The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1910-09-07

carry up the maximum OF value 70 800
an acre. In my judgment Il IS essential
In the proper development Of ALASKA that
these coal lands should be opened. and
that the Pacific slope should be given the
benefit Of the comparatively cheap cOai
a reasonable price from these fields: but
the public. through the government.
ought certainly to retain . wise control
and interest in these coal deposits. and I
think II may do Do safely II congress will
authorize the granting Of leases. a. al
ready suggested for government coal
lands in the United States. with provi-
sions forbiddinE the transfer Of the
leases except with the consent Of the
government. thus preventing their acqui-
sition by q combination or monopoly and
upon limitations as to the area to he in
cluded In any one lease TO one Individual.
and At certain moderate rental. with
royalties upon the coal mined proper
toned to the market value OF the coal
either at Seattle or at San Francisco. OF
course such lease should contain condi-
ticns requiring the erection OF proper
plaEts. the proper development by mod
ern mining methods Of the properties
leased. and the use Of every known and
practical means and device for saving the
life Of the miners.
Oil and Gas Lands.
In the last administration there were
withdrawn from agricultural entry $780,
oO0 acres Of supposed oil land in Califor-
mia: about . million and half acres in
Louisiana. OF which only 800 acres
were known to be vacant unapprOpria-
ted land: '5.Cc0 acres in Oregon and 49,.
0O acres in Wyoming. making total Of
nearly 100000 acres. In September. 1903.
! directed that all public oil lands.
whether then withdrawn or not. should
be withheld from disposition pending con-
gressioral action. for the reason that the
existing placer mining law. although
made applicable to deposits Of this char
acter. II not suitable to such lands, and
for the further reason that II seemed de-
sir.ble to reserve certain fuel-oI deposits
Co. the use Of the American navy. Ac-
cordinEly the form Of all. existing with
drawals was changed. and new with
drawals aggresatinG c.:0.1OO acres were
made in Arizona. California. Colorado.
New Mexico. Utah and Wyoming. Field
examinations during the year showed
that Of the original Withdrawals. .17O.-
40 acres were not valuable for oil. and
they were restored for agricultural entry.
Meantime. other Withdrawals Of public
oil lands in these states were made. %
that July ]. 1910. the outstanding with
drawais then amounted To 100000 acres.
The needed oil and gas Law is essential
l. a leasing law. In their natural occur
renee. oil and gas cannot De measured in
terms Of acres. like coal. and II follows
that exclusive title TO these products can
normally he secured only after they reach
the surface. Oil should be disposed Of as
commodity in terms cf barrels Of
transpOr;able product rather than I'm
acres OF real estate. This IL. of course.
the reason for tine practically universal
adoption Of the leasing system wherever
oil land il In private ownership. The
government thus would no. be entering
on an experiment. but simply putting
Into effect a plan successfully operated in
private contracts. Why should not the
government as q landowner deal directly
With the oil producer rather than through
the intervention Of q miidleman to whom
the government gives title to the land?
The principal underlying feature Of
such legislation should be the exercise Of
beneficial control rather than the collec-
ton Of revenue. As not only the largest
owner Of oil lands. but as a prospective
large consumer Of oil by reason OF the
increasing use Of fuel oil by the navy.
the federal government Is directly con-
csrnesl both in encouraging rational de-
velopment and ut the same time insuring
the longest possible life to the oil sup
ply.
One Of the difficulties presented. espe-
cial!y In the California fields. IL that the
Southern Pacific railroad owns every
other section Of land In the oil field.
and in those helde the oil seems to he in
a common reservoir. or series Of reser
voirs. communicating through the oil
sands. 30 that the excessive draining Of
oil At one well. or on the railroad terri
tory generally. wouli exhaust the oil in
the government land. Hence II is i'm
pOrtant that II the government is to have
lii skn
opening Of wells on its. own property.
1t has been suggested. and believe the
suggestion to be . sound one. that per-
mits be issued to . prospectOr for oil
giving him the right to prospect for two
years over q certain tract Of government
land for the discovery Of oil. the right to |
be evidenced by q license for which he |
pays . small sum. When the oil II dis
covered. then he acquires title to a GER
tain tract. much IN the same way as he |
would acquire title under a mining law.
OF course II the system Of leasing IL
adopted then he would b given the
benefit Of q lease upon terms like that /
above suggested. What has been said In |
respect to oil applies also to government |
gas lands.
Phosphate Lands.
Phosphorus 10 one Of the three essen
t!als to plant growth, the other elements /
being nitrogen and potash. OF these
hree. phosphorus Ia by all odds the
element In nature. 1t IL easily /
in useful form from the phos-
,hate rock and the United States con-
aims the greatest known deposits Of this /
-ock In the world. They are found In
Wyoming. Utah and Florida. as we'll as
n South Carolina. Georgia and Tonnes
Zee. The government phosphate lands are
confined to Wyoming. Utah and Florida.
'rior tn March 4. 1879. there Were 4.0Ooon
lcres withdrawn from agricultural entry
n the ground that the land covered phos-
hate rock. Since that time. 2.3.e00 acres
Il the land thus withdrawn was found
rot to contain phosphate In profitable |
antilles while LOIS 900 acres was classi-
iei properly az phosphate lands. During
his administration there has been with
lrawn and classified 81. 900 acres. so that
osiay there is classified is phosphate rock
important in the composition Of fertilizers
o improve the soil. and as the future Is
ertain to create m enormous demand
throughout this country for fertilization. |
he value to the public Of such deposits
- these can hardly be exaggerated. Ger
ainly with respect to these deposits .
ar,ful policy Of conservation should b.
oliowed. A Law that would provide
easiEE system for the phosphate depos- |
Is. together with q provision for the sep
ration Of the surface and mineral rights
3 Is already provided for in the case Of |
oal would seem to meet the need Of
the development Of these de-
osits and their utilization In the aGri-
ultural lands Of the west. II II -
bought desirable to discourage the expor-
alton Of phosphate rock and the saving
Z Il for our own lands. this purpose
ould BE- accomplished by conditions in
he lease granted by the government to \
3 lcssees OF course. under the eonsti-
utiOn the government could not tax |
nd could not prohibit the expectation Of
he sahate but as proprietor and owner |