Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-01-15
CONSERVATION MESSAGE
SENT TO CONGRESS
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30 as to retain governmental control
over that part of the public domain In
which there are valuable deposits OF
coal, Of oil, and of phosphate, and, in
addition thereto, to preserve control,
under conditions favorable to the pub
lie, of the lands along the streams
in which the fall of water can be made
to generate power to be transmitted
in the form of electricity many miles
to the point of its use, known as wa
ter power" sites.
The Investigations into violations Of
the public land laws, and the prosecu-
ton of land frauds have been yigor-
ously continued under my administra-
ton. as has been the withdrawal OF
coal lands for classification and yalu-
alton, and the temporary withholding
of power sites.
Since March 4, 1909, temporary
Withdrawals of power sites have been
made on 1872 streams and these with
drawals therefore cover 229 per cent
more streams than were covered by
the withdrawals made prior to that
date.
Chides Congress for Delay.
The present statutes, except so far
as they dispose of the precious metals
and the purely agricultural lands, are
not adapted to carry out the modern
view of the best disposition of public
lands to private ownership, under con-
ditions offering on the one hand suffi-
cient inducement to private capital TO
take them over for proper develop
ment, with restrictive conditions on
the other which shall secure to the
public that character of control which
will prevent mono ply or misuse OF
the lands or their products, The pow
err of the secretary of the interior to
withdraw from the operation of exist
ing statutes tracts of land, the dispo-
sition of which under such statutes
would be detrimental to the public in
terest. is not clear or satisfactory
This power has been exercised in the
interest Of the public, with the hope
that congress might affirm the action
of the executive by laws adapted to
the new conditions. Unfortunately,
congress has not thus far fully acted
on the recommendation of the exec
utive and the question as to what the
executive is to do is, under the cir
cumstances, full of difficulty. 1t seems
to me that itSis the duty of congress
drawals which have been made by the
secretary of the interior and the pres
ident and to authorize the secretary
of the interior temporarily to with
draw lands pending submission to con-
gress of recommendations as to legls-
lation to meet conditions or emergen-
cies as they arise.
One of the most pressing needs in
of 1or, rafN
that lands should be classified &C
cording to their principal value or use.
This ought to be done by that depart
ment whose force is best adapted to
that work It should be done by the
interior department through the geo
logical survey. Much of the confusion,
fraud, and contention which has exist
ed in the past has arisen from the
lack Of an official and determinative
classification of the public lands and
their contents.
Would Tie String to Claims.
1t is now proposed to dispose of
agricultural lands as such, and at the
same time to reserve for other disposi-
ton the treasure of COAL oil, as
phaltum, natural gas, and phosphate
contained therein. This may be best
accomplished by separating the right
to mine from the title to the surface,
giving the necessary use of so much
of the latter as may be required for
the extraction of the deposits. The
surface might be disposed of as agri-
cultural land under the general agri-
cultural statutes, while the coal or
other mineral could be disposed of by
lease on royalty basis, with provi-
sions requiring certain amount of
development each year: and in other
to prevent the use and cession of such
lands with others of similar character
30 as to constitute monopoly forbid.
den by law, the lease should contain
suitable provision subjecting to for
fixture the interest of persons partici
pating in such monopoly Such law
should apply to Alaska as well as the
United States.
1t is exceedingly difficult to frame q
statute to retain government control
over a property to be developed by
private capital in such manner as &c
secure the governmental purpose and
at the same time not brighten away
the Investment of necessary capital
Hence, it may be necessary by laws
that are really only experimental te
determine from their practical opera
ton what is the best method of secur
ing the result aimed at.
The extent of the value of phos
plate is hardly realized, and with the
need that there will be for it as the
years roll on and the necessity fol
fertilizing the land shall become more
acute, this will be product which
will probably attract the greed d
monopolists.
Water Power Sites.
With respect to the public LAND
which lies along the streams Offering
opportunity to convert water power
into transmissable electricity, another
important phase of the public lane
question is presented. There are val
liable water power sites through al
the public land states, The opinion Il
held that the transfer of sovereignt.
from the federal government to the
territorial governments as they be
come states, included the water power