Bisbee daily review., 1910-01-15
TAFT ASKS FOR GREAT SUMS IN
 HIS MESSAGE
Emphasizes the Great ImpOr- tance of Conserving the Ma tion'S Resources. and Points Out the Difficulties Ahead.

WASHINGTON. Jan 14.-Presioeu, Taffs special message on conservation was sent to congress today and is as follows:
 "To the senate and house of represen-
 tauyes:
 Tn my annual message | reserved the subject of the conservation of OUT natural resources for discussion in a special message as follows:
 "In several departments there is presented the necessity for legislation looking to the further conservation of our natural resources and the subject is one of such importance as to re- quire a more detailed and extended discussion than can be entered upon in this communication. For this req son, ! shall take an early opportunns to send a special message to congress on the subject of the improvement of our waterways: upon the reclamation and irrigation of arid. semiarid and swamp lands: upon the preservation Of our forests ard the reforesting Of suitable areas: upon the reclassitica- tion of the public domain with view | of separating from agricultural settle | ment. mineral coal and phosphate lands and sites belonging to the gov ernment bordering on streams suitable , for the utilization of water power. Tn 1860 we had a public domain of | O55. .e1f. .2Ss acres. We have now 73f,- 354. .Os1 acres. confined largely to the mountain ranges and the arid and semi.arid plains. We have in addition, 3es Os5.s75 acres of land in Alaska
 The public lands were. during the earliest administration. treated as national asset for the liquidation of public debt and source of reward for our soldiers and sailors. Later on they were donated in large amounts in aid of the construction of wagon roads and railways in order to open up rv gions in the west then almost inacces-
 sible."
 The president discusses the methods
 of distribution under the laws. the way the lands were gobbled up and
 the natural impression arising that these should be the prey of the un- scrupuIous. He speaks of the gigantic frauds which have been perpetrated on the government and the failure Of the government to prosecute through the operation of the statute of limita-
 tions
 He points ont that since his inau guration mere power sites have been withdrawn G02 in alb than were ever withdrawn in all time before He ipoints out that the delays of congress lon legislation proposed have beset the bath of the president with difficulties, leaving his course a doubtful one
 The conservation of the soil the
 president declares 10 be the trans cendent problem. He suggests the
 scientific conservation of old soils, drainage. reclamation projects. tevees ! on rivers. forestration for thin soils
 and various other forms of promotion
 Of agriculture. including dry farming
 He demands increased appropriation,
 through the issuance of s30.000,000 in bonds. to aid in completing reeiama-
 ton projects already begun and their
 proper extension. to relieve settlers
 who have taken up tracts which rely
 on irrigation for utility.
 He then treats of inland waterways favoring appropriations to cover "deii- i ,,i+arv deter,nined costs only" He asks that more dams be put into the Ohio river at cost of s63 100000; suggests improvement Of the upper Mississippi between St. Louis and iCairo and says that the board Of army engineers has pronounced these pro iects feasible.
 He concludes:
 For reasons which it is not neces- ; sarv here to state. congress has seen fiji in order an investigation into the interior department and the forest i service of the agricultural depart ment. The results of that invesuga- fin, are not needed to determine the
 value Of and the necessity for the new Legislation which ! have recommend E ed in respect to the public lands and lin respect to reclamation earnestly uree that the measure recommendeo be taken up promptly and disposed ol / promptly, and that without awsitins
 the investigation that has been de % termined upon
 n fsfened WILLIAM H. TAFT. 3 White House. Jan. IA, 1910"