The state herald., 1910-09-09
STANDS STRONGLY
FOR CONSERVATION
President Taft's Address Before
Congress at St. Paul.
DANGER IN CONTINUED WASTE
Chief Executive Outlines Plans Which
He Believes Should Be Adopted
Statistics Make Speech Com
prehenslve to Hearers.

oC faul, MIMI, Sept b.-freSluent
Taft delivered his long-expected
speech before the National Con-
servation congress here today. Sub
stanually 1t was as follows:
Gentlemen of the National Conservation
Congress:
Conservation as an economic and po-
ntical term has come to mean the preser-
walton Of our natural resources for
economical use 40 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 dlsslpa-
uon 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 nelghborhood, 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 II needed some one to
bring home the crying need for 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 1t,
As president of the United States |
have, as 1t were. inherited this policy.
and rejoice in my heritage. | prize my
high opportunity to do all that an ex-
ecutive can do to help n great people
realize n great national ambition. For
conservation is national II Affects every
man OF us. every woman. every child.
What | can do in the cause | shall do,
not ns president OF party. but presi-
dent Of the whole people Conservation
iH not a question Of politics, or OF fac
tions. or OF persons. 1t is a question that
affects the vital welfare Of nil OF us-of
our children and our children's children.
] urge that no good can come from meet
tngs OF this sort unless ascrlbe to
those who take part in them. and who
are apparently striving worthily In the
cause, all proper motives and unless we
Judiclaiiy consider every measure or
method proposed with a view TO its efrec-
uveness in achieving our common pur-
pose. and wholly without regard to who
proposes II or who will claim the credit
for Its adoption. The problems are OF
very great difficulty and call for the
calmest consideration and clearest fore
sight. Many OF the questions presented
have phases that are new in this coun-
try. and Il is possible that in their solu-
ton we may have TO attempt first one
way and then another. What l wish TO
emphasize. however. Is that n satlsfac-
tory conclusion can only be reached
promptly " we avoid acrlmony. imputa-
tions 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 ccssions TO the United States
and including Alaska. amounted In all to
about 1900 .oc.ooo acres OF this there Is
left as purely government property out
side OF Ainskh something like 10000. 100 OF
Hcrca. or this the national forest re-
serves In the United States proper EN-
brace lA,ooO.0oo acres. The rest II largely
mountain or arid country. offering some
opportunity for agriculture by dry farm
ins and by reclamation. and containing
metals MS well as coal. phosphntes. oils.
and natural gas Then the government
owns many tracts OF land lying along the
margins Of streams that have water
power. the use OF which ls necessary In
the conversion OF the power into eiec-
trielty and Its Transmission.
I shall divide my discussion under the
heads of D agricultural lands. CO min
ernl lands-thht II. lands containing
metAlllferous minerals; CD forest lands:
W coal lands: Gl oil and gas lands: and
90 phosphate lands.
Agricultural Lands.
Our land laws for the entry OF agrlcul-
The original homestead law. with the
requirements OF residence and cultivation
Tor nvc years. much more strictly en-
forced than ever before
The enlarged homestead act. applying
to nonirrirable lands only. requiring I've
years reaidencc and continuous cultiya-
ton Of one-fourth Of the area
The dcscrt-lhnd net. which requires on
IN. part Of the purchaser tho ownership
Of water right and thorough reciAma-
uon OF the land by irrigation. and the
payment OF ti.z5 per acre
The donation or Carey act. under which
the state selects the land and provides
for it, reclamation. and the title vests In
the settler who resides upon the land and
eui,ivates 4, and pays N. cost OF the
reclamation.
The national reclamation homestead
law. requiring i've years residence and
cultivation by N. settler on the land lr.
tignted by the government. and payment
by him To the government, Of the cost OF
the reclamation.
The present congress passed n bill Of
great Importance. sevcring the ownership
OF coal by the government In tho ground
from the surface and permitting home
strrd entries upon the surface OF tn.
land, which. when perfected, give the
settler the right 90 farm IN. surface.
while tho coal beneath tho surface n fe-
tanned In ownership by the government
and may be disposed Of by II under other
laws
There II no rryinE need for radical 70.
form IN the methods Of disporins OF what
are rrally agricultural lands tn. pres.
-nt laws have worked well Tho en-.
iarEed homestead law has encouraged the
rurc"HHful farming NJ lands In the sent.
arid regions or course tho teachings of
the agricultural department hs 10 how
these subnrid lands may be- treated and
the soii preserved for useful cuitur. arc
OF the very essence ~ conservation Then
conservation Of agricultural lands IL
shown IN tho reclamation OF arid lnndH
by irrigation and ! should devote fcw
words To what the government has done
and In doing In this regard
Reclamation.
ny tho reclamation net FUND has been
created NJ the proceeds ~ the public
lands ~ tho United rtatsH with which 10
construct works Tor storing great bodies
Of uaief NJ proper attitudes from which.
by suitable system ~ canals and ditch.
er, tho water n ~ be distributed over the
arid and Hubnrld lands NJ the government
10 b- ro,d Ia settlers at n price Huffloieni
tn pay for the improvements. Primarily
st. etatsgtH Na and f,stt.E k.t f.t tnr tt,..