The Mena weekly star., 1910-01-20

Washington, Jan. 14--Following Is the complete text of the special mes. sage on the conservation of the ma tion's resources sent to the senate and house of representatives by Pres, ident Taft today
 In my annual message reserved the subject of the conservation of our na- tionI resources for disposition in spe- cial message. as follows:
 In several departments there is pre- scented the necessity for legislation look ing to the further conservation of our national resources. and the subject Is one Of such Importance as to require more detailed and extended discussion than can be entered upon in this communica- ton For that reason l shall take an early opportunity 10 send special mes sage 10 congress on the subject of the improvement of our waterways; upon the reclamation and irrigation of arid, semi arid and swamp lands upon the preser- walton Of our forests and the re-foresting of suitable areas; upon the re-classifcn- ton of the public domain with q view of separating from agricultural settlement mineral coal and phosphate lands and sites helcnging to the government bor- dering on streams suitable for the utili- zation of water power
 In 1860 we had public domain of 1.05s.- 9ll. 28 acres. We have now Tsf s54 0si acies. confined largely to the mountain ranges and the arid and semi-arid plains. We have. in addition. 35s. .os5.s75 acres of land in Alaska.
 Disbursement of Public Lands.
 The public lands were. during the earli- est administrations, treated as a national asset for the liquidation of the public debt and as 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 rail- ways. In order to open up regions in the west then almost inaccessible. All the principal land statutes were enacted more than quarter of q century ago. The homestead act. the pre-emption and tim ber-criture act. the coal land and the mining acts were among these
 The rapid disposition of the public lands under the early statutes. and the lax methods of distribution prevailing. due think. to the belief that these lands should rapidly pass into private owner ship. gave rise to the impression that the public domain was legitimate prey for tha interruptions and that 1t was not contrary to good morals to circumvent the land laws. This prodIgal manner of disposition 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 responsi- bility for promoting the national well fare through their development
 Fraudulent Titles.
 The truth is that title to millions of acres Of public lands was fraudulentlv obtained and that the right to recover a large part ot such lands for the govern ment Iona since ceased by reason Of stat utes Of limitations There has developed in recent years deep concern in the public mind respecting the preservation and proper use of our natural resources. This has been particularly directed toward the conservation of the resources ot the public domain. \ vast amount of discussion has appeared in the pubic prints In reneraiized form on this sub- jcct. but there has been little practical suggestion. It has been easy to say that