The Colorado statesman., 1910-01-22

and house OF representatives by Pres
ident Taft to-day:
To the Senate and House OF Representa-
tives:
In my annual message I reserved the
subject OF the conservation OF our ma
tional resources for disposition in Il spe-
cial message. as follows.
In several departments there Is pre-
scented the necessity for legislation look
Ing to the further conservation Of our
national resources and the subject Is one
of such Importance as to require more
detailed and extended discussion than
can be entered upon in this communtca-
tion. For that reason l shall take an
early opportunity To send speaal 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 preser-
walton of our forests and the re-foresttng
of suitable areas. upon the re-classitica-
ton OF the public domain with a view ot
separating from agricultural settlement
mineral coal and phosphate lands and
sites belonging to the government bor-
dering on streams suitable for the utih-
cation OF water power.
In 1860 we had public domain Of l,055.-
9ll 2sS acres. We have now 73l .0Sl
acres. confined largely TO the mountain
ranges and the arid and semi-arid plalus
We have. in addition. 36s. .O35 $40 acres or
land in Alaska.
Disbursement of Public Lands.
The public lands were. during the earll-
est administrations. treated as "A national
asset for the liquidation of the public
debt and as n source Of reward for our
soldiers and sailors. Later on they were
donated in large amounts in aid Of the
construction OF wagon roads and rail-
ways. in order to open up regions in the
west then almost inaccessible. All the
principal land statutes were enacted more
homestead act the pre-emption and tim
ber-culture act. the coal land and the
mining acts were among these
The rapid disposition of the public lands
under the early statutes. and the lax
met hods OF distribution prevailing. due. I
think to the belief that these lands
should rapidly pass into private owner
ship. gave rise to the impression that
the public domain was legitimate prey
for the interruptions and that it was not
contrary to good morals to circumvent
the land laws. This pro1iga manner OF
disposition resulted in the passing OF
large areas OF valuable land and many
of our national resources into the hands
of persons who felt little or no RESPONSE
bilty for promoting the national well
fare through their development.
Fraudulent Titles.
The truth is that title to millions Of
acres OF public lands was fraudulently
obtained and that the right to recover
ment long since ceased by reason OF stat
utes Of limitations. There has developed
In recent years a deeo concern in the
public mind respecting the preservation
and proper of our natural resources.
This has been particularly directed
toward the conservation of the resources
of the public domain. vast amount OF
discussion has appeared in the public
prints in generalzed form on this sub
1ect but there has been little practical
suggestion. 1t has been easy to say that
the natural resources in fuel supply. in
forests. In water power, and In other
public utilities. must be saved from
waste, monopoly. and other abuses. and
the general public is in accord with this
proposition. they are with most
trusms. The problem, however, is how
to save and how to utilize. how to con-
serve and still develop. for sane per-
son can contend that II is for the COM
mon good that natures blessings are
only for unborn generations.
Noteworthy Reforms.
Among the most noteworthy reforms
Initiated by my distinguished predecessor
were the vigorous prosecution OF land
frauds and the bringing to public atten-
ton OF the necessity for preserving the
remaining public domain from further
spoliation, for the maintenance and eN-
tension OF our forest resources, and for
the enactment OF laws amending the OBJ
solete statutes so as to retain govern
mental control over that part OF the pub
Tic domain in which there are valuable
deposits of coal. OF oil. and OF phosphate.
and. in addition thereto. to preserve con-
troll, 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
The Investigations into violations of the
public land laws and the prosecution OF
land frauds have been vigorously con-
tinued under my administration, as has
been the withdrawal of coal lands for
classification and valuation and the tenn
porary Withholding of power sites Since
March 4, 1909, temporary withdrawals or
power sites have been made on l02
streams and these Withdrawals therefore
cover 229 per cent. more streams than
were covered by the Withdrawals made
prior to that date.
The present statutes except so far
as they dispose of the precious metals
and the purely agricultural lands. are
not adapted to carry out the modern
view of the best disposition of public
lands to private ownership. under con-
ditions offering on the one hand sufh-
cient inducement to private capital to
take them over for proper develop
ment, with restrictive conditions on
the other which shall secure to the
public that character of control which
will prevent n monopoly or misuse OF
the lands or their products. The power
of the secretary of the interior to with
draw from the operation of existing
statutes tracts of land. the disposition
of which under such statutes would
be detrimental to the public interests
is not clear or satisfactory. This power
has been exercised in the interest OF
the public. with the hope that congress
might affirm the action of the execu-
tive by laws adapted to the new condi-
tions. Unfortunately. congress has not
thus far fully acted on the recommen-
dations of the executive. and the ques-
tion as to what the executive is to
do is under the circumstances. full OF
dificulty 1t seems to me that II Is
the duty of congress now. by statute.
10 validate the Withdrawals which
ba va been made by the secretary of the