Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-01-14
PUBLIC LANDS
THE THEME OF
TAFT MESSAGE
1Continued from .pags t6.)

~
ltiofi what is the best method of Sc
furing the result aimed at
The extent of the value of phos-
phate is hardly realized, and with the
need that there will be for 1t as the
years roll on and the necessity for fer
tilizing the land shall become more
acute this will be product which will
probably attract the greed of monopo-
lists.
With respect to the public land which
lies along the streams offering oppor-
tunity to convert water power into
transmissible electricity. another i'm
portant phase of the public land ques-
ton is presented There are valuable
water power sites through all the pub
lie band states. The opinion is held
that the transfer of sovereignty from
the federal government to the terrific
rialsgovernments MS they become states
included the water power In the rivers
except so far as that owned by ripari-
an proprietors. do not think 1t nee
essary to go into discussion Of this
somewhat mooted question of law.
1t seems to me sufficient to say that
the man who OWNS and controls the
land along the stream from which the
power is to be converted and trans
mitted owns land which is indispen-
sable to the conversion and use of
that power. | cannot conceive how the
power In streams flowing through pub
lie lands can be made available at all
except by using the land itself as the
site. for the construction of the plant
by which the power is generated and
converted and securing right of way
thereover for transmission lines. Un-
der these conditions. II the government
owns the adjacent land. indeed If
the government Is the riparian owner,
It may control the use of the water
power by imposing proper conditions
ON the disposition of the land neces-
sary' In the creation and utilizat ation OF
the water power.
Mater Power Important,
- The development In electrical appli-
Ances for the conversion of the water
power into electricity to be transmit
ted long distances has progressed so
far that 1t Is no longer problemat teal.
butit is a certain Inference that in he
future the power of the water falling
In the streams to a large extent will
take the place Of natural fuels.
In the disposition Of the domain al
ready granted many water power sites
have come urder absolute ownership
and may drift into one ownership 80
that all the water power under private
ownership shall be monopoly. If.
however, the water power sites now
owned by the guvernment-and there
are enough of them-shall be disposed
TO private persons for the invest
II of their capital In such way as
prevent their union for purposes of
monopoly with other water power
rites and under conditions that shall
limit the right of use to not exceeding
fifty years with proper means for de-
termIniug reasonable graduated rent
al and with some equitable provision
for fixing terms of renewal. it would
seem entirely possible to prevent the
absorption of these most useful lands
by power monopoly. AS long as the
government retains control and can
prevent their improper union with
Dther plants competition must be main
tanned aud prices kept reasonable.
In considering the conservation Of
the natural resources Of the country
the feature that transcends all others.
Including woods. waters. minerals, is
the soil OF the country. 1t is incum-
bent upon the government to foster by
all available means the resources Of
the country that produce the food of
the people. To this end the conserva
ton of the soils of the country should
be cared for with all means at the gov
ernnent's disposal. Their productive
powers should have the attention of
our scientists that we may conserve
the new soils. improve the old soils.
drain wet soils. ditch swamp soils,
levee river overflow soils. grow trees
on thin soils. pasture hillside soils. ro-
tate crops on all soils, discover meth
DDS for cropping dry land soils. find
grasses and .egumes for all soils, feed
grains and mill feeds on the farms
where they originate that the soils
from whick they come may be en-
riched.
Department of AsricuIture's Good Work
work of the utmost Importance to
inform and instruct the public on this
chief branch of the conservation OF our
resources Is being carried on success
fully In the department of agriculture,
but 1t ought not to escape public at
tention that state action in addition to
that of the department of agriculture
as, for instance, In the drainage of
swamp lands-is essential to the best
treatment of the soils in the manner
above Indicated
The act by which In semiarid parts
of the public domain the area of the
homestead has been enlarged from 100
to 800 acres has resulted most benefj.
cially in the extension of dry farm
ing" and in the demonstration which
has been made of the possibility
through variation in the character
and mode of culture of raising sub
stantlal crops without the presence of
such supply Of water as has been
heretofore thought to be necessary fol
agriculture.
But there are millions of acres OF |
arid land In the public do |
main which by the esta ablishment of
reservoirs for the storing of water and
the irrigation of the lands may be |
made much more fruitful and produc-
tive than the best lands in a climate
Whare tha moiSfIlra comaS Prom, tI,o |