Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1910-01-14

ment with restrictive conditions anC
on the other which shall secure Il
the public that character of site which
VAL prevent monopoly or misuse
OF the lands or their products.
Withdrawal OF Lands.
The power of the secretary of the
interior to withdraw from the opera
ton of existing statutes tracts OF
lands, the disposition Of which under
such statutes would be detrimental to
the public interest, is not clear or sat.
islactory. This power has been exer-
clsed in the interest of the peopla
with the hope that Congress might af-
firm the action of the executive bv
laws adapted to the new conditions
Unfortunately, Congress has not
thus far fully acted on recommenda-
tlons Of the executive and the oues-
ton as TO what the executive is to do.
is under the circumstances, full of diff
ncuitles. 1t seems to me, that if is
the duty of Congress now, by a stat
ute, to validate Withdrawals which
have been made by the secretary of
the interior and President and TO an
thorlze the secretary of the interior
temporarily to withdraw lands pend
ing submission to Congress of recon
mendatlons as to legislation to meet
conditions or emergencies as they
arise.
one OF the most pressing needs in
the matter of public land reform is
that lands should be classified accord
Ing to their principal value or use.
This ought to be done by that de-
partment whose force is best adapted
to that work. 1t should be done nv
the interior department through the
geological survey. Much of the
fraud and contention
which has existed in the past has
arisen from the lack of an official and
determinative classification of the
public lands and their contents.
Coal Lands.
IL is now proposed to dispose of
agricultural lands as such, and at the
same Time to reserve for other disuo-
slIJ5fErth The treasure. of coal, Gil. as
phaltum, natural gas and phosphate
contained therein. This may be best
accomplished by separating the right
10 mine from the title to the srr-
-ace, giving the necessary use of so
huch OF the latter as may be required
-or the extraction of the deposits.
Inc surface might be disposed of
agricultural lands under the general
statute while the coal or
'ther mineral could be disposed of by
ease on a realty basis with provisions
'equlring a certain amount of deveIon.
heht each year; and in order to nre-
'enC the use and cessiOn of such lands
With others Of similar character so
Is TO constitute monopoly forbid.
len by law, the lease should contain
suitable provision subjecting to for.
elture the interests of persons parti-
'lpatlna IN such monopoly. Such law
'houiI apply to Alaska as well as to
ne United States.
1t is exceedingly difficult to frame
statute to retain government con.
Ioi over property to be developed
'y private capital in such a manner
Is 10 secure the governmental pur.
'ose and at the same time not fright
ii away investment of the necessary
'apltal. Here it may be necessary by
avs That are really only experiment.
u to determine from their practieaI
'peration what is the best method of
the result aimed at.
Inc extent of the value of phos.
mate is hardly realized and with the
leed That there will be for it as the
ears roll on and the necessity for
ertlllzing the land shall become
more acute, this will be product
Vnlch will probably attract the greed
Il monopolists.
with respect to the public Iand
Vhlch lies along the streams of regu.
af opportunity to convert water now.
7 into transmissible electricity, an
ther important phase of the public
ueStlon is presented. There are VAL
able water power sites through all
uollc land states. 1t seems to me
ulnclent to say that the man who
WINS and controls the land along the
tream from which the power is to be
onverted and transmitted owns land
men is indispensable to the conyer
ION and use of that power. cannot
onceive how the power in streams
wing through public lands can he
lade available at all except by using
ne land itself as the site for the con.
tructlon OF the plant by which the
'ater Is created and converted and
ecurlng right of way thereoyer for
lines.
Under these conditions. if the gov.
rnment owns the adjacent lands
ldeed, if the government is the rim.
ran owner-it may control the use
water power by imposing proper
ondltlons on the disposition of land ;
ecessary in the creation and utiliza- ]
on OF water power.
development in electrical apnlf-
(COntinund an poro Co ,