Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1910-01-20

walton Of Our Forests.
WashinBtOn.-The president trans
mitted 20 congress q special message
Oh the subject OF the conservation OF
the nations natural IL
substance IL Wes SIS follows:
70 the Senate sna House OF Representa-
dives.
In my annual message I reaerved the
subject OF the conservation OF our ma
fi0nJl reBOurceE for disposition in a Rpe-
c'al message. as follows:
IN several Department. there 10 pre-
Gantcd the necessity for legislation look
Ing TO the further conservation of our
HstIonGl resourCes, and the subject 10 one
o.. such importance as TO require q more
detailed and extended discussion than
can be entered upon in this communlcR-
tioH. For that reason ] shall take an
ssFlY opportunity 90 send a special mes
sage 90 congress on the subject OF the
Improvement Of our waterways; upon the
reclamation and irrigation of arid, somi-
arid and swamp lands upon the prsser-
WALTON Of our forests and the re-foresting
OF suitable areas. upon tho re-ciassifca-
ticn OF the public domain with a view Of
separating from agricultural settlement
mineral. coal and phosphate lands and
NV Nv EoNVi Nv Oot-
6erinH on streams suitable for tho utili-
sation OF water power.
IN 1850 We had a public domain Of I.06s.-
III. 2ss acres. We have now 731. 35%. osi
acres. confined largely TO the mountain
ranges and the arid and s-mi-arid plains.
We have. In addition. 36s. o35. sI5 acres OF
lana In Alaska.
Disbursement OF Public lsnds.
The public lands were. during the earli-
lat dr,lpIusratIa ~at
aasst for the liquidation OF the public
debt and as q 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 we're enacted more
ehen 8 quarter OF = century ago. The
homestead act. the presumption and tim
ss?-culture act. the coa land and che
mining actS were among these.
Fraudulent Titleg.
The truth In that titlG to million. ~
acres OF public lands was fraudulently
obtained and that the righl 30 recover q
large part OF such lands for the govern
ment long since ceased by reason Of stat
utes OF lirsitetiong. There has deveIoped
In recent years 9 deep concern in the
public mind respecting the preservation
and proper use OF our natural resources.
ThiG has been particularly directed
Toward the conservation OF the resources
OF the public domain. 4 vast amount OF
discussion has appeared in the public
prints In generalized form on this sub
joct. but there has been littlB practical
suggestion. 1t has been easy 90 say that
the natural resources In fuel aupply I'm
%forestn. in water power. and in Other
public utilities, must ba saved from
waste. monopoly. and other abuses. and
the general public Ia In accord with this
proposition. as they are with most
truisms. The problem, however, IL how
90 save and how to utilize. how to con.
serve and still develop. for no sane per.
son can contend that II 10 for the com.
NOR good hat natures blessings ar,
only for unborn generations.
Noteworthy Reforms.
Among the most noteworthy reform,
initiated by my distinguished predecessor
were the vigorous prosecution OF land
frauds and the bringing TO public atten
ton OF the necessity for preserving The
remaining public domain from further
spoliation. for the maintenance and ex
tension OF our forest resources. and 70,
the enactment OF laws amending the OBJ
solete statutes so as 10 retain govern
mental control over that part OF the pub
lie domain in which there are valuabl,
deposits OF coal. OF oil. and of phosphate
'shhs hh "a, W. ~ ~ z VI u
troll. under conditions favorable TO IN,
public. OF the lands along the streams II
which the fall OF water can be made I,
generate power to be transmitted In tn,
form OF electricity many miles to tn,
point Of Its use. known as water power
sites.
The present statutes. except so IA
as they dispose OF the precious metal
and the purely agricultural lands. ar
not adapted to carry out the moder,
view of the best disposition OF publ
lands to private ownership, under con
ditions Offering on tho one hand sum
oient inducement 20 private capital I
take them over for proper develop
ment. with restrictive conditions o
tho other which shall secure to tn
public that character of control whic
will prevent a monopoly or misuse o
the lands or their products. The powe
OF the secretary of the interior to with
draw from the operation OF existInI
statutes tracts OF land. the dispositio
of which under such statutes woul
be detrimental to the public interest,
IL not clear or satisfactory. This powe
has been exercised in the interest q
the public. with the hope that congress
might afirm the action OF the execu
tive by laws adapted to the new condi
tions. Unfortunately. congress has nc