New-York tribune., 1910-01-15

not frighten away the investment OF the
necessary capital Hence. It may be neces-
sary by laws that are really only expert
mental to determine from their practical
operation what is the best method of Sc
curing the result aimed at
The extent of tho value Of phosphate Is
hardly realized, and with the need that
there will be for it as the years roll on
and the necessity for fertilzing the land
shall become more acute. this will be a
product which will probably attract the
greed of nlonopolists.
WATER POWER SITES.
With respect to the public land which Hes
along the streams offering opportunity to
convert water power into tYansmissible
electricity. another important phase of the
pubic iand question is presented There
are yallla bic water power sites through all
held that the transfer of sovereignty. from
the federal government to the territorial
governments as they becomes states in
cluded the water power in the rivers ex-
cept so far as that owned by riparian pro-
prietors | do not think 1t necessary to go
INTO q discussion Of this somewhat mooted
question OF law. 1t seems TO me sufficient
TO say that the man who owns and con-
trols the land along the stream from which
mitted owns land which is Indispensable
TO the conversion and use OF that power. I
cannot conceive how the power in streams
moving through public lands can be made
available at all except by using the land
itself as the site for the construction of
the plant by which the power is generated
thereover for transmission lines. Under
these conditions. If the government owns
the adjacent land-indeed If the govern
mert Is the riparian owner-it may control
the use of the water power by imposing
proper conditions on the disposition of the
land la necessary in the creation and utiliza-
The development in electrical appliances
for the conversion of the water power into
electricity to be transmitted long distances
has progressed so far that IL is no longer
proplematical, but it is a certain inference
that in the future the power of the water
will take the place of natural fuels. In
the disposition of the domain already
come under absolute ownership, and may
drift into one ownership. so that all the
water power under private ownership shall
power sites now owned by the government
--and there are enough of them--shall he
disposed of to private persons for the
investment of their capital in such way
as to prevent their union for purposes of
monopoly with other water power sites. and
under conditions that shall limit the right
of use to not exceeding thirty years. with
renewal privileges, and some equitable
means for fixing terms of rental and with
proper means for determining a reasonable
graduated rental, IT would seem entirely
possible to prevent the absorption of these
most useful lands by power monopoly:
and can prevent their improper union with
other plants competition must be main
tanned and prices kept reasonable.
CONSERVATION OF SOILS
In considering the conservation of the
natural resources of the country. the
feature that transcends all others. includ-
ing woods, waters, minerals, is the soil of
the country. 1t is incumbent upon the
government to foster by all available means
the food of the people. To this end the
conservation of the soils Of the country
governments disposal. Their productive
powers should have the attention of our
scientists, that we NAV conserve the new
soils, improve the old soils. drain wet soils.
ditch swamp soils. levee river overflow
soils. grow trees on thin soils, pasture
hillside soils, rotate crops on all soils;
soils, find grasses and legumes for all
soils. feed grains and mill feeds on the
farms where they originate, that the soils
from which they come may be enriched.
a work of the utmost Importance 10 in
form and instruct the public on this chief
branch of the conservation of our resources
is being carried on successfully in the De-
partmet:t of Agriculture: but it ought not
ton to G pdaa1 Rn1 to ba 6 TIN 5a
drainage of swamp lands is essential to
the best treatment of the soils in the man
ner above indicated.
The act by which, in semi arid parts Of
the public domain. the area of the home
stead las been enlarged from $50 to 800
acres has resulted most benefcially In the
extension of dry farming and in the
demonstration which has been made of the
possibility, through a variation in the char
acter and mode of culture, of raising sub
stantial crops without the presence Of such
a supply of water as has been heretofore
thought to be necessary for agriculture.
ARID LAND IRRIGATION.
But there are millions of acres of com
which. by the establishment of reservoirs
for the storing Of water and the irrigation
fruitful and productive than the best lands
in a climate where the moisture comes
from the clouds Congress recognized I the
tribution of water on the arid lands by the
Passage of the reclamation act. The pro-
ceeds of the public lands create the fund
to build the works needed to store and fur
nish the necessary water, and IT was left
to the Secretary of the Interior to deter
among those Suggested. and to direct the
Reclamation Service. with the funds at
hand and through the engineers IN its en-
No one can visit the Far West and the
country of arid and serni-arid lands without
being convinced that this is one of the most
our natural resources that the government
has entered upon, 1t would appear that
and that a few of these are likely to be
unsuccessful because of lack of water, or
for other reasons. but generally the work
which has been done has been well done.
and many important engineering problems
have been met and solved.
BOND ISSUE RECOMMENDED.
One of the difficulties which has arisen
is that too many projects in view of the
available funds have been set on foot. The
funds available under the reclamation
statute are Inadequate to complete these
projects within a reasonable time. And
yet the projects have been begun; settlers
have been invited to take up. and in many
instances have taken up, the public land
within the projects, relying upon their
prompt completion. The failure to COM
plete the projects for their benefit is. in
effect breach of faith and leaves them in
nation ought TO afford the means TO lift
them out of the very desperate condition
in which they now are. This condition
does not indicate any excessive waste or
any corruption on the part of the Reclama-
ton Service. 1t only indicates over
reclamation to many acres and as many
states possible. recommend, there
fore that authority be given to issue
not exceeding $50, 900 600 Of bonds from time
10 time, as the Secretary of the Interior
shall find it necessary, the proceeds to be
already begun and their proper extension,
and the bonds running ten years or more
TO be taken up by the proceeds of returns
TO the reclamation fund, which returns, as
the years go on, Will increase rapidly in
amount
bonds We're to be allowed to run ten years
the proceeds from the public lands, to-
gether with the rentals for water fur
nished through the completed enterprises,
would quickly create sinking fund large
enough to retire the bonds within the time
shall provide that these bonds. are to be
paid out Of the reclamation fund, IL will
| be drawn in such a way as TO secure in
| terest al the lowest rate. and that the