Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1910-09-09

erS In no doubt as to his position. In |
substance his address was as follows |
Gentlemen of the National Conservation
Congress-:
Conservation as an economic and po-
iitical term has come to mean the preser-
walton of our natural resources for
economical use, so as to secure the great
est good to the greatest number.
The danger to the state and to the peo-
pie at large from the waste and dissipa-
tion of our national wealth Is not one
which quickly impresses itself on the peo-
pie of the older communities, because Its
most obvious instances do not occur In
their neighborhood, while in the newer
part of the country the sympathy with
expansion and development is so strong
that the danger Is scoffed at or ignored.
Among scientific men and thoughtful OBJ
servers, however, the danger has always
been present. but 1t needed some one to
bring home the crying need for a remedy
of this evil so as to impress itself on the
public mind and lead to the formation OF
public opinion and action by the repre-
sentatives of the people. Theodore Roose-
welt took up this task in the last two.
\years of his second administration, and
well did he perform II.
AS president of the United States I
have. 1t were, inherited this policy,
and rejoice in my heritage. 1 prize my
high opportunity to do all that an ex-
ecutive can do to help a great people
realize great national ambition. For
conservation is national 1t affects every
man of us, every woman, every child.
What / can do in the cause I shall do,
not as president of party, but as presi-
dent of the whole people. Conservation
is not a question of politics, or of fac
tions, or of persons. 1t Is a question that
affects the vital welfare of all of us-of
our children and our chldren's children.
urge that no good can come from meet
ings of this sort unless we ascribe to
those who take part in them, and who
are apparently striving worthily in the
cause, all proper motives, and unless we
judicially consider every measure or
method proposed with view to its effec-
tveness in achieving our common pur-
pose, and wholly without regard to who
proposes IL or who will claim the credit
for its adoption. The problems are OF
very great difficulty and call for the
calmest consideration and clesrest fore
sight. Many of the questions presented
have phases that are new in this coun-
try, and 1t is possible that in their solu-
tion we may have TO attempt first one
way and then another What 1 wish to
emphasize, however, is that satisfac-
tory conclusion can only be reached
promptly II we avoid ncrimony imputa-
tions of bad faith. and political contro-
versy.
The public domain of the government
of the United Stltas, including all the
cessions from those of the thirteen states
that made cessions TO the United States
and including Alaska, amounted in all to
about 900 acres. OF this there is
left as purely government property out
side of Alaska something like 700.CO0Oo0 Of
acres. OF this the national forest re-
serves in the United States proper en-
brace la4.000.000 acres
shall divide my discussion under the
heads of GD agricultural lands; (2) min
ciaI lands-that is, lands containing
metaliferous minerals; (3) forest lands: {:
a. coal lands; (5) oil and gas lands; and
(6) phosphate lands.
Agricultural Lands.
Our land laws for the entry of agricul-
tural lands are now as follows:
The original homestead law, with the
requirements of residence and cultivation
for five years, much more strictly en-
forced than ever before.
The enlarged homestead act, applying
to nonirrigabe lands only, requiring five
years residence and continuous cultva-
ton of one-fourth OF the area.
The desert-and act, which requires on
the part of the purchaser the ownership
OF a water right and thorough reclama-
tion of the land by irrigation, and the
payment of SIPS per acre.
The donation or Carey act, under which
the state selects the land and provides
for it's reclamation. and the title vests In
the settler who resides upon the land and
reclamation.
The national reclamation homestead
law. requiring five years. residence an6
cultivation by the settler on the land ir-
rigated by the government. and payment
by him to the government of the cost o.
the reclamation.
The present congress passed n bill OF
great Importance, severing the ownership
of coal by the government in the grount
from the surface and permitting home
NrtA - ~.
land. which, when perfected, give th'
settler the right to farm the surface
while the coal beneath the surface is re
tained in ownership by the government
and may be disposed Of by 1t under othe
laws.
There is no crying need for radical re
form in the methods OF disposing of wha
are really agricultural lands. The pres
ent laws have worked we'll. The en-
larged homestead law has encouraged tn
successful farming of lands in the semi
arid regions.
Reclamation.
BY the reclamation act a fund has beei
created OF the proceeds of the publ
lands of the United States with which l.
construct works for storing great bodie
OF water at proper attitudes from which
by suitable system OF canals and ditch
es, the water is to be distributed over tn
arid and subarid lands of the government
to be sold to settlers at price sufficien
TO pay for the improvements Primarily
the projects are and must be for the i'm
provement of public lands. Incidentally
where private land is also within reac
of the water supply, the furnishing a
cost OF profit OF this water to privat
owners by the government is held by tn
federal court of appeals not to be
usurpation OF power But certainly thi
ought not to be done except from sur
plus water, not needed for government
land. The total sum already accumula
ted In the reclamation fund Is seO,273
258.22, and of that all but Sc. .491. .955.a ha
been expended. 1t became very clear I
congress at Its last session, from tn
statements made by experts, that thes
80 projects could not be promptly con
pleted with the balance remaining O
hand or with the funds likely to accru
in the near future. 1t was found. more
over, that there are many settlers wh
have been led into taking up lands wit
the hope and understanding of havin
water furnished In short time, who al
left in a most distressing situation.
recommended to congress that authorit
be given to the secretary of the interic
IN issue bonds In anticipation of the al