The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1910-09-08

o..,,. or pront or this water 10 nrivats
fasa ny the government il hold Inv tho
rs,,-, court Of appeals not to no n
ou,h, 's'Ou OF power But certainly this
nlns ~, NV 10 be done except from sur
land III NOT needed for government
go me total sum already aacunuln-
s seu IN the reclamation f,rnd 10 seo S-S
49, and OF that all but Sc 4el ss5 "a has
esn expended. IL became very clear "a
,e ,eSS at its last session. from the
% Elements made by experts that these
w projects could not be PROMPTLY com
tI,'eu with the balance remaining on
in ,I, vi with the funds likely to accrue
o,,o. 'ar future. 1t was found more
ba,o ,,'a' mere are many settlers who
nave been led into taking I'm lands with
'i'e nope and understanding of ha,,tn.
- furnished in a short time, who are
~ III most distressing situation
'''''ehued 10 congress that authority
w sven 10 the secretary of the INFERIOR
w issue bonds in anticipation OF the as
,Suleu earnings by the projects, go that
49, poJeCts' worthy and feasible might
oc promptly completed and the settlers
might be relieved from their nresant In.
Convenience and hardship In authorizing
.Ile issue OF these projects. congress lin
.,eu me application of their proceeds to
'nose projects which board of army en-
eiheers, to be appointed by the president
Shoull examine and determine to be
feasible and worthy Of completion. The
uoaru mas been appointed and soon will
make its report
suggestions have been made that the
United States ought to aid in the drain
age OF swamp lands belonging to the
states or private owners, hcctuse. n
uralned, they would be exec, lt,gly val
uaple Tor agriculture and contribute to
the general welfare by extending the
area or cultivation ! dcprecate the agi-
tatlon In favor OF such legislation. II Is
inviting the general government into
.on'rlhution from its treasury toward en-
terprses that should he conducted either
10y private capital or at the instance of
the state. In these days there is n dispo-
S''ion to look too much to the federal
government for everything I am liberal
IN inc construction of the Constitution
with reference to federal power: but |
am firmly convinced that the only safe
course for us to pursue is to hold fast
10 'he limitations OF the Constitution and
10 regard as sacred the powers of the
states. We have made wonderful prog
ress and at the same time have pre-
served with judicial exactness the re-
strlcuons OF the Constitution There is
an easy way In which the Constitution
can be violated by congress without
Judicial inhibition, to-wit by appropria-
tons from the national treasury for un-
constitutional purposes 1t will be n sorry
day for this country IL the time ever
comes when our fundamental compact
| shall be habtualy disregarded in this
manner.
Mineral Lands.
BY mineral lands | mean those lands
| bearing metals. or what are called metal
mir, lie IA.
ship and disposition of these lands were
| first fixed by custom in the west and
then were embodied in the law, and they
| have worked, on the whole, SO fairly and
well that l do not think IT is wise to
attempt to change or better them.
Forest Lands.
Nothing can be more important in the
| matter of conservation than the treatment
| of our forest lands. 1t was probably the
| ruthless destruction of forests in the
| older states that first called attention TO
n halt In the waste of our resources. This
was recognized by congress by an act
authorizing the executive to reserve from
entry and set aside public timber lands
as national forests Speaking generally.
there has been reserved of the existing
| forests about seventy per cent. of all
| the timber lands Of the government.
| Within these forests Including 26OOO,OOO
acres in two forests in Alaska) are l92,-
| 900 900 of acres. Of which l66,0OOO00 of
acres are in the United States proper and
| include within their boundaries some
| thing like % 100000 Of acres that belong
to the state or to private individuals. We
| have then, excluding Alaska forests,
| total of about 144,000,O00 acres of forests
| belonging to the government which Is
| being treated in accord with the prlnci-
pies Of scientific forestry.
The government timber in this coun-
| try amounts to only one-fourth or all the
timber the rest being in private own
| ership Only three per cent. OF that which
is in private ownership is looked after
propcrly and treated according to mod
ern rules of forestry. The usual de-
| structive waste and neglect continues In
the remainder of the forests owned by
private persons and corporations, 1t Is
! estimated that fire alone destroys $5ooo'-
OOO worth of timber year me
management of forests not on public
land is beyond the jurisdiction of the fed
| eral government. If anything can be done
| nv law IL must be done by the state leg
| ,slatures believe that II is within their
constitutional power to require the, en-
forcement of regulations in the general
public interest, as to fire and other
| causes of waste in the management OF
forests owned by private individuals ana
| corporations.
have shown sufficiently the conditions
as IN federal forestry to indicate that no
| further legislation is needed at the mo-
| mont except an increase in the fire pro-
| tection to national forests and an act
vesting the executive with fun power 10
mike forest reservations in every state
where government land is timber-coVered'
or where the land is needed for forestry
! purposes.