Norwich bulletin., 1910-12-07

acres, so that today there are clasS1- fled as phosphate rock land 2,514, 195 acres. This rock is most important in the composition of fertilizers to i'm prove the soil, and as the future is certain to create an enormous demand throughout this country for fertiliZa- tion the value to the public of such deposits as these can hardly be exag- gerated
 Certainly with respect to these de posits careful policy of conservation should be followed. Half of the phos- phate of the rock that is mined in pri- vate fields in the United States is now exported. As our farming methods grow better the demand for the phos- phate will become greater, and it must be arranged so that the supply shall equal the needs of the country. It is uncertain whether the placer or lode law applies to the government phos- phate rock. There is, therefore, neces- sity for some definite and we'll consid- cred legislation on this subject, and in aid of such legislation all of the gov ernment lands known to contain val uable phosphate rock are now with drawn from entry.
 A law that would provide leasing system for the phosphate deposits, to- gether with a provision for the sep aration of the surface and mineral rights as is already provided for in the case of coal, would seem to meet the need of promoting the development of these deposits and their utilization in the agricultural lands of the west. If it is thought desirable to discourage the exportation of phosphate rock and the saving of it for our own lands this purpose could be accomplished by con- ditions in the lease granted by the gov ernment to it's lessees.
 Of course under the constitution the government could not tax and could not prohibit the exportation of phos- phate, but as proprietor and owner of the lands in which the phosphate is deposited it could impose conditions upon the kind of sales, whether for eign or domestic. which the lessees might make Of the phosphate mined
 The tonnage represented by the phosphate lands in government owner ship is very great, but the lesson has been learned in the case of such lands that have passed into private owner ship ipmSouth Carolina, Florida and Tennessee that the phosphate deposits there are in no sense ineXhaustible. Moreover, it is also we'll understood that in the process of mining phos- phate as it has been pursued much of the lower grade of phosphate rock, which will eventually ail be needed, has been wasted beyond recovery. Such wasteful methods can easily be prevented, so far as the government land is concerned, by conditions in- serted in the leases.
 Water Power Sites
 Prior to March 4, 1909, there had been, on the recommendation of the reclamation service, withdrawn from agricultural entry because they were regarded as useful for power sites which ought not to be disposed of as agricultural lands, tracts amounting to about 4,000,g00 acres. The with drawaIs were hastily made and in cluded great deal of land that was not usefuSsfeS power sites. They were intended to include the power sites on twenty-nine rivers in nine states.
 Since that time 3,475,442 acres have been restored for settlement of the original 100000 because they do not contain power sites, and meantime new withdra walls have been made which, with other restorations based upon field examination, result in with drawals at present effective Of 1,218,- 306 acres on vacant public land and POP, 197 acres on entered public land, or a total of 1,420,553 acres. These withdrawals made from time to time cover all the power sites included in the first withdrawals and many more on 151 rivers and in twelve states. The disposition of these power sites involves one of the most difficult ques- lions presented in carrying out prac- tdcal conservation.
 The forest service, under power found in the statute, has leased a num- Der Of these power sites in forest re- serves by revocable leases, but no such power exists with respect to power sites that are not located within for est reserves, and the revocable system Of leasing is, of course, not a satisfac- tory one for the purpose of inviting the capital needed to put in proper plants for the transmutation of power
 The statute of 1891 with it's amend ments permits the secretary of the in terior to grant perpetual easements or rights of way from water sources over public lands for the primary purpose of irrigation and such electrical current as may be incidentally developed, but no grant can be made under this stat ute to concerns whose primary purpose is generating and handling electricity The statute of 1901 authorizes the sec retary of the interior to issue reyoca- ble permits over the public lands to electrical power companies, but this statute is Woefully inadequate because 1t does not authorize the collection of 2 charge or fix term of years. CaDi- tal is slow to invest in an enterprise on permit revocabie at will
 The subject is one that calls for new legislation Ii has been thought that there was danger of combination to ob- tain possession of all the power sites fo unite fhnFa 5InTa,- @~rn 1nn%~~o1