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

Washington.-The president trans
mitted to congress a special message
on the subject of the conservation OF
the nations natural resources. In
substance it was as follows:
To the Senate and House of Representa-
tives:
In my annual message l reserved the
subject of the conservation of our ma
tional resources for disposition in spe-
cial message, as follows:
In several departments there is pre-
sented the necessity for legislation look
ing to the further conservation of our
national resources, and the subject is one
of such Importance as to require a more
detailed and extended discussion than
be entered upon in this communica-
ton. For that reason | shall take an
early opportunity to send a special mes
sage to congress on the subject of the
Improvement of our Waterways; upon the
reclamation and irrigation of arid, semi
arid and swamp lands upon the preser-
walton of our forests and the re-foresting
of suitable areas; upon the re-classifica-
ton of the public domain with view of
separating from agricultural settlement
mineral. coal and phosphate lands and
sites belonging to the government bor-
dering on streams suitable for the utill-
zation of water power.
In 1860 we had a public domain of 1885,
911,2S acres We have now 3l354. .0S1
acres confined largely to the mountain
ranges and the arid and semi-arid plans
We have in addition SOS, ,035, ,975 acres of
land in Alaska.
Disbursement of Public Lands.
The public lands were, during the earli-
est administrations. treated a national
asset for the liquidation of the public
HI
soldiers and sailors. Later on they were
donated in large amounts in aid of the
construction of wagon roads and rail-
ways, in order to open up regions in the
west then almost inaccessible. All the
principal land statutes were enacted more
than quarter of century ago. The
homestead act. the pre-emption and tim
ber-culture act, the coal land and the
mining acts were among these.
Fraudulent Titles.
The truth is that title to millions of
acres of public lands was fraudulently
obtained and that the right to recover
large part of such lands for the govern
ment long since ceased by reason of stat
utes of limitations There has developed
in recent years deep concern in the
public mind respecting the preservation
and proper use of our natural resources.
This has been particularly directed
toward the conservation of the resources
of the public domain. vast amount of
discussion has appeared in the public
prints in generalized form on this sub
ject but there has been little practical
1t has been easy to say that
the natural resources in fuel supply, in
forests, in water power, and in n<other
public utilities. must be saved from |
waste. monopoly and other abuses. and |
the general public is in accord with this
as they are with most
10 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 are
only for unborn generations.
Noteworthy Reforms.
Among the most noteworthy reforms
Initiated by my distinguished predecessor
we're the vigorous prosecution of land
rauds and the bringing to public atten-
ion of the necessity for preserving the
emaining public domain from further
poliation. for the maintenance and ex-
ension of our forest resources, and for
he enactment of laws amending the OBJ
olete statutes so as to retain govern
mental control over that part OF the pub.
ic domain in which there valuable
eposts of coal, of OIL and of phosphate.
nd, in addition thereto to preserve con-
ro, under conditions favorable to the
ublic, of the lands along the streams in
which the fall of water can be made to
power to be transmitted in the
orm of electricity many miles to the
oint of its use, known as water power
ties.
The present statutes. except so far
S they dispose of the precious metals
nd the purely agricultural lands. are
ot adapted to carry out the modern
lew of the best disposition OF public
ands to private ownership, under con
itions offering the one hand sufi-
lent inducement to private capital to
AXE them over for proper develop
lent. with restrictive conditions on
he other which shall secure to the
ublic that character of control which
,ill prevent a monopoly or misuse of
he lands or their products. The power
( the secretary of the interior to with
raw from the operation of existing
tatutes tracts of land the disposition
which under such statutes would
e detrimental to the public interests -
not clear or satisfactory. This power
as been exercised in the interest OF
lie public with the hope that congress
light affirm the action OF the execu-
We by laws adapted to the new condi
ons. Unfortunately, congress has not