The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-07-05
PRESIDENT TAFT ON
WITHDRAWALS
Millions of Acres of Land,
Held Out by Roosevelt,
Now Saved Legally.

beverly, Mass, July with po-
sltiVely legal authority for his &C
ZION, President Taft has issued or
ders for the withdrawal from entry
VI o,495,731 acres of public land, in
cludlng water power sites and as
pnalt, oil and petroleum deposits
In addition new order has also
oeen drafted Withdrawing from entry
ana settlement all the land in Ala
ska which is known to contain work
able coal, thereby ''ratifying, con-
1lrmlng and continuing in full and
effect, in the words of Secretary
OF the Interior Ballinger, 1.-The order
OF withdrawal made by direction of
former President Roosevelt on No
vember II, 1906"
Announcement of this important
action was made at the executive Of
flee here. The order of the Presi-
dent is issued under the new conser-
walton act, passed at the session of
congress which adjourned a week
ago, the effect which was to give the
executive full power to make these
Withdrawals, which had previously
been made by President Roosevelt
without enacted authority, but on
thnnru bo+ ic
powered to perform any act in the
public interests that is not specifical-
ly prohibited by law
! Reclamation Board Named.
Announcement was also made that
under the terms of the new act Of
congress providing for a bond issue
of 100000 to complete reclama-
ton projects already started. The
President has designated Lieutenant
Colonies John Biddle and William
c. Langfitt and Majors William w.
Harris, Charles W. Kutz and Harry
Burgess, United States Army engi-
neers, to examine and report upon
reclamation projects which it is pro-
posed to complete.
These officers are directed to re-
port to Secretary Ballinger as soon
as possible. Their report, together
with such recommendation which
they make, are to be forwarded to
the President, by whom all expen-
ditures of the $2O,O00,000 are to be
approved when the work is begun.
Makes Roosevelt's Work Legal.
By far the greater Importance at
taches to the land withdrawals. 1t
is over these that the Ballinger-Pin-
chot controversy has waged Prac-
tically all of the Withdrawals that
were announced had previously been
made by President Roosevelt Some
of them had been overruled by Pres
ident Taft, and where this action had
not been taken, there were admis-
sions on the part of the administra-
ton of grave doubt Of the power of
congress.
The law legalizing this action was
one of the measures for which the
President fought during the session
of congress just closed. Acting I'M
der it he has now placed under COM
plete protection what remains for in
estimably valuable public domain,
with its great water power sites and
rich deposits of coal, petroleum and
phosphates.
Protects Land in Alaska.
Of particular significance is the
withdrawal of the Alaskan lands,
which have been more or less at the
mercy of the land grabbers for many
years.
The Withdrawals of public lands
that are particularly valued as water
power sites embrace 1,454,499 acres,
and are as follows:
Arizona, 1O7,55O; California, A.
819; Colorado, 201,549; Idaho, $780,
GIL; Montana, 122,515; Nevada,
1901; New Mexico, 1886; Oregon,
176,721; Utah, 379,912; Washing
ton, 55,439; Wyoming, 103,369.
OF phosphate lands withdrawn
there are 1884, 113 acres withdrawn,
distributed as follows:
Florida, 2400; Idaho, 1,102,317;
Utah, 107,540; Wyoming, 1,3S1,S51.
The withdrawals of petroleum
lands embrace 4,447,119 acres, as
| follows:
Arizona, 230,400; California, g.
482,750; Colorado, S7,474; Louisi-
ana, 314,720; New Mexico, 419,901:
Oregon, 74,S49; Utah, 5S1, 1854; Wy
oming, 255,461.