The Detroit times., 1910-12-06

existing In the persoune, Of officers OF
"a" may particularly with regard 10
the age ana experience ot nag oni'"rh
ana captainh. and points oui that VI ~
\essruttal Ia the ighest efficiency or
the navy that the age OF ouI officers he
reduced and that hag officers, paFtiru-
larry, shodld gain proper experience as
nag Officers. la crder Ia enable them
70 properly command fleets. l concur
b IN the secr"tary's recommendations.
Abolition oi Navy SnrJs.
The secretary OF the navy has given
personal examination t. every navy
yard and mas studied tnV USES OF the
pgNy"Nafds with reference To the ncccs-
stiles OF our beet Win "A hset consid-
erahly less than haif the size OF that
of the British navy, we have ship
YARDS more Ihan double the numher,
ana ther" ere several of these ship
yards, cApensivelY equipped with moi-
ern machinery which after lnvestiga--
ton the secretary of the navy believes
To he entirely useless for naval pur-
poses. lie asks thority to abandon
ctitoin OF them ara To move their ma
chlner" to other places where II can
be made use Of
unite with the secretary I'm the rec
Compensation that an appropriation DO
made 10 construct suitable crypt at
/ Annapolis for the custody OF the re-
mains " John Paul Jones.
Penry.
The complete success OF our country
Arctic exploration should not remain
unLotiCed. The unparalleled achieve
ment OF Peary In reaching the North
Pole. April y. 1909. approved by criti-
cal examination OF the most expert
scientists. has added TO the distinction
or our navy, to which he belongs. and
reflects credit upon his country His
unique success mas received generous
acknowledgement from scientific bodies
and institutions OF learning In Europe
ana America. | recommend hitting
recognition by congress OF the great
achievement OF Robert Edwin Peary.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.
Appeals to Court In Land Cnses.
The secretary OF the interior recon-
to the procedure I'm adjudlcating claims
Tor lands. by which appeals can DC
taken from the decisions OF the depart
Inent TO the court OF appeals OF the
District OF Columbia foo a judicial con-
sidtration OF the rights OF the claim
ant This change hnds complete an
aloxy In the present provision for APP
peals from the decisions OF the COM
missioner OF patents. The judgments
OF the court In such cases would be
OF decisive value To land claimants gen
orally and to the department or the In
terlor In the administration Of the law,
would enable claimants to bring into
court the hnal consideration Of Issues
as to the title to government land and
would. | think, obviate a gooo deal of
the subsequent litigation that now
arises In our western courts. The bill
Is pendins, | believe. In the house hav
ing been favorably reported from the
committee ON public laEds. and ] rec
omfp. nd its enactment.
Agricultural Lands.
There Is no need for radical reform
In the methods OF disposing OF what
are really agricultural lands. The pres
cnt laws have worked well. The en-
larged homestead law has encouraged
the successful farming OF lands in the
SeIniarlu reglOna
Reclamation.
The total sum already accumulated
in the fund provided by the act for tile
rec !amation Of arid lands is about Ses,-
if9,06S.,6. and OF this, all but s6.24l,
06s1c has been allotted TO the various
projects, Of which there are thirty.
Congress at its last session provided for
the issuing OF certificates OF Indebted
ness not exceeding twenty millions OF
dollars. 10 be redeemed from the
reclamation fund when the proceeds of
lands sold and n ON the water rents
should be sufficient. Meantime. In ac-
cotdnnce with the provisions OF the law
! app ointed a board OF army engineers
Ia examine the projects ana TO asceI
tair which are feasible and worthy OF
completion. That board las made u
transmit IN a separate message within
fe wdays.
Conservation.
In September last "A Conservation
Congress was held IT ST Paul. al which
| delivered an address on the subject
OF conservation. 50 far AZ IL was within
the Jurisdiction and possible action OF
the federal government. In that ad-
dress ! assembled from the official rec
ords the statistics and facts as to what
had been done In this behalf in the
administration or my predecessor. and
!. my own. and Indicated the legisla-
tive meas which l believed 10 10
wise in order To secure the best urc.
In che public interest. Of what remains
Of our national domain. There was
In this address very full discussion
Of the reasons which led me to the con-
illusions stated, For the purpose OF
saving in an Official record compre-
ncnsiN- resume OF the statistics and
facts gathered with some difficulty In
that address. and To avoid their repetl-
ton In the body OF this message.
venture 10 make the address an accom-
panying appendix. The statistics are
corrected TO Nov 10 last.
specific Recomm~ n dstions.
For the reasons stated In the con-
serNation address. / recommend;
First, That the limitation now i'm
posed upon the executive which forbids
him reserving more forest lands In Ore
gon. Washington. Idaho. Montana, Col
orado, and W yomuig, be repealed.
Second, That the coal deposits OF the
government he leased after advertise
ment inviting competitive bids for
terms not exceeding NIFTY years, with
minimum rental and royalties upon
the coal mined, TO be readiusted every
ten or twelve years. and with condi-
lions as 10 maintenance which will Sc
cure proper mining and as to assign
ment which Will prevent combinations
TO monoHoliZe control of the coal In
any one district or market. | do not
think that coal measures under 1900 ,
acres OF surface woul dbe too large an
amount to lease TO any one lessee
The secretary OF the interior thinks
there are difficulties in the way OF leas-
oh anf in,,
force OF which | freely concede. | en-
tirely approved mis- stating at length
In his report the objections in order
that the whole subject may be pre-
sented TO congress, but after full
cons liberation. I favor 4 leasing system
and recommend IL.
Third. THAT the law should provide
the same separation in respect to gov
eminent phosphate lands OF surface
and mineral rights that now obtains I'm
coal lands ana that power TO lease such
lands upon terms and limitations sim
liar 10 those above recommended for
coal leases, with an added condition
enabling the government TO regulate,
and IL need he, 20 prohibit. the export
to foreign countries or the product
Fourth That the laws should allow
the right to prospect for two years
over certain tract OF government
land the right to be evidenced by a
license for which he shall La VA small
sum; and that upon discovery, a lease
may lie granted upon terms securing
a minimum rental and proper ROYALTIES
TO the government. and also the con-
with the best method for Outstanding
the SupplN of oil fan the district The