The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-06

enlarged homestead law has encour-
IN the semi-arid regions
Reclamation.
The total sum already accumulated
IN the fund provided by the act for
the reclamation of arid lands is about
500, 449.05S.76. and of this all but &c.
z4l,05S-76 has been allotted to the va
rlouS projects, of which there are thir-
ty. Congress at its last session pro-
v1ded for the issuing of certificates of
Indebtedness not exceeding $20,000,0e0,
Iund when the proceeds of lands sold
and from the water rents should be
sufficient
Meantime, in accordance with the
provisions of the law. I appointed
board of army engineers to examine
the projects and to ascertain which
are feasible and worthy of completion.
That board has made a report upon
the subject, which I shall transmit in
a separate message within a few days.
Conservation Address.
In September last a conservation
congress was held at st. Paul, at which
| l delivered an address on the subject
the jurisdiction and possible action of
| the federal government. In that adj
| dress I assembled from the official
1 records the statistics and facts as to
| what had been done in this behalf in
l the administration of my predecessor
ard in my own, and indicated the leg
lslative measures which 1 believed to
be wise in order to secure the best use,
In the public interest of what remains
| of our national domain
There was in this address a very
| full discussion Of the reasons which
led me to the conclusions stated. For
the purpose Of saving in an official
record comprehensive resume of the
statistics and facts gathered with some
difficulty In that address. and to avo.d
their repetition in the body of this
message, 1 venture to make the adj
dress an accompanying appendix The
statistics are corrected to November
15, last.
Specific Recommendation
For the reasons stated in the con-
servation address, I recommend:
"F1rSt-That the limitation now i'm
c5ed upon the executive which forbids
his reserving more forest lands in Ore
gon, Washington, Idaho, Montana. Col
orado and Wyoming be repealed
"Second-That the coal deposits OF
the government be leased after adver-
t1Sement inviting competitive bids, for
terms not exceeding SO years, with a
minimum rental and royalties upon the
coal mined, to be readjusted every 10
or IL years. and with conditions as to
. maintenance which will secure proper
will prevent combinations to monop-
oize control of the coal in any one
d strict or market. I do not think
that coal measures under $500
large an amount to lease to any one
lessee
1.-The secretary of the interior thinks
: there are difficulties in the way of
leasing public coal lands which objec-
Itions he has set forth in his report. the
force Of which I freely concede. I
? lentirely approved his stating at length
lin his report the objections in order
that the whole subject may be pre-
lsented to congress, but after full con-
federation favor a leasing system and
recommend it.
''Third-That the law should pro-
, vide the same separation in respect to
government phosphate lands or sur
face and mineral rights that now OBJ
tains in coal lands and that power to
, llease such lands upon terms and limi-
. Itations similar to those above recon-
lmended for coal leases. with an added
condition enabling the government to
regulate and if need be to prohibit
| 1.-THE export to foreign countries of the
iproduct.
"Fourth-That the law should allow
> a prospector for oil or gas to have the
r fright to prospect for two years over a
] lcertain tract of government land, the
. fright to be evidenced by license for
IWh1Cn he Snail pay d Small SUM, anu
that upon discovery a lease may be
] granted upon terms securing a mini
\ lmum rental and proper royalties to the
> government, and also that conduct OF
, the oil or gas well in accord with the
best method for outstanding the sup
ply of oil in the district. The period
of the leases shall not be as long as
Those of coal, but they should contain
similar provisions as to assignment to
] prevent monopolistic combinations.
"Fifth-That water power sites be
directly leased by the federal govern
ment, after advertisement and bidding
| for not exceeding SO years upon a
proper rental and with a condition fix
| ing rates charged to the public fol
: units of electric power, both rental
and rates to be re-adjusted equitably
7. every 10 years by arbitration or other
> wise, with suitable provisions against
e assignment to prevent monopolistic
: com binations. Or that the law shall
9 provide that upon application made by
1.-THE authorities of the state where the
water power site is situated, it may be
: patented to the state on condition that
: the state shall dispose of it under
: terms like those just described, and
i. shall enforce those terms, or upon
: failure to comply with the condition
. the water power site and all the plant
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