Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-06
Department OF THE
INTERIOR.

The Secretary of the Interior recon-
mends change of the law in respect to
the procedure in adjudicating claims for
lands. by which appeals can be taken from
the decisions of the department to the
Court OF Appeals Of the District of CO.
lumbia for q judicial consideration of the
rights Of the claimant. This change finds
complete analogy In the present provision
for appeals from the decisions of the
commissioner of patents. The judgments
Of the court in such cases would be of
decisive value to land claimants gener-
ally and to the Department of the In
terror In the administration of the law.
would enable claimants to bring into
court the final Consideration of issues
as to the title to government land and
would. think obviate a good deal Of the
subsequent litigation that now arises in
our western courts. The bill is pending,
l believe, in the House. having been
favorably reported from the committee
on public lands. and 1 recommend its en-
actment.
One Of the difficulties in the Interior
Departments and in the laEh Office has
Deen the delays attendant upon the con-
siderauon by the land Office and the Sec
rotary of the Interior of claims for pat
ents OF public lands to individuals I am
glad to say that under the recent appro-
earnest
enorts or the Secretary and his subordi-
mates. these arrears have been disposed
or. and the work Of the department has
been brought more nearly up to date In
respect TO the pending business than ever
before In its history. Economies have
been effected where possible without
legislative assistance, and these are shown
In the reduced estimates for the expenses
or the department during the curren,
nscal year and during the year to come
Conservation Of Public Domain.
The subject of the conservation of the
public domain has commanded the atten.
tion Of the people within the last two OF
three years
There Is no need for radical reform In
the methods OF disposing Of what are
really agricultural lands. The present
laws have worked well. The ENLARGED
homestead law has encouraged the sue.
cessful farming Of lands in the semi-arit
regions.
The total sum already accumulated In
the fund provided by the act for the rec.
lamation of arid lands is about 500 44D,
03S76. and of this, all but $6,24l O5S. 7f
has been allotted to the various projects
or which there are thirty. Congress a
It's last session provided for the issuing OF
certificates OF Indebtedness not exceedine
twenty millions Of dollars, to be redeemed
from the reclamation fund when the pro.
ceeds of lands sold and from the water
rents should be sufficient. Meantime, In
accordance with the provisions Of the
law. / appointed a board OF army en-.
gineers to examine the projects and tC
ascertain which are feasible and worthy
OF completion. That board has made a
report upon the subject. which I shall
transmit In separate message within q
few days
Conservation Address.
In September last conservation con.
gress was held at ST. Paul, at which
delivered an address on the subject O,
Conservation so far as 1t was within tn.
Jurisdiction and possible action of tn,
federal government. In that address
assembled from the official records the
statistics and facts as to what had beer
done in this behalf In the administration
OF my predecessor and in my own, and
indicated the legislative measures which
believed to be wise In order to secure
the best use. in the public interest o.
what remains of our national domain
There was in this address very full dis
cussion OF the reasons which led me Il
the conclusions stated. For the purpos,
OF saving in an official record q compre
hensive resume of the statistics and fact
dress, and 10 avoid their repetition in tn,
, body OF this message / venture to max,
the address an accompanying appendix