The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1910-01-21

tiOn's resources sent to the senate
and house OF representatives by Pres
ident Taft today.
To the Senate and House OF Representa-
tlves:
In my annual message l reserved the
subject OF the conservation OF our ua
tional resources TOR disposition IN IA spe-
cial message, as follows.
In several departments there ~ pre-
sented the necessity for legislation took
Ing to the further conservation OF our
national resources. and the subject Is one
OF such Importance ~ To require n more
detailed and extended discussion than
can be entered upon IN Tins communlca,
ton For that reason | shalt take an
early opportunity Ia send special mes
sage to congress the subject OF the
Improvement OF our WATERWAYS upon the
reclamation and irrigation of ARD semi
arid and swamp lands. upon the preser-
walton of our forests and the re forestins
OF suitable areas. upon the re-ciaSsihca-
tion OF the public domain win view OF
separating from agricultural settlement
mineral. coal and phosphate lands and
sites belonging 10 the government hor-
jering on streams suitable for the utili-
zation OF water power
In 1860 we had public domain OF Loss
C1. .2S acres We have now 73l 354. .oSI
acres. confined largely TO the mountain
ranges and the arid and semi atid plains
We have in addition. BIS 035 US acres ~
land in Alaska.
Disbursement OF Public ards
The public lands were. during the earti.
est administrations. treated AS a national
asset for the liquidation OF the public
debt and as n source OF reward foe our
soldiers and sailors. Later on they we're
donated In large amounts Ia aid or the
nnncf fiA,,
ways In order to open up regions In the
west then almost inaccessible An the
principal land statutes were enacted more
than n quarter or a century AGO The
homestead act. the pre-cmption and tim /
ber-culture act. the coal land and the
mining acts were among these
The rapid disposition OF the public lands
under the early statutes. and the lax
methods OF distribution prevailing. due.
think TO the belief that these lands
should rapidly pass into private owner
snip. gave rise to the impression that !
the public domain was legitimate prey |
FOR the INSCRIPTIONS and that II was not |
contrary to good morals to circumvent |
the land laws. This pro1.gal manner Of
disposition resulted In the passing ~
large areas OF valuable land and many
OF our national resources into the hands
OF persons who felt little or no RESPONSE
biliiy for promoting the national vel
fare through their development
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 hv reason of stat
utes or limitations. There has deveIoped
In recent years a dec concern in the
public mind respecting the preservation
anu proper use or our natural resources
This has been particularly directed
toward the conservation or the resources
OF the public domain vast amount OF
discussion has appeared In the nubl,r
prints In generaized form on this sub
ject. but there has been little practical
IL has been easy to saw thar
the natural resources in fuel supplv I'm
lorests In water power. and in other
public utilities, must be saved from
waste. monopoly. and other abuses and
me general public is in accord with this
proposition. as they are with most
.rusms. The problem. however. is how
% save and how To utilize how TO con
Derve and still develop. for no sane p.r.
'on can contend that IL is for the com.
non good that natures blessings are
'nly for unborn generations
Noteworthy Reforms.
Among the most noteworthy reforms
Initiated by my distinguished predecessor
we're the vigorous prosecution or land |
rauds and the bringing 10 public atten-
ion OF the necessity for preserving the
emaining public domain from further
Ipoliaton. for the maintenance and az
ensior or our forest resources and for
he enactment OF laws amending the op-
'olete statutes as 70 retain govern
mental control over that part of the pub
ic domain in which there are vaInabl.
deposits OF coal. OF oil and Of uhosoha-e
nd in a%H z
rol, under conditions favo-abl@ 20 m.
'ublic. OF the lands along tha streams in
which the fall OF water ran D. raads 70
generate power 20 De Transmitted ~ the
orm OF electricity many miles 20 rhe
'oint OF its use. known a. water power
ties
The Investigations into Violations ~ rhA
'ublic land laws and tas Crossed uri9a 81
and frauds have been v'-1-ouslY cor
inued under my administration. ss aas
een the Withdraw OF coaI lanfs for
lassiacation and valuation ard ire tenn
'orary withholding OF power ssses Sfrcs
Earch 4. 1850 temporary Eftstrsvags -
over sites hast been made on I1a
treerns and these Efrh.rzwzIs therefore
over 80 Per c@at. more streams than
1ere covered 5y rhs wish.-swsis r1at>
rior 10 that date
The present statutes except 20 far
. they tispns@ - th% precious metals
nd the pareIY Agricultural lands are
lot adapted IN carry 0Ur fhe modern
lew OF th@ b~Sr disposition of public
ands TO private ownership. under con-
|itions Offering on the one hand sufn- ,
1ent inducement To private capital to .
axe them over for proper develop
nent. with restrictive conditions on
ne other whpch shalt secure To the ! ,
public That cNsfFsefer ~ control which
VIII rF%ve6f y ,sSse6pDly or misuse OF
ne IahSs ~ f<ssiT SFtGuctA The power
u tbe s<H<sssFy - ffFe Interior ia with
ors~ frNrN ss1s S1zssefSHr ~ ex,stinr
DtAtSt~$ tsSNfs 81 A9n@ fre ,.;spositton
~ wbj1f sfS<F Apeb sta,ut.. ,yon,a
~ 1Afytm<Sf&s ~ fhe sss,t,ltc ,n,sres,s
~ M e1eAr ~ ssffsegestfy. TbIs bower
80 btAn $t<tt,s<% 7f ihA tpterest of
the pubslc, Win sbe hep. itst congress
might ADrm the set3ss ~ shs "Sscn'
tive by laws adspts1 ~ tbs nsw canal.
slSns. Unfortunately. eans,ssy h.s .."u ~,
thus far fully acts0 or the rrccmm"v
oattcns Of the executive. ana ~. ~ws"
tion ~ 10 what the EXECUTIVE
DO = under the cIrcumstAnces' futt -
G1G1culty Is seems 70 me th.t - ~
the duty or c0n9SeAs now by I st.sr4n
- validate the wsthdvadaIa whseh