Arizona republican., 1910-12-07

worthy of completion. The board has
 made a report upon the subject. which l shall transmit in a separate message within a few days
 CONSERVATION ADDRESS. ] In September last a conservation congress was held at St Paul at . which l delivered an address on the
 subject of conservation SD far as was within the jurisdiction and possible action Of the federal government. In that address l assembled from the
 official records the statistics and facts as to what had been done in this be- half in the administration Of my pre- decessor and in my own. and indi- cated the legislative measures which
 I believed tO be wise in order to se- cure the best use in the public inter
 est Of what remains of our public do-
 main. There was in this address q very full discussion Of the reasons which led me tO the conclusions stated. For the purpose of having an official record. a comprehensive re-
 sume of the statistics and facts gath
 cred with some difficulty in that ad-
 dress, l venture 10 make the ad-
 dress an accompanying appendix. The
 statistics are corrected to November
 18th last
 SPECIFIC MMENDATIONS.
 For the reasons stated in the con-
 servation address. recommend:
 First. that the limitation now inn
 posed upon the executive which for bids his reserving more forest lands
 in oregon. Washington. Idaho. Mon
 tana. Colorado and Wyoming. he re-
 pealed
 Second. that the coal deposits of
 the government be leased after adver- tisement inviting competitive bids. for
 terms not exceeding fifty ye1rs. with a minimum rental and royalties upon
 these coal mines. to be readjusted every ten or twelve years. and with conditions as to maintenance that will secure proper mining and to the as- signment which will prevent combina- tions to monopolize control of the coal in any one district or market.
 I do not think that coal measures under 2,500 acres of surface would be too large an amount to lease to any one lessee.
 Third. that the law should pro- vide the same separation in respect to government phosphate lands of surface and mineral rights that now obtains in coal lands. and that power to lease such lands upon the terms and limitations similar to those above recommended for coal leases. with an added condition enabling the govern ment to regulate. and if necessary. to prohibit. the export to foreign of the product.
 Fourth. that the law should allow a prospector for oil or gas to have the right to prospect for two years over certain tract of government land. the rights to be evidenced hy a license for which he shall pay small sum. and that upon discovery a lease may be granted upon terms securing minimum rental and prop CT royalties to the government. and also the conduct of the oil or gas well in accord with the best method Tor husbanding the supply Of oil in the district. The period of the leases should not be as long as those of ,oal. but they should contain similar provisions as to assignment to pre- vent monopOlistic combinations
 Fifth. that water power sites be directly leased by the federal govern | nent after advertisement and bidding. | Tor not exceeding fifty years, upon a | proper rental and upon a condition l fixing rates charged to the public for | units of electric power. both rentals | md rates to be readiusted equitably | every ten years by arbitration or oth- | 'rwiSe. with suitable provisions | against assignment to prevent monop- ] Dlistic combinations Or that the law 'hall provide that upon application | made by the authorities of the state | where the water power site is sit lated. it may be patented to the state m condition that the state shall dis pose of it under terms like those just | indicated and shall enforce these terms IF upon failure to comply with the coalitions the water power site and | he plants and improvements shall be orfeited and revert to the United States. the president being given the 'ower to declare the forfeiture and to Iirect legal proceedings for its en- orcement. Either of these methods sould. l think. accomplish the proper public purpose in respect to water ''"ti Si'eS' ana one pr the otner hould be promptly adopted
 l earnestly urge upon congress that t this season conservatiOnal legisla- ion of the character indicated be made. At its last session this con- ress took many useful and proper teps in the cause of conservation by flowing the executive. through with rawals, to suspend the action of the xisting laws in respect to much of