The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1910-09-08
CONSERVATION A DUTY,
DECLARES PRESIDENT TAFT
Members of National Congress at St. Paul Find
Him Thoroughly in Accord with Their
Ideas---His Speech.

the projects. worthy and feasible might
be promptly completed and the settlers
| might be relieved from their present In
convenience and hardship. In authorizing
the issue of these projects, congress lin
tied the application of their proceeds to
those projects which a board Of army en-
gineers, to be appointed by the president.
should examine and determine to be
feasible and worthy OF completion. The
board has been appointed and soon will
make its report
Suggestions have been made that the
| United States ought. to aid in the drain
age OF swamp lands belonging to the
! states or private owners, because, If
| drained they would be exceedingly val
liable for agriculture and contribute to
! the general welfare by extending the
! area OF cultivation, I deprecate the agi-
! tation in favor OF such legislation. It is
! inviting the general government into
| contribution from its treasury toward en-
| terprises that should be conducted either
! by private capital or at the instance Of
! the state In these days there is dispo-
| sitiOn to look too much to the federal
| government for everything. | am liberal
! in the construction OF the Constitution
! with reference to federal power; but
| am firmly convinced that the only safe
! course for us to pursue IS 20 hold fast
! TO the limitations Of the Constitution and
| 10 regard as sacred the powers OF mo
| states We have made wonderful prog
/ ress and at the same time have pre-
served with judicial eSactness the re-
strictions OF the Constitution. There Is
an easy way In which the Constitution
can be violated by congress without
judicial Inhibition, to-wit. by appropria-
lions from the national treasury for I'M
constitutional purposes II will be sorry
day for this country n the time ever
ytYb fund F,aut1I
shall be habltualy disregarded in this
manner.
Mineral Lands.
BY mineral lands | mean those lands
bearing metals. or what are called metal
liferous minerals The rules Of owner
ship and disposition Of these lands were
first fixed by custom in the west. and
then were embodied in the law. and they
have worked, on the whole. 50 fairly and
well that / do not think It is wise to
attempt to change or better them.
Forest Lands.
Nothing can be more important In the
matter Of conservation than the treatment
OF our forest lands II was probably the
ruthless destruction OF forests in the
older states that first called attention TO
a halt in the waste Of our resources. This
was recognized by congress by an act
authorizing the executive to reserve from
entry and set aside public timber lands
as national forests Speaking generally.
there has been reserved Of the existing
forests about seventy per cent. OF all
the timber lands OF the government.
Within these forests dncludng $4,000 900
acres In two forests in Alaska are 49,
900 900 OF acres OF which 1876 100000 OF
acres are in the United states proper and
include within their boundaries some
thing like % 900 600 OF acres that belong
10 the state or 10 private individuals. We
have then, excluding Alaska forests, a
total Of about 100000 acres OF forests
belonging to the government which Is
being treated in accord with the prlncl-
pies Of scientific forestry
The government timber in this coun-
try amounts to only one fourth OF all the
timber, the rest being in private own
ership Only three per cent. OF that which
is In private ownership Is looked after
properly and treated according TO mod
ern rules OF forestry. The usual de-
structive waste and neglect continues in
tho remainder Of the forests owned by
private persons and corporations. It Is
estimated that fire alone destroys $50 600
900 worth Of timber year. Tho
management OF forests not on public
land Is beyond the Jurisdiction OF the fed
eral government. If anything can be done
by law II must be done by the state Leg
slatures ! believe that II IL within their
constitutional power to require the en-
forcement OF regulations In the general
public Interest, as to fire and other
causes OF waste in the management OF
forests owned by private individuals and
corporations
have shown sufficiently the conditions
as to federal forestry to indicate that no
further legislation IS needed Mt the mo-
ment except an increase in the fire pro-
lection 10 national forests and an act
vestlng the executive with full power to
make forest reservations in every state
where government land is tmber-covered,
or where the land is needed for forestry
purposes.
Coal Lands.
The next subject and one most impor-
tant for our consideration. Ia the dIspos
ton Of the coal lands in the United
States and in Alaska. First. as to those
in the United States. At the beginning
OF this administration they were Classi-
fed coal lands amounting to $4,000 |
acres, and there were withdrawn from
entry for purposes of classification H.
s67 900 acres. Since that time there have
been withdrawn by my order from entry
for classification 776iS 900 acres, making
a total withdrawal OF ~ 900 acres.
Meantime, OF the acres thus withdrawn.
il 81 900 have been classified and found
not 20 contain coal, and have been r.
stored TO agri Itural entry. and 1856 600
acres have been classified al coal lands;
while ~ 7SS 900 acres remain withdrawn
from entry and await classification. In
addition 1886 900 acres have been classl-
fed as coal lands without prior withdraw
al. thus increasing the classified coal
lands TO 10, 600 acres.
Under the laws providing for the dIspo-
sition Of coal lands the minimum price
at which lands are permitted to be sold
liz $40 an acre: but the secretary OF the
interior has the power 20 FIX "A maximum
price and sell at that price. BY the first
regulations governing appraisal. ap,
proved April g. 1907. the minimum was $40,
az provided by law, ana the maximum
was 500 and the highest price actually
placed upon any land sold was SIS. I'M
der the new regulations adopted April 10.
1909. the maximum price was increased to
$500. except In regions where there are
large mines, where no maximum limit is
fx"d and tho price ia determined by the
estimated tons Of coal to the acre. The
highest price fixed for any land under
this regulation has been $60S The APP
pralsal value OF the lands classified ms
coal lands and valued under the new and
old regulations Is shown 10 be as follows:
1903 92l acres. valued under the old regu-
lations NJ 81. ga 1923, an average OF SIS an
acre; and 5SGi702 acress classified and
valued under the new regulation al s39i.-
203 Zi2 or a total of lO.lGS, G23 acres. val
ueo at @7lSi567l.
For the year ending March n, 1909 227
coal entries were made embracing an
area OF 1881 ncres, which sold FOR $685.
wv AZ For the year ending March 81,
1910. ihore were l15 entries, embracing an
She Was Settled.
Mrs Uppson-I don't want another