The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-01-14
TAFT SUBMITS
MESSAGE ON
CONSERVATION
President Declares Land Statutes
Inadequate and Should
be Changed.
SHOULD FOSTER RESOURCES
Greater Care in Disposins Of Lands
and Water Power Urged-Advises
Bond Issue to Complete
Unfinished Products.

washington, Jan. II. - Presiden
Taft's special message on conservation
Of national resources, sent to congress
today is. i'm part, as follows:
In nv annual message l reserved the
subiect of the conservation of our ma
tional resources for discussion in
special message, as follows:
oIn several departments there is pre-
scented the necessity for Legislation
looking to the further conservation OF
our national resources, and the subject
Is one of such Importance as to re-
ouire a more detailed and extended
discussion than can be entered upor
I'm this communication. For this rea-
son. | shall take an early opportunity
10 send a special message to congress
ON the subject of the Improvement OF
our waterways; upon the reclamation
and irrigation of arid, semi-arid, and
swamp lands; upon the preservation OF
our forests and the reforesting of suit
able areas upon the reclassification OF
arating from agricultural settlement
mineral. coal, and phosphate lands and
sites belonging to the government bor-
dering on streams suitable for the util-
zation of water power"
In 1860 we had a public domain OF
1.O55.911.2SS acres. We have now 731,-
3540Sl acres. confined largely to the
mountain ranges and the arid and SEM
arid plains. We have, in addition $685.
OS5,975 acres of land in Alaska.
All the principal land statutes were
enacted more than quarter OF a cen
tury ago. The homestead act, the pre-
emption and timber culture act, the
coal land and the mining acts were
among these. The rapid disposition
OF the public lands under the early
statutes and tho lax methods of dis
tribution prevailing. due, think to the
belief that these lands should rapidly
pass into private ownership, gave rise
to the impression that the public domain
was legitimate prey for the unscrupu-
lous, and that it was not contrary Ia
good morals to circumvent the land
laws. This prodical manner of dis
position resulted in the passing OF
large areas Of valuable land and many
of our national resources into the hands
of persons who felt little or no respon-
sibility for promoting the national well
fare through their development. Tho
tpuf fe
of public lands was fraudulently OBJ
tained, and that the right to recover a
large part of such lands for the gov
ernment long since ceased by reason
Of statutes of limitation.
The problem Is how to save and how
To utilize, how to conserve and still
To develop; for no sane person can
contend that II is for the common good
that natures blessings are only for
unborn generations.
The present statutes. exec so far
as they dispose of the preciou., metals
ana the purely agricultural lands, arc
not adapted to carry out the modern
view Of the best disposition of public
oltlons offering on the one hand suffi-
Gent inducement to private capital to
take them over for proper development
with restrictive conditions on the other
winch shall secure to the public that
character Of control which will prevent
monopoly or misuse of the lands OF
their products. The power of the Sec
retary OF the interior to withdraw from
the operation of existing statutes
tracts of land, the disposition of which
under such statutes would be detri-
mental to the public interest, is no,
clear or satisfactory. This power has
peeh exercised in the interest of the
public with the hope that congress
"lght affirm the action of the executive
ny laws adapted to the new condi-
IONS Unfortunately. congress has not
mus TAR fully acted on the recommend
auons OF the executive and the cues
uoh as to what the executive is to dc
IS under the circumstances. fun of diff
"cu''y' II seems to me that 1t is the
uu'y OF congress now. by statute. tc
'ahdate the Withdrawals which have
oeeh made by the secretary of the in
er'or and the president and to au-
'norize the secretary of the interior
V"porarily to withdraw lands pend
Jug submission to congress of recon
"enuatlons as to legislation to mee,
Oohuitons or emergencies as the,
arise
one Of the most pressing needs in
,'e matter OF public land reform is that
%"us should be classified according e
."er principal value or use. This ought
~ - pe done by that department who's,
"p ,prce Is best adapted to that work. II
"ou'u be done by the interior depart.
vn, through the geological survey
-, AZ ,s now proposed to dispose of ag.
.ui'ural lands as such, and at tn.
sa'''e s,.' tme to reserve for other dispo.
ns",. nuun the treasure OF coal. oil. Rs.
na., p"a''um, natural gas, and phosphat.
'"'ned therein. This may be bes1