The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1910-01-21
URGES CONSERVATION OF
THE NATIONS RESOURCES
President Taft Sends Special Message to Con-
gress Recommending Prevention of Land
Frauds, Control of Water Power, Fos-
tering of Soils and Kindred Subjects

to legislation 70 meet conditions or
| emergencies as they arise
Properly 10 Classify Lands.
one OF the most pressing needs In
| the matter of public land reform is
that lands should be classified accord
| ing 10 their principal value use. This
| ought to be done by that or department
| whose force is best adapted to that
work II should be done by the inter
| tor department through the geological
| survey Much OF confusion fraud. and
contention which has existed in the
| present has arisen from the lack Of
an official and detcrminative classih
cation ot the public lands and their
| contents
II is now proposed to dispose OF ag-
| ricultural lands as such. and at the
| same time TO reserve for other diSposi-
| tion the treasure OF coal. oil. aShphal-
| tnm. natural gas and phosphate con-
| tanned therein This may be best ac-
| complshed by separating the right
| to mine from the title to the surface.
| giving the necessary use OF so much OF
| the latter may be required for the
extraction of the deposits The sur
face might he disposed OF as agricul-
tural land under the general agricul-
fural statutes while the coal or other
mineral could he disposed OF by lease
requiring a certain amount OF develop
ment each wear: and in order to pre-
vent the use and ceSsion OF said lands
with others or similar character so AS
to constitute a monopoly forbidden by
law tho lease should contain suitable
provision subiecting To forfeiture the
interest OF persons participating In
such monopoly Such law should ap-
ply to Alaska as we'll as TO the United
States
Statute Difficult to Frame.
n is exceedingly difficult to frame
n statute To retain government control
over a property TO be developed by
private capital In such n manner as
to secure the governmental purpose
and at the same time not frighten
away the investment OF the necessary
capital Hence. II may be necessary
hv laws that are really only expert
mental To determine from their prac-
tical operation what is the best
method OF securing the result aimed at
The extent Of the value of phosphate
is hardly realized. and with the need
that there viii be for it as the years
roll on and the necessity for fertiliz-
ing the land shall become more acute.
this viii be a product which will prob
ahlv attract the greed of monopolists
Public Land Along Streams.
win respect 10 the puDnC land
which lies along the streams Offering
opportunity to convert water power
into transmisshle electricity. another
important phase OF the public land
question is presented There are val
uable water power sites through all
the public land states. The opinion
is held that the transfer OF sovereignty
from the federal government to the
territorial governments as they become
...1 hn
the rivers except so far as that owned
bv riparian proprietors do not
think IL necessary to go into discussion
of this somewhat mooted question OF
law. II seems to me sufficient to say
that the man who owns and controls
the land along the stream from which
the power is to he converted and trans
mitted owns land which is indispens-
able t. the conversion and use OF that
power cannot conceive how the
power in streams flowing through pub
lie lands can be made available at all
except by using the land itself as the
site for the construction OF the plant
by which the power is generated and
converted and securing a right of way
thercover for transmission lines. I'm
der these condition. if the government
owns the adjacent land--indeed. IL the
government is the riparian Owner--it
may control the use of the water power
by imposing proper conditions on the
d disposition OF the land necessary in the
creation and utilization OF the water
power.
Value Of Water Power
The development in electrical appi-
ances for the conversion OF the water |
power into electricity to be transmitted
long distances has progressed so far that
IL Is no longer probematcal, but ii is a |
certain inference that in the future the |
power of the water falling in the streams |
TO large extent will take the place of
natural fuels. In the disposition Of the |
fOnlain already granted. many water |
power sites have come under absolute |
11s 1srSrship. and may drift into one own |
srship. so that all the water power under |
private ownership shall be a monopoly |
H. however. the wafer power sites now |
3Wre, Dy TIE government-and there are |
enough ~ rrem-shaH be disposed OF 10 |
private persons for the investment OF |
'neg- ~ ral in such a way as 10 prevent |
heir union for purposes OF monopoly !
~ N other water power sites and under |
,nctir.ons that shall limit the right OF use
n not exceeding thirty years with renewal |
privileges ana some equitable means OF
aXing terms of rental and with proper
means for determining a reasonab BILE grad
rated reutai. ~ would seem entirely pos
sihle To prevent the absorption ~ iheSe
most useful lands hY power monopoly.
is long as the government retains con
rol and can prevent their improper Union
Sifh other plants competition must be
maintained and prices kept reasona bile.
Soils Must Be Conserved.
In considering the conservation OF the
natural resources OF the country. the fea-
'ure f1ar fran>cends all others. including
woods. waters. minerals. ~ the soil of tie
IL - lncumhcnI upon the gov
10 foster hy all available means
the resources OF the country that produce
the food ot the people To this ~nr the
OF the soils Of the country
should b. cared for ~i,s. all means al the
disposal Their productive
powers should Eave the attention of our
scientists that We may conserve he neW
soils. improve the old soils drain xe'
soils. ditch swamp soils. I-ve- r,yer over
fow soils. grow trees or. $3.50 Nc'i% Sa-
ture hillside soils. rotate crops or all
soils discover methods for cropping dry
land sells. isnd grasses and tegufsses FOR
all soils. feed grains and mill feeds on
the farms where xhey originate. that the
soils from which they come may se en-
rtched
work OF the utmost Importance 10 In
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