The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1910-12-08

| ginning OF this administration there
were withdrawn from entry for pur.
poses OF classification 1885,. 900 acres.
Since that time there have been with.
drawn by my order from entry for
classification 7s,977.745 acres, making
a total withdrawal Of 96.S44.745 acres
Meantime OF the acres thus with
drawn 1,061.S have been classified
and found not to contain coal and
have been restored to agricultural en-
try. and 4,726091 acres have been
classified as coal lands: while 7,993,239
acres remain withdrawn from entry
and await classification. in addition
337. 900 acres have been classified as
coal lands without prior withdrawal.
thus increasing the classified coal
lands to lo.42S,372 acres.
Under the laws providing for the
disposal of coal lands In the United
States, the minimum price at which
lands are permitted to be sold Is $40
an acre; but the secretary of the In
terror has the power TO fix maximum
price and to sell at that price.
AS one-thrd OF all the coal supply
Ia held by the government, 1t seems
wise that It should retain such con
troll over the mining and the sale as
, the relation OF lessor to lessee FUR
nishes.
THE secretary OF the interior thinks
: there are difficulties In the way of
I leasing public coal lands, which OBJ
I jections he has set forth In his re-
port, the force OF which | freely con.
, cede. entirely approve his stating
ut length in his report of the o6jec'
D tons in order that the whole subject
/ may DO presented to congress, but
!, after full consideration, Tor the rea'
Q sons | have given above, | favor
4 leasing system and recommend It,"
: Water Power Sites.
] Prior to March l. 1903, there had
, been, on the recommendation OF the
5 reclamation service, withdrawn from
agricultural entry, because they were
d regarded as useful for power sites
which ought not to be disposed OF al
agricultural lands, tracts amounting
to about 100000 acres. The with
" drawals were hastily made and In
. Guided a great deal OF land that wal
not useful for power sites They wer'
= intended to include the power Site
u on 30 rivers in 8 states. Since tina
- time 3,4T5,442 acres have been re
stored for settlement of the origina
100000 because they do not con
:, tain power sites; and meantime, new
Withdrawals have been made which
= with other RESERVATIONS based upo
field examination result in withdraw
ais at present effective OF 1889
acres on vacant public land and 2GI
r 1877 acres on entered public land, or
oil total of 1920. 553 acres. These witt
or drawals made from time TO time cove
all tho power sites included In tn
It first Withdrawals and many more. o
p l5t rivers and In 10 states. The dl
st positlon Of these power sites involve
d one of the most difficult questions pr
as scented in carrying out practical col
'h servauon
ut THE subject Is one that calls fC
n new legislation 1t has been though
's- that there was danger OF combinato
70 TO obtain possession of all the pow'
sites and to unite them under OF
as control. Whatever the evidence
ry this or lack OF II, at present we hay
es had enough experience to know TIL
10 combination would be profitable, Al
the control Of a great number OF POI
ne ,,rfaIp gnRtInna
We However this may be, 1t Is u
ne plain duty OF the government to 81
,se To II that in the utilization and dev'
lth opment of all this immense amou
eS' of water power, conditions shall
oe imposed that will prevent cxtoruo
Val ate charges. which are the usual
IA compartment of monopoly
e,, THE question of conservation
II mt n partisan one, and | sincere
hone that even In the short time
uh- the present session consideration m
be given to those questions VIM
ieu have now been much discussed, n
'no that action may be taken upon then
Alaska.
,IN with reference to the goyernmt
49, of Alaska, | have nothing to add
bTa the recommendations | made in
,rI last message on the subject |
sra convinced that the migratory char
ter of the population, its unequal
tribution, and It's smallness Of nj
-, ber, which the new census shows
be about $4,000, in relation to
, e enormous expanse of the terrific
make It altogether impracucable
give to those people who are
- Alaska today and may not be Their
TIL year hence, the power to elect a
tn islature to govern an immense
anr rItory to which they have relation
,pds little permanent"
Bureau of Corporations.
: in Referring to the report OF the C
thr missioner of corporations. the pr
WINS dent says,
, of THE commissioner finds q co
arst ton in the ownership of the stand
mr. n timber of tho United States OF
a than the government timber that