The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1910-01-21

terjno Soils Most important
Reclamation and irrigation Of Arid
Lands Also Treated Upon-Preser-
walton Of Our Forests.
Washington.-The president trans
mitted to congress a special message
nm the subject of the conservation of
the nations natural resources. In
substance it was as follows:
~ the Senate and House Of Representa-
lives:
In nv annual message I reserved the
subiect of the conservation of our ma
tional resources for disposition in a spe-
cial message, as follows:
In several departments there Is pre-
.snted the necessity for legislation look
inc to the further conservation Of our
ratIonal resources, and the subject is one
~ such Importance as to require q more
dotai,ed and extended discussion than
san be entered upon in this communlca-
finn For that reason l shall take an
early opportunity to send a special mes
Improvement of our waterways; upon the
exclamation and irrigation Of arid, semi
arid and swamp lands; upon the preser-
yation Of our forests and the re-foresting
Of suitable areas; upon the re-classifica-
don of the public domain with view of
separating from agricultural settlement
mineral coal and phosphate lands and
sltes belonging to the government bor-
darlng on streams suitable for the utili-
cation Of water power.
In 1850 we had a public domain Of 1885,
si1SS acres. We have now 731, 354, 0S1
acres, confined largely to the mountain
ranges and the arid and semi-arid plains.
We have, in addition, 36S,O35,975 acres of
land In Alaska.
Disbursement of Public Lands.
The public lands were, during the earli-
est administrations, treated as 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
vest then almost inaccessible. All the
principal land statutes were enacted more
than quarter Of a century ago. The
homestead act. the presumption and tim
ber-eulture act, the coal land and the
mining acts were among these.
Fraudulent Titles.
The truth Is that title to millions OIL
acres of public lands was fraudulently
obtained and that the right to recover g
large part OF such lands for the govern
fnent long since ceased by reason of stat
utes of limitations. There has developed
IN recent years a deep concern In thu
public mind respecting the preservation
and proper use of our natural resources
This has been particularly directed
toward the conservation of the resources
Of the public domain A vast amount o
discussion has appeared in the publ
prints In generalized form on this sub
Jet, but there has been little practfca
suggestion. 1t has been easy to say tina
the natural resources in fuel supply, II
forests, In water power, and in othe
public utilities, must be saved from
waste monopoly, and other abuses, an
The general public is in accord with thi
proposition, as they are with mos
ruisrns. The problem, however, Is hoy
70 save and how to utilize, how to con
serve and still develop. for no sane per
son can contend that it Is for the com
mon good that natures blessings ar
only for unborn generations.
Noteworthy Reforms.
Among the most noteworthy reform
initiated by my distinguished predecesso
were the vigorous prosecution of Ian
Nauos and the bringing to public after
uen OF the necessity for preserving tn
remaining public domain from furthe
spollation, for the maintenance and e1
.saSon OF our forest resources, and fo
me enactment of laws amending the OF
solela statutes so as to retain govern
mental control over that part Of the pull
.lc domain in which there are valuab
ueposlts OF coal, of oil, and of phosphate
aa1, IN addition thereto, to preserve cor
uoi, under conditions favorable to tn
puohc, Of the lands along the streams
which the fall of water can be made |
ssaefate power to be transmitted in til
sOim OF electricity many miles to til
sites
Inc present statutes, except so fe
. tney dispose of the precious meta
a the purely agricultural lands. al
NY adapted to carry out the moder
lew OF the best disposition Of publ
s,. aus 70 private ownership, under col
icons Offering on the one hand suff
..a inducement to private capital
s Ae Them over for proper develol
th with restrictive conditions {
en MY otner which shall secure to II
Ss ,, that character of control whic
prevent monopoly or misuse
- as .a tands or their products The pow,
sne secretary Of the interior to will
sss.,,. from the operation of existir
- u,es tracts of land, the dispositiC
which under such statutes won
= sentimental to the public interest
h.s ~. clear or satisfactory. This pow
peen exercised in the interest
m,.p puDlle, with the hope that congre
sss as afiirm the action of the exec,
tas. " laws adapted to the new cond
unfortunately. congress has n