Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-09-05

eminent land for the discovery OF oil
the right 10 be evidenced by a Icons
for which he pays small sum. Who
the oil Is discovered, then he acquire
title to certain tract. much In TN
same way as he would acquire title un
der a mining law. OF course " tn
system OF leasing is adopted, then h
would be given The hereft Of u leas
upon terms like that above suggested
| What has been said I'm respect to oil ap
| piles also to government gas lands.
Under the proposed oil legislation
| especially where the government o.
| lands embrace an entire oil field, as IN
| many cases. prospectors, operators con
| sumers. ana tho public can he benefited
| by the adoption Of the leasing system
| The prospcctor can he protected In III
very expensive work that necessarily
antedates discovery; the operator can
be protected against impairment OF the
productiveness OF the wells which h.
has leased by reason Of control of drill-
ing and pumping of other wells TO
closely adjacent or by tho prevention
Of improper methods as employed by
careless. ignorant or irresponsible orer-
ators In the same field which result In
the admission Of water 10 the oil sands Z,
while of course the consumer viii pgoht
by whatever benefits the prospector or
operator receives in reducing the urst
cost OF the oil.
PHOSPHATE LANDS.
Phosphorus is one " the three cs-
sentials to plant growth, the other eie-
ments being nitrogen and potash. OF
these three, phosphorus Is by all odds
the scarcest element ia nature. II is
easily extracted i'm useful form from
tho phosphate rock. and the United
states contains the greatest known de-
posts OF this rock IN the world. They
are found In Wyoming Utah. and Flor
ida. as well as In South Carolina. Geor-
gia and Tennessee. The government
phosphate lands are confined % Wyo-
ming, Utah and Florida. Prior to
March Z. 1909, there were 100000 acres
withdrawn from agricultural entry ON
the ground that the land covered phos-
phate rock. Since that time, 2,a22,O00
acres OF the land thus Withdrawn was
found not TO contain phosphate IN
profitable quantities, while l,6'S'VOJ
acres was classified properly as phos-
phate lands During this administra-
ton there has boon withdrawn and
classified 487 600 acres 80 that today
there is classified as phosphate rock
land 2,1l5000 acres. This rock is most
important in the composition OF fertil-
izers to improve the soil, and as the
future Is certain to create an enormous
demand throughout this country for
fertilization, the value To the public OF
such deposi ts as these can hardly be
exaggerated. Certainly with respec, TO
these deposits "A careful policy Of con-
scrvation should be followed Half OF
the phosphate of the rock that is mined
In private fields In the United States ~
exported. As our farming methods grow
better the demand for the phosphate
will become greater, and II must be
arranged SO that the supply shall 90 ial
the needs Of the country. II II uncer-
- - -
plies To the government phosphate rock.
There is. therefore, necessity for soma
definite and well-considered legislation
on this subject, and in aid OF such leg
slation all OF the government lands
known To contain valuable phosphate
rock are now withdrawn from entry.
A law that would provide a leasing SKA
tenn for the phosphate deposits. to- |
gether with a provision for the separa-
lion of the surface and mineral rights |
as is already provided for I'm the case |
" coal would seem 10 meet the need n |
promoting the development of thcse |
deposits and their utilization I'm the !
agricultural lands of the west n Il Is |
thought desirable TO discourage the |
expectation Of phosphate rock and the
'aving of II for our own lands, this /
purpose could be accomplished by con-
iitions I'm the lease granted by the gov
eminent to it's lessces. or course, un-
ltA NHF 'VHNNlNuNlpn NllF EflNtTHUltnI
'ould not tax and could not prohibit the |
OF phosphate, but AS pro-
'rietor and owner Of the lands I'm which
he phosphate Is deposited 10 could i'm
'ose conditions upon the kind Of sales.
whether foreign or domestic, which the
essees might make of the phosphate
mined
The tonnage represented by tho
phosphate lands In government owner
hip is very great. but the lesson has
,een learned In the case OF such lands
hat have passed into private owner
hip in South Carolina, Florida, and
Tennessee that the phosphate deposits
here are in no sense inexhaustible
Moreover, II Is also we'll understood
hat I'm the process Of mining phos
hate, as II has been pursued.
much Of the lower grade OF phos-
hate rock. which win eventually all
IL needed, has been wasted beyond re-
overy. Such wasteful methods can
asily be prevented. 50 far as the gov
rnment land In concerned. by condi-
ions inserted In the leases.
WATER POWER SITES.
Prior to March 4. 1909. there had been.
n the recommendation OF the recla-
nation service, Withdrawn from agri-
ultural entry, because they were re-
arded as useful for power sites which
ught not to be disposed OF as agr-
idnNNs iIhflS amounting 10 |
bout 100000 acres. The withdra walls
'ere hastily made and included q great
cal OF land that was not useful for
over sites. They we're intended 10 in
lude the power sites on 20 rivers I'm
inc states. Since that time 3475,4t2
ores have been restored for settlement
( the original 1900. 600 because they
n not contain power sites; and mean
me there have been newly withdrawn
245. S92 acres on vacant public land
nd 2ii .OO7 acres on entered public land,
r a total OF 456.s99 acres. These with
rawals made from time 10 time cover
II the power sites included I'm the first
.ithdrawals, and many moro. on 1875
Vers and I'm II states. The disposition
I these power sites Involves ono Of tho
Iost difficult questions presented In
arrying out practical conservation.
he forest service, under power found
the statute, has leased a number of !
lese power sites In forest reserves by Z
'vocable leases, but no such power :
,ists with respect to power sites that &
~ not located within forest reserves,
I'd the revocable system OF leasing is |
course not a satisfactory one for the !
irpose of inviting the capital needed a
put in proper plants for the trans 4
utation Of power.
Tho statute OF 1891 with it's amend q
ents permits the secretary OF the in a
rior to grant perpetual easements or !,
ghts Of way from water sources over :,
ihlic lands for the primary purpose Of "
nj gation and such electrical current as
az no incidentally developed hut no ! Z