Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-09

should declare the consumption OF oil a
public use The state should pass a law
10 this effect. and place the regulation Of
the price OF crude oil I'm the hands OF a
discreet commission"
Legislation Recommended.
J other recommendation for amendments
70 existing laws or for enactment OF new
laws are as follows:
Amendment Of existing desert-land laws
so as to limit the maximum OF area which
may be entered to 16O acres; TO extend the
time within which final proof may be
made TO seven years, but impose the ad-
ditlonal condition Of actual cultivation OF
not less than one-half the irrigable area
OF the entry for a period- of not less than
three years prior to final proof
Repeal OF the Communication provisions OF
the homestead law. or II this be deemed
inadvisable, modification Of the present
laws so as to require two years actual
residence, cultivation, and Improvement as
prerequisite 90 commutauon Also pro-
vide that no patent shall Issue under any
committed homestead entry hereafter made,
except to citizens Of the United states.
Legislation requiring notices OF mining
locations to be recorded in the office OF
the register and receiver Of the land dis
| tricts; requiring final payment and entry
for mineral claims to be made within seven
years from date OF location, exclusive OF
any time covered by pending adverse or
contest proceedings; and notifications Of
the placer mineral laws so as to provide
that no placer location hereafter made,
whether by one or more persons, or an
association Of persons shall exceed forty
acres IN area.
THAT the act Of March 3, 1873, be amended
, so as to specifically provide that no rail-
road construction work shall be permitted
upon the public lands. either surveyed or
unsurveyed, until application therefor shall
have been approved by the secretary Of the
interior; that he be authorized to dlsap-
prove the application or to require ap-
propriate stipulations as a condition prece-
dent to the approval Of the application
when in his judgment the public interests
so require.
Legislation making 1t criminal offense
to hunt kill, or destroy game at any
season OF the year in any national park,
national monument, or game preserve;
legislation giving police jurisdiction in ma
tional park to United States commissioners
and Legislation amending section 50 OF the
penal code OF the United States (35 Stat. L..
1908, and s5 Stat l., 1861 SO as to insert
therein after the words public domain
the words, national parks, national monu-
ments and other reservations This legis-
lation is necessary in order to protect these
reservations from forest fires and to pro-
vide penalty for falling to extinguish
fires therein.
National Parks and Reservations.
Congress is to be commended for setting
apart vast areas for national parks, over
100000 acres being now embraced in ma
tional reserves of this class. John Muir
is authority for the statement that Prof
Hayden, above all others, is entitled to the
credit Of securing the dedication Of the
Yellowstone as a national park for he led
the first scientific exploring party into it,
described It, and urged upon the congress
its preservation. The creation OF the yell
lowstone by the act of March l. 1872
marks the beginning Of these national in
stitutions, which now demand more than
a perfunctory policy. The setting apart
and dedication Of our national parks for
the people is the only practical means Of
preserving their wild grandeur from hu-
man dissertation; specimens of the best
of natures treasures have been lovingly
gathered here and arranged in simple,
systematic beauty within regular bounds
"Of the national parks that have been
| created by congressional action, the tol-
lowing are entitled to rank as worthy Of
being called national institutions;
"The Yellowstone, the Yosemite, the
Sequoia and General Grant, Mount
Rainier, Crater Lake, Glacier Mesa Verde.
and there should be added the Grand
Canyon OF Colorado, for the creation Of
which a bill is now pending in congress.
THE Wind Cave National park, contain
ing 1882 acres; suly's Hill National park,
containing $50 acres, and Plat National
park Of S4S22 acres, created by congress
at different times, may be said to be local
| parks, having no sufficient national
characteristics to warrant their develop
ment as such. The policy should be, in my
estimation TO retain none Of the national
parks heretofore dedicated which will not
warrant development as national insutu-
tons as distinguished from municipal or
state parks or resorts"