Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1910-01-20

l NA&ff1AFAaAR
deposits Of coal, Of oil, ana OF pl,ogphate.
and, in addition thereto, to preserve con
| troll, under, conditions favorable I'd the
public, Of the lands along the streams III
which the fall Of water can be made t0
generate power to be transmitted ii, the
form OF electricity many miles 10 ths
point Of IT. use. known as water pOwer'.
sItss. 515 y N Il ss
The Investigations into violations Of the
public land laws and the prosecution "a
land frauds have been vigorously con-
tinued under my administration, ~ haa
been the Withdrawal OF coal lands foP
classification and valuation and the tenn
porary withholding Of power sites sincs
March 4, 1909, temporary withdrawals of
power sites have been made on 100
streams and these Withdrawals therefore
cover 229 per cent. more streams than
were covered by the Withdrawals made
prior to that date. IN st ss,s Nv
The present statutes. except 30 far
as they dispose Of the precious metals
and the purely agricultural lands, are
not adapted to carry out the modern
view Of the best diSposition Of public
lands 20 private ownership. under CON
ditions offering on the one hand sum
cient inducement to private capital to
take them over for proper develop
ment with restrictive conditions on
the other which shall secure TO the
public that character Of control which
will prevent q monopoly. or misuaelc cf
the lands or their products. The power
Of the secretary Of the Interior ID With.
draw from the operetloIl OF exiktinK
Of which under sd6h WtStutes wOui6
10 detrimental 10 thn puhlio interests.
ID not claar or aatiafacfOFy. This power
h6s been exercised IN the intersDk 0E
he public, with the hope that scoMsFeSD
NISht afAsm thes aAtion a. thArexgeg-
live Dy laws adGpted TO the new cohGt-
lions. Unt0rtuhately. cOR8Ro1s has n0t
lhAla far fully acted QNgtAA RAcAmmens
lAtiVng of the executive, and the QWe97
Hon a. to what the GxscutlVG ~ III
10 II under the circumstances full 0e
liMcuItX II seems 20 me that, III iw
he duty of congress now, by b statute,
a validate che withdrawals which
lavA, been made by, the secretary soe tAa
Interior and the president. ana ID u1e
hd secretary Of theantefiOr t6Enpb2Ms-
W to,wlthdraw lands pending aEhmlgy
Ion q, congress Of rerOmgnend9 tloNs ~
D legislation to meet conditions or
merganciea 40 they ariss. NJ
Properly 10 clAaslfy Lands. n
One OF the most pressing needa IN
he matter OF public-lard reform A
liat Iaiids should BE- CLASSIFIED acC6ras
ng tQStheir principal value uaa. This
lght TO be done w that Or department
those force ID best adapted 60 that
'orlrs II should ba done wv the inter
II, department through the Geological
arvey. Much Of confusion, fraud &md
which has exiated inj the
resent has arisen from the lanh Qs 4
a Ofiicial and dekerminativs clasalA-
Ation -ef the public. lands and theie /
1ntenta. II s8s.
II IL now proposed Ia dispose Of 49,
cultural lands as such. ana lhGgth8
lme time to reserve for other Aieposi-
on the treasure Of coal. oil. ashphah-
I'M. natural Bas and phosphate con
llsd therein, This maybe best ao-
lmpllshed by Reparating the right
mine from the title 10 the surface,
wing the necessary use Of 90 much 0E
. latter as may be required for the
traction Of the deposits. The sur
ce might be disposed Of AZ aRrlcuI-
raj land under the general agricuI-
raj statutes. while the coal or other
neral could be disposed OF by lease
a royalty basis, with the provisions
luiring a certain amount OF Develop
mt each year; ana In order to pre-
nt the use and cesaion Of said lands
IN others Of similar character 70 ag
constitute monopoly forbidden by
Y, the lease should contain suitable
vision subjeoting to forfeiture the
crest OF persons participating In
n monopoly. such law should ap7
to Alaska as well as to the United
ties.
Statute pIfHeuIs to Frame.
/ is exceedingly difFlcult TO frame
tatute to retain government control
n a property to be developed W
vate capital in such a manner a.
secure the governmental purpose
at the same time not frighten
~ the Investment OF the necessary
ital Hence. II may be necessary
laws that are really only expert
ital to determine from their prAc-
i operation what Ia the best
hod Of securing the result aimed at.
he extent Of the value Of phosphate
hardly realized and with the need
/ there will be for II AZ the years
on and the necessity for fertilig-
the land shall become more acute.
will be a product which will prob
Z attract the greed OF monopolists.
Public Land Along Streams.
nth respect to the public land
ch lies along the streams Offering
to convert water power
transmisalble electricity, another
ortant phase Of the public land
Ition is presented. There are val
le water power sites through all
public land states. The opinion
cid that the transfer of sovereignty
q the federal government to the
ltorial governments as they become
Is, included the water power IN
rivers except so far as that owned
riparian proprietors I do not
K II necessary to SO into discussion
his somewhat mooted question OF
It seems to me sufIicient TO say
the man who owns and controls
land along the stream from which
power Il TO be converted and trans
"a, owns land which is indlspsns-
70 the conversion and use os that
ar. cannot conceive how the
sr IN streams flowing through pub
ands can be made available 1t all
pt by using the land itself as the
for the construction Of the plant
ghich the power is generated and
srtsd and securing right OF way
,ovsr for transmission lines. un-
lhess condition. IL the government
J the adjacent iand--indeed. II the
rnment 10 the riparian oWner-it
control the use Of the water power
neoslng proper conditions on the
lsitiou OF the land necessary IN the
ION and utilization Of the water
r.
Value Of Water Power.
dsveIopmsnt 10 electrical appli-
f,r tha ranvarnion of tha vTnter