Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-09-10


conserved In ways consistent both with
our people. Recognizing the waters OF the
country as "a great national resource We
approve and endorse the opinion that al
the waters belong 10 the people and hold
that they should be used In the interest OF
the people
basin are related and lnterdependent we
hold that each stream should De regarded
and treated as a unit from its source TO
It's mouth. and since the waters are
essentially mobile and transitory and are
generally interstate. we hold that IN al
cases OF divided or doubtful jurisdiction
the waters should be administered by CO
operation between state and federal
Recognising the interdependence Of the
various uses Of the waters Of the country,
we hold that the primary uses are for
domestic supply and for agriculture
through Irrigation or otherwise and that
the uses for navigation and for power, IN
which water is not consumed are
view that each use Of the waters should
be made with reference to all other uses
for the public welfare is accordance with
the principle OF the greatest good to the
greatest number for the longest time.
Viewing purity of water supply as
essential to the public health and general
welfare, we urge upon all municipal, state
and federal authorities and on individuals
and corporations, requisite action toward
purifying and preventing contamination OF
the waters,
Recognizing the vast economic benefit to
! largely from interstate streams no less
than from navigable rivers, we favor fed
eral control of water power development;
we deny the right of states or federal
government to continue alternating or CON
veylng water by granting franchises for the
use thereof in perpetuity and we demand
only for iim,tod msrodI itb t 4e peTinl1seu
sation In the interests of the people
We demand the maintenance OF the fed
eral commission empowered to deal with
CO-OFdinAtn
these uses for the public welfare in CO.
| operation with similar commissions or
other agencies maintained ny the states.
Approving the withdrawal OF public lands
pending classification and the separation OF
! surface rights from mineral, forest and
water rights, including water power sites
We recommend legislation for the classified
| ton and leasing for grazing purposes on
unreserved public lands suitable chiefly for
this purpose, subject to the rights of home
steaders and settlers or the acquisition
! thereof under the laws OF the United States
| and we hold that arid and non-irrigable
public grazing lands should be administered
| by the government in the interest OF small
stookmen and home-seekers until they have
passed into the possession Of actual settlers.
We hold that the deposits of minerals
/ underlying, particularly mineral fuels, iron
ores and phosphate deposits. should be
leased for limited periods not exceeding
| fifty years. but subject to renewal, the
royalty to be adjusted at more frequent
intervals, such leases to be in amounts to
such regulations to prevent monopoly
| and unnecessary waste.
We hold that phosphate deposits under
lying the public lands should be safeguarded
for the American people by appropriate
| legislation and we recommend the early
opening Of the Alaskan and other coal
| fields belonging to the people of the United
states for commercial purposes on a system
OF leasing. national ownership to be re-
Other points approved in the platform
were: Drainage Of swamp and overflow
lands. development of navigation through
out the rivers and lakes OF the country, in
vestigation of damage done by the smelt-
Ing Of copper ores and the utilization Of the
by-products in connection with phosphate
fertilizers; preservation and better utiliZa-
tlon of the soils by scientific methods; con-
tinuance OF the control Of the national for
ests by the federal government and the
settlement of such public lands as are
more valuable for agriculture; requirement
Of lands not useful for other purposes fol
reforestation; recommending more gener.
Gus support for the forest service and
more efficient fire patrol: repeal Of thu
timber and stone law; preservation by the
federal government of the southern Appa
lachian and White mountain forests; con
servation OF migratory birds and wild gam,
animals; instruction In the public school,
on the fundamental doctrines of conserva
tion prevention Of child labor and better
protection of child life; increase of proper
safeguards for the protection of life IL
mining and transportation industries: es
tabnshment OF public health department
by the national government; the mainte
nance of national conservation commits
sion and corresponding agencies by all tn,
states.
Nothing" said the platform, in con
clusion. us to be construed as questioning
the rights OF the states or the people o.
the United States guaranteed under tn,
federal constitution"