Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-09
BALLINGER MAKES HIS REPORT
Traces History and Purposes Of
Homestead Bill.
DESCRIBES METHODS OF WORK
Secretary Explains How Congress
Chooses Best sort OF Land Seek
s. Advances Recommen-
datiOns for New Laws.

| WASHINGTON, Dec. SIN his annual
report Just made public, Secretary Bal
] lnger Of the Department Of the In
/ terror devotes a large amount OF space
to public land problems. After recit-
I ing the history Of the public domain and
giving statistics to show that there is now
remaining unappropriated and unreserved
III ,9s6 400 acres Of public land in continental
United states and Alaska, the secretary
says:
( The homestead bill for granting free
homes to the landless settler became
national question in 1862, and ten years
later it was written into law and approved
| by Abraham Lincoln, after a previous veto
| by President Buchanan in 1860, on the
ground that congress did not have the
power to make a donation Of public lands
to settlers or to the states. Here was
lnaugurated a radical change Of policy. OF
this policy President Johnson, in his annual
message in 1865, said: The homestead
policy was established only after long and
earnest resistance. Experience proves its
wisdom. The lands in the hands of the
industrious settlers, whose labor creates
wealth and contributes to the public re-
sources, are worth more to the United
States than II they had been reserved as a
solitude for futnre purchasers
For nearly forty years the statutes have
declared that all valuable mineral deposits
In lands belonging to the United States,
both surveyed and unsurveyed, are to be
free and open to exploration and purchase
and the lands in which they are found to
occupation and purchase by citizens Of the
United states and those who have declared
their Intention to become such. Rich de-
posits Of precious metals in the Pacific
states and territories have been discovered
and located under these general mineral
mining laws and have been operated for
many years Granting defects in the laws,
they have accomplished their purpose in
causing the mineral resources to be de-
veloped and have thus contributed enor-
mously to the wealth Of the nation. It is
hardly reasonable to believe that any ma
terial change will be made in these laws
or Of the method Of disposal Of the lode and
placer claims OF the mineral regions Here,
as In the settlement laws, the governments
liability has had its reward in the material
prosperity Of the people, and while abuses
have existed, they cannot be charged so
much to the law as to evasions Of the law.
TOdRy's Problem.
Heretofore, as will be seen, II has been
the policy of congress to dispose OF the
public lands to those who were disposed to
make the best use of them, none Of which
| were disposed of with a view to securing
revenue for governmental support Even
the coal lands were sold at nominal figures
and until a few years ago they were not
entered even at that figure except where
! market facilities made the land salable
for their product.
Under more conservative theories the
! question now is of saving the remnant of
the public lands from monopolization or
misuse without abandoning the old policies
of encouraging development. The high
est productive use OF these lands is the
concern of the people. The methods Of
securing this use are the concern Of ma
tional and state governments.
by the constitution the congress is made
the steward Of the public domain and
for its stewardship It is responsible to the
people. The executive can move only as
directed or authorized by congress in sell
ing or otherwise disposng of this national
/ estate; therefore all questions relating to
a change from the existing status or Of
policy over this estate resides alone IN
! the legislative branch Of the government
and all popular movements looking to the
reformation Of our land system must, Of
! course, be addressed to the congress Con-
! sequently the movement to conserve the
national resources in this national estate
Of lands-that is, to secure the wisest and
most lasting benefit to the nation in their
use-is a matter with which congress must
deal.
New Amendments.
New or amendatory legislation respect
ing our public lands should be direct, sim
! pie, effective and relate principally to the
proper form OF disposition Of the with
drawn lands-waterpower sites. oil lands.
coal lands and rights-of-way over public
! lands.
'As has been shown, the unappropriated
public lands of the public land states and
4 territories amount to about 712,O 900 acres
! and as compared with the private lands
in these various states are a small per-
centage OF the territory thereof, and the
federal government should not undertake
or assume the entire burden of the con-
| servation of the natural resources Of the
states IN which they are situated, for il has
been demonstrated that the states are
capable Of taking care OF these questions
in a large measure, as is shown by the
legislation calculating these purposes in
states like Massachusetts, and Washington
at the extrem!ties OF our country"
The secretary reports marked advances
/ in administrative methods and efficiency
within the department during the year.
He also reports that the recommendations
made from time to time by the committees
appointed at the instance Of the president
to suggest economies and changes to i'm
prove the service are being put into effect
wherever existing law will permit, with
out waiting for legislation.
LenEinE OF Lands.
Referring TO oil lands the secretary says
II am in favor OF a general leasing sys-
tenn Of oil and gas bearing lands, such a
system as will promote legitimate develop
ment OF this industry, prevent monopoly
and conserve one Of the great natural re-
sources OF the country. The oil land OF the
Five Civilized Tribes In Oklahoma Is de-
veloped on the leasing system. the term Of
the lease extending as long az oil 10 found
in commercial quantities. The lessee
usually pays 20 the government for the
use OF the Indian one-eighth IN value OF
the oil produced as royalty. This system
has worked out very satisfactorily and /,
IN use IN many Of the oil regions OF IN,
country where land IL held In private own.
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