The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1910-09-05

Is : 2 Il
;ership of coal by the government In
the ground from the surface and per-
hitting homestead entries upon the
surface of the land. which. when per-
fected, give the settler the right to
| farm the surface. while the coal be-
meath the surface is retained in own
ership by the government and may be
disposed of by it under other laws.
There is no crying need for radical
reform in the methods of disposing OF
what are really agricultural lands.
The present laws have worked we'll.
The enlarged homestead law has en-
couraged the successful farming OF
lands in the semiarid regions. VI
| course the teachings Of the agricul-
tural department as to how these sub
arid lands may be treated and SOIL
preserved for useful culture are of the
very essence of conservation.
Then conservation Of agricultural
lands is shown in the reclamation OF
arid lands by irrigation. and should
devote a few words to what the gov
eminent has done and is doing in this
| regard.
BY the reclamation act a fund has
been created Of the proceeds OF the
| public lands of the United States with
| which to construct works for storing
great bodies Of water at proper alt1-
! tudes, from which, by suitable sys-
TEN of canals and bitches, the water
is to be distributed over the arid and
subarid lands of the government to
| be sold to settlers at price sufficient
to pay for the improvements.
The total sum already accumulated
| in the reclamation fund is $6O,213,-
25S.22, and of that all but $6,491, 1854
has been expended. 1t became very
clear to congress at its last session.
from the statements made by experts,
that these thirty projects could not be
promptly completed with the balance
remaining on hand or with the funds
likely to accrue III the near future.
1t was found, moreover. that there
are many settlers who have been led
into taking up lands with the hope and
understanding of having water fur
| nished in a short time who are left In
a most distressing situation.
| Draining Swamp Lands.
| Suggestions have been made that the
| United States ought to aid in the
drainage Of swamp lands belonging to
the states or private owners, because
if drained they would be exceedingly
valuable for agriculture and contribute
to the general welfare by extending the
area of cultivation. l deprecate the
agitation in favor Of such legislation.
1t is inviting the general government
into contribution from it's treasury to-
ward enterprises that should be con-
Quoted either by private capital or at
the instance Of the state. In these
days there is disposition to look too
much to the federal government for
everything.
! l am liberal in the construction Of
the constitution with reference to fed
eral power, but I am firmly con-
WINGED that the only safe course for us
to pursue is to hold fast to the limita-
tons of the constitution and to regard
as sacred the powers Of the states.
! We have made wonderful progress and
at the same time have preserved with
judicial eXactnes5 the restrictions Of
| the constitution. There is an easy way
in which the constitution can be vio-
lated by congress without judicial in
hibition-to wit, by appropriations
from the national treasury for uncon-
stitutional purposes. It will be sorry
day for this country if the time ever
comes when our fundamental compact
shall be habitually disregarded in this
| manner.
Our Forest Lands.
Nothing can be more important in
the matter of conservation than the
treatment of our forest lands. It was
probably the ruthless destruction of
forests in the older states that first
called attention to a halt in the waste
of our resources.
This was recognized by congress by
an act authorizing the executive to re-
serve from entry and set aside pub
| lie timberlands as national forests.
Speaking generally, there has been
reserved of the existing forests about
70 per cent Of all the timberlands of
the government.
Within these forests Qncluding &c.
100000 acres in two forests in Alas
KAY are 192,0O0,000 Of acres, Of which
166,OOO,OOO Of acres are in the United
States proper and include within their
boundaries something like 100000
Of acres that belong to the state or to
private individuals. We have, then,
excluding Alaska forests, a total of
about 144,OOOOOO acres of forests be-
longing to the government which is
being treated in accord with the prin-
! ciples of scientific forestry.
The law now prohibits the reserva-
ton of any more forests lands in
Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana,
Colorado and Wyoming, except by act
Of congress. I am Informed by the de-
partment Of agriculture that the gov
eminent owns other tracts of timber