Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-09-14
CONSERVATION A DUTY,
DECLARES PRESIDENT TAFT
Members of National Congress at St. Paul Find
Him Thoroughly in Accord with Their
Ideas---His Speech.

81 Paul, sept 5.-The National
Conservation congress listened with
deep interest TO President Taft's ad-
dress today. The chief executive
spoke substantially as follows:
Gentlemen OF the National Conservation
Congress:
ducal 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 Nssipa-
con 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 ei-hborhood, while in the newer
part of the country the sympathy with
expansion and development is so strong
that the danger is scofTed at or ignored.
Among scientific men and thoughtful OBJ
aervers. however. the danger has always
been present; but It 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-
0entatives 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
have, as II were, inherited this policy,
and rejoice in my heritage. ! prize my
high opportunity to do all that an ex-
ecutive can do to help a great people
realize a great national ambition For
conservation is national. 1t affects every
man Of us, every woman, every child.
What / can do in the cause l 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
lions. or OF persons. 1t is a question that
Affects the vital welfare of all of us-of
eur children and our children's children.
urge that no good can come from meet
fngs 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-
dveness In achieving our common pur-
pose, and wholly without regard to who
proposes It or who VIII claim the credit
for its adoption The problems are OF
very great difficulty and call for the
caimest consideration and clearest fore
sight Many Of the questions presented
have phases that are new in this coun-
try, and It is possible that in their solu-
ton we may have to attempt first one
way and then another. What I wish to
emphasize, however, is that a satsfac-
tory conclusion can only be reached
tons of bad faith, and political contro-
versy.
The public domain Of the government
of the United States, 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 1880, 10000 acres. OF this there is
left as purely government property out
aide OF Alaska something like 10000. 900 of
acres. or this the national forest re-
serves in the United States proper en-
brace $4,000 900 acres
shall divide my discussion under the
heads of % agricultural lands; (2) min
sral lands-that is, lands containing
metalliferous minerals. 90 forest lands;
% coal lands; (5 oil and gas lands; and
90 phosphate lands.
Agricultural Lands.
Our land laws for the entry of agricul-
eural 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
20 nonirrigable lands only, requiring five
years residence and continuous cultiva-
Sion OF one-fourth of the area
The desert-land act, which requires on
the part OF the purchaser the ownership
Of a water right and thorough reclsns-
fion OF the land by irrigation, and the
payment OF $l.25 per acre.
The donation or Carey act under which
the state selects the land and provides
for its reclamation. and the title vests "a
the settler who resides upon the lard and
cultivates 1t and pays the COST Of the
reclamation.
The national reclamation homestead
iaw. requiring FIVE years residence and
cultivation by the settler on the land IT.
rigated by the government, and payment
by him to the government OF the cost of
tine reclamation.
The present congress passed e. bill of
great Importance. severing the ownership
Of coal by the government in the ground
from the surface and permitting home
stead entries upon the surface OF the
land, which, when perfected. give the
settler the right to farm the surface,
while the coal beneath the surface is re-
tanned in ownership by the government
and may be disposed Of by II under other
laws.
There is no crying need for radical re-
form in the methods of disposing Of what
are really agricultural lands The pres
emit laws have worked well The en-
iarged homestead law has encouraged the
successful farming of lands in the semi
arid regions.
Reclamation.
By the reclamation act a fund has been
created of the proceeds OF the public
construct works for storing great bodies
of water at proper attitudes from which,
by a suitable system of canals and ditch
es, the water is to be distributed over the
arid and subarid lands Of the government
90 be sold to settlers at a price sufficient
10 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 reach
of the water supply. the furnishing at
cost or profit of this water to private
owners by the government is held by the
federal court of appeals not TO be
usurpation Of power. But certainly this
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 $s0,273.-
1852, and of that all but 81, 49,, 1854 has
been expended. 1t became very clear to
congress at its last session, from the
statements made by experts. that these
80 projects could not be promptly COM
pieted with the balance remaining on
hand or with the funds likely to accrue
in the near future. 1t was found more
over. that there are many settlers who
have been led into taking up lands with
the hope and understanding OF having
water furnished in a short time, who are
left in a most distressing situation. l
recommended to congress that authority
be given to the secretary of the interior
to issue bonds in anticipation OF the as
He Was Mistaken.
ssT-hfs country would he all right