Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1910-01-20
MESSAGE ON
CONSERVATION
Taft Urges Issuance Of $780,
O0O, 900, in Bonds.
SOME NOTEWORTHY REFORMS
Importance Of Conserving Water
ways, Forests, Public Lands Set
Forth By President Taft.

Washington, D. c., Special.-Presi-
dent Taft last Friday sent to- Con-
.gress a special massage on Conserva-
ton Of our National Resources,
which, in part, is as follows:
To the Senate and House of Rep
resentatives:
In my annual message ] reserved
the subject of the conservation of
our national for discussion
IN a special message, as follows:
In several departments there is
presented the necessity for legisla-
ton looking to the further, .conserva.
ton Of our national resources, and
the subject is one of such importance
as to require a more detailed and ex-
tended discussion than can be en-
tered upon in this communication.
For that reason / shall take an early
opportunity to send a special mes
sage to Congress on the subject Of
the Improvement of our WATERWAYS:
upon the reclamation and irrigation
of arid, semi-arid and swamp lands;
upon the preservation Of our forests
and the re-foresting Of suitable
areas; upon the Redistribution of
the public domain with a view of
separating from agricultural settle
ment mineral, coal, and phosphate
lands and sites belonging to the gov
eminent bordering on streams suit
able for the utilization of water
power.
In 1860 we had a public domain
OF 1,0~55,9l1,28S acres. We have now
73l,354,OS1 acres, confined largely to
the mountain ranges and the arid
and semi-arid plains. We have, in
addition, 36S,035, 975 acres Of land in
Alaska.
Noteworthy Reforms.
I Among the most noteworthy re-
forms initiated by my distinguished
predecessor were the vigorous prose-
cutlon of land frauds and the bring
ing OF public attention Of the neces-
s1ty Tor preserving the remaining
public domain from further spolia-
ton, or the maintenance and extern
sion OF u forest resources, and for
the enactment of laws amending the
absolute statutes SO as to retain gov
ernmental control over that part of
the public domain in which there are
oANtSpi oCPColtO I'll COdI, VI OIL, ana
of phosphate, and, in addition there
to-, preserve control, under conditions
favorable to the public, of the lands
along the streams in which the fall
OF water can be made to generate
power to be transmitted in the form
OF electricity many miles to the
point Of its use, known as ''water-
power sites.
Land Frauds.
The Investigations into violations
of the public land laws and til
prosecution of land frauds have been
vigorously continued under my adj
ministeration, as has been the with
'drawal Of coal lands for classified
ton and valuation and the temporary
withholding Of power sites.
Since March 4, 1909, temporary
Withdrawals of power sites have
been made on 1O2 streams and these
Withdrawals therefore cover 229
per cent. more streams than were
covered by the Withdrawals made
prior to that date.
Should Meet Conditions.
The present statutes, except so far
as they dispose of the precious met
ais and the purely agricultural lands,
are not adapted to cary out the
modern view Of the best disposition
OF public lands to private owner
ship, under conditions Offering on the
n hand sufficient inducement to
private capital to take them over fo1
proper development, with restrictive
conditions on the other which shall
secure to the public that character
of control which will prevent a mon.
'opoly or misuse Of the lands or thei1
products. The power Of the Secre
tary of the Interior to withdraw
from the operation Of existing sta
tutes tracts of-land,athe dis position
of which under such statutes would
be detrimental to the public interest
is not clear or satisfactory. Thi
power has been exercised in the in
terest Of the public with the hop,
that Congress might affirm the &C
ton Of the Executive by laws adapt
ed to the new conditions. Unfor
tunately, Congress has not thus IA
fully acted on the recommendation
of the Executive, and the question
as to what the Executive is to d,
is. under the circumstances, full Q
difficulty. It seems to me that it i
the duty Of Congress now, by
statute, to validate the withdrawal
which have been made by the Secre
tary Of the Interior and the Presi
dent, and to authorize the Secretar
of the Interior temporarily to with
draw lands pending submission t
Congress Of accommodations as t
legislation to meet conditions O
emergencies as they arise.
With respect to the public Ian
which lies along the streams oferin
opportunity to convert water-powe
into transmissible electricity, anotI
er important phase Of the public-lan
question is presented. There an
valuable water-power sites throug
all the public land States. The opir