. is
One Of the difficulties which has :,
risen is that too many projects in I,
ew of the available funds have been u
t on foot. The funds available under II
e reclamation statute are inadequate II
complete these projects within a q
,asonable time And yet the projects O
ave been begun; settlers have been al
vited to take up and. in many in &C
ances have taken up. the public land o'
ithin the projects relying upon their W
'ompt completion. The failure to %
mplete the projects for their benefit M
in effect. breach of faith and m
aves them in most distressed con- &C
ton. urge that the nation ought
afford the means to lift them out of st
e very desperate condition in which ra
ey now are. '"
This condition does not indicate any es
cessive waste or any corruption on nj
e part of the reclamation service. 1t te
ly indicates an over jealous desire Oh