The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1910-01-15
CONSERVATION
MESSAGE READ
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be made To generate power tn he trans
rnittcd in the form al electricity many
miles tn the points OF its use. known
as water power. sites.
Z Investigations into violations Of pub
lie land laws and prosecution of land
frauds have vigorously continued under
my administration. as has been The
Withdrawal Of coal lands for ciassifi-
] caiinn and valuation. and the temper
AIRY withholding Of p,wsr sites.
7 Since March t. 1909. temporary with
drawals Of p6wer sites have been made
on l0e sirea ms. and these withdrawals,
therefore. cover ae9 rer cent moro
! streams than were covered by the
( Withdrawals made prior IN that date.
The present statutes. except 81 far
as they dispose of precious metals and
parciy agricultural lands. are not
afartcd To carry ont the modern view
Of the best disposition of rubiic' lands
to private ownership. Under conditions
offering on tho one hand sufficient IN
I duccn,ent H. privat" capital 10 take
them overSfar proper development with
restrictive conditions. and. IN the other
hard. which shall secure IN tho. public
that character Of control which will
prevent n monopoly or misuse of the
\ lands or their products.
The power NJ the secretary of The in
terror tn Withdraw from the operation
Of existing statutes trncts Of land. the
| disposition of which under such stat
utes would In detrimental tn the public
! good. Is not satisfactory. This pnwcr
has been exercised In the interest Of
the public with the hope that congress
might affirm the action Of the oNecu-
tive by laws adapted tn the new c"nfi-
tiona.
Unfortunately congress has not thus
far fuzzy acted on the recommendations
OF. the executive. and the question as
IN What tho executive Is to do. under
the circumstances, is full Of difficulties
u seems Tn me that Il lis the duty Of
congress NOW. by statute. to validate
Withdrawals which have been made by
the secretary Of the Interior and prcsi
dent and tn authorize the secretary o.
the interior Temporarily To withdraw
lands pending submission tr congress
of recommendations as To legislation to
meet conditions or emergencies, as they
arise.
Lands Should Be Classified.
, One of the most pressing needs in
the matter of public land reform is
that lands should be classified accord
ing tc taoir PRINCIPAL value or use
This ought Ia he done by that depart
ment whose force Ia hest adapted tn
do that work. II, should be done by
=, the interior department through the
| geological survey. Much OF the con-
fusion. trand and contention which has
| existed 10 tho past has arisen from tho
lack of an official and detcrmlnative
classification OF the public lands and
their contents. II il now proposed to
dispose of agricultural lands as such.
. and ~. the, same limo To preserve for
other disposition the treasure Of coal.
oil. asphaltnm. natural gas and phos-
phate contained therein. This may be
hest accomplished by separating the
| Eight II mine from tho title tn the
I siiffacc. giving tho necessary usc OF
so much Of the latter as may he re-
uuircd for the extraction of the de-
posi,s. The surface might be disposed
I of az agricultural land under the gen
cral agricultural statute. while the coal
4
/ by lease on royalty basis, with pro-
visions requiring n certain amount of
development each year; and in order TO
prevent the Use ana cession at such
lands, with others of similar character
seems IL constitute monopoly forbid
/ den by law; the lease should contain
4 suitable provision subjecting to for
fixture the interests OF persons partici-
IT,
I should apply to Alaska MS Well rs to
( the United States.
II Is exceedingly difficult to frame n
| statute tn retain government control
over property to be developed by
private capital In such a manner As
10 secure the governmental purpose
and az the same time not brighten
away Investment of the necessary cap
itai Hence. Il may be necessary by
laws thar are really only expert
mental 10 demand from their practical
operation what IL the best method Of
securing the result aimed at.
Tho extent of the value Of phosphate
/ is hardly realized. and with the need
that there Will he for IL as the years
roll On and the necessity for fortillz-
ing the land shah become mare acute.
! this Will he product which will prob
ably attract the greed of mnnarolists.
Water Power Sites.
With respect 10 the public land which
4 lies along tho streams offering the
I opportunity To convert water power
into transmissible electricity. another
1 important phase Of the public question
il presented. There are valuable water
I power sites through all public land
/ states. opinion is held that transfer
of the soyerelgnity from federal GOV
/ eminent Ia territorial governments as
they become states. Included water
power in rivers except that owned by
riparian prnprietars. | da nat think
| il necessary 10 gn into discussion of
this somewhat mooted question of law.
I II seems 10 me sufficient IA say that
| the man who owns and controls the
/ land along the streams from which the
! power Is to he converted and trans
United. owns land which IL indispen-
sable 10 the conversion and use of that
i han ha