Albuquerque morning journal., 1910-12-07
THE ALBUQUERQUE MORNING JOURNAL WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 1910

the projects and to ascertain which
are feasible and worthy of compile
tion. That board has made a report
upon the subject. which l shall trans
init in a separate message within a
few days,
Conservation Address.
In September last conservation
congress was held at st. Paul, at which
| delivered an address on the subiec
! of conservation so far as II was with
in the jurisdiction and possible actor
of the federal government. In thai
| address | assembled from the officia
records that statistics and facts as tc
| what had been 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 of what re-
mains of our national domain.
There was in this address very full
| discussion of the reason which led me
to the conclusions stated For the
purpose of saving in an official record
a comprehensive resume of the statis-
tic and facts gathered with some diff
ficulty within that address and to
avoid their repetition in the body OF
this message. | ventured to make the
address an accompanying appendix
The statistics are corrected to Novem-
ber Is last.
Specific Recommendations.
For the reasons stated in the con-
servation address. | recommend;
First, that the limitation now inn
posed upon the executive which for
bids his reserving more forest lands
in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Mon,
tana, Colorado and Wyoming be re.
pealed.
Second, that the coal deposits of the
government be leased after advertise
ment inviting competitive bids for
terms not exceeding fifty years, with
. minimum rental and royalties upon
the coal mined. to be readjusted every
ten or twelve years and with conditions
as to maintenance which will secure
proper mining and as to assignments
which will prevent combinations to
monopolize control of the coal in any
one district or market | do not think
that coal measures under $500 acres
of surface would be too large an
amount to lease to any one lessee.
Third that the law should provide
the same separation in respect to gov
ernment phosphate lands of surface
mineral rights that now obtains in
coal lands and that power to lease
such lands upon terms and limitations
similar to these above recommended
for coal leases. with an added condi-
tion enabling the government to reg
ulate and If need be prohibit the ex-
port to foreign countries of the pro-
duct.
Fourth, that the law should allow a
prospector for oil or gas to have the
right to prospect for two years over
a certain tract of government land,
the right to be evidenced by a license
Tor which he shall pay small sum
and that upon discovery, a lease may
be granted upon terms securing a min
imum rental and proper royalties to
the government and also the 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 lease should not be as long as
those of coal, but they should contain
similar provisions as to assignment to
prevent monopolistic com binations
Fifth. that water power sites be di-
rectly leased by the federal govern
ment, after advertisement and bid
ding. for not exceeding fifty years upon
a proper rental and with a condition
fixing rates charged to the public for
units of electric power, both rental and
rates to be readjusted equitably every
ten years by arbitration or otherwise,
with suitable provisions against as
signment to prevent monopolistic com
binations. Or that the law shall pro
vide that upon application made by the
authorities of the state where the
water power site is situated, IL may
pe patented to the state on condition
that the state shall dispose of il under
terms like those Just described, and
shall enforce those terms, or upon
failure to comply with the condition
the water power site and all the plant
and improvement of the site shall be
forfeited and revert to the United
states, the president being given
power to declare the forfeiture and to
direct legal proceedings for its en-
torcement. Either of these methods
would, i think, accomplish the proper
PUBIC purpose in respect to water !
power sites, but one or the other
should be promptly adopted
About $25, 100000 worth of timber
n these national forests was destroyed |
iurlng the last summer by forest fires. |
Coal Lands.
The next subject, and one most i'm |
'ortant for your consideration. is the
disposition of the coal lands in the /
United States and in Alaska. First. as
20 those in the United States At the
beginning of this administration there
we're classified coal lands amounting
% 5,4 600 acres, and there were
# classification 1IS67,0O0 acres.
since that time there have been with
irawn by my order from entry for L
7S,977.745 acres, max
ng total withdrawal of 96,S44,745
Icres. Meantime. of the acres thus
10,06t,SS9 have been
lassified and found not to contain
oai, and have been restored to agri-
ultural entry, and 4,729,091 acres {
ave been classified as coal lands;
While 19,903,2S9 acres remain with Z
rawn from entry and await classifl- I
alton. In addition, $4,000 acres
ave been classified as coal lands t
'ithout prior withdrawal, thus in "
reasing the classified coal lands to '
0,419,372 acres
Under the laws providing for the Ie
1sposition of coal lands In the United !
tates. the minimum price at which |
inds are permitted to be sold is $40 Il
n acre; but the secretary of the in a
'rior has the power to fix a maxi =
lum price and To sell at that price. II
y the first regulations governing ap-
raisal. approval April s. 1907, the
minimum was $40, as provided by =,
w, and the maximum was 500, and "
lie highest price actually placed upon !.
ny land sold was SIS. Under the 4,
ew regulations. adopted April 10,
jO9, the maximum price was in :
'eased TO $500. except in regions -
here there are large mines vvharn =