The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1910-09-08


Conservation congress listened with
deep interest to President Taft's ad-
dress today. The chief executive
spoke substantially as follows:
Gentlemen OF the National Conservation
Congress-
Conservation as an economic and po-
Gtcal term has come 10 mean the preser-
walton Of our natural resources for
economical use. so to secure the great
est good TO the greatest number.
The danger TO the state and 70 the peo-
pie at large from the waste and >ssipa-
ton Of our national wealth is not one
which quickly impresses itself on the peo-
pie OF the older communities, because its
most obvious instances do not occur IN
their neighborhood, while In the newer
part Of the country the sympathy with
expansion and development is 50 strong
that the danger Is scofed at or ignored.
Among scientific men and thoughtful OBJ
servers however, the danger has always
been present; but II needed some one to
bring home the crying need for remedy
Of this evil so as to impress Itself on the
public mind and lead TO the formation OF
public opinion and action by the repre-
Nsntatives OF the people. Theodore ROose-
welt took up this task in the last two
years OF his second administration, and
well did he perform 1t.
As president OF the United States I
have as Il were Inherited this policy.
and rejoice in my heritage. ! prize my
high opportunity to do all that an ex-
ecutiye can do 10 help a great people
realize a great national ambition. For
conservation is national 1t affects every
man OF us, every woman, every child.
What ! can do In the cause ! shall DO,
not as president OF a party, but as presi-
dent OF the whole people. Conservation
Is not a question OF politics or OF fac
tons or OF persons II is a question that
Affects the vital welfare Of all Of us-of
eur children and our children's children.
urge that no good can come from meet
ings Of this sort unless we aScribe to
those who take part in them, and who
are apparently striving worthily in the
cause all proper motives, and unless We
5ud'cially consider every measure or
method proposed with view TO its etfec-
Gveness IN achieving our common pur-
pose, and wholly without regard to who
proposes Il or who will claim the credit
for its adoption. The problems are OF
very great difficulty and call for the
calmest consideration and dearest fore
sight. Many OF the questions presented
have phases that are new in this coun-
try, and II 10 possible that In their sOlu-
ton we may have to attempt first one
way and then another. What l wish to
emphasize, however, Is that a satisfac-
tory conclusion can only bs reached
promptly II we avoid acrImony imputa-
tons OF bad faith. and political contro-
versy.
Tho public domain of the government
of the United States. including all the
cessions from those OF the thirteen states
that made cessions TO the United states
and including Alaska. amounted in all TO
about 1850 5000 acres or this there is
left as purely government property out
A 1g,.N sl.N, EL.a. T..
acres. OF this the national forest re-
serves in the United States proper EN-
brace IA, 600 900 acres
shall divide my discussion under the |
heads OF % agricultural lands: ~ min
eral lands-that Is, lands containing
metalliferous minerals; 90 forest lands,
90 coal lands (5 oil and gas lands; and
tt) phosphate lands
Agricultural Lands.
Our land laws for the entry OF agrlcul-
tural lands are now as follows:
The original homestead law, with the !
requirements OF residence and cultivation |
for five years, much more strictly en- |
forced than ever before
The enlarged homestead act, applying
to nonlrrigable lands only, requiring five
years residence and continuous cutlva-
ton OF one-fourth OF the area
The desert-land act. which requires on
OF water right and thorough reclama-
ton OF the land by irrigation, and the
payment Of 81. % per acre.
The donation or Carey act, under which |
the state selects the land and provides
for It's reclamation and the title vests in
the settler who resides upon the land and
Cultivates II and pays the cost Of the
reclamation.
The national reclamation homestead
re- ri
cultivation by the settler on the land ir-
rigated 10y the government and payment
by him TO the government OF the cost OF
the reclamation
The present congress passed bill Of
great importance scvernR the ownership
OF coal by the government in the ground
from the surface and permitting home
stead entries upon the surface OF the
land, which, when perfected. give the
settler the right to farm the surface,
while the coal beneath the surface Is re-
tanned in ownership by the government
and may De disposed OF by 1t under other
laws.
There is no crying need for radical re-
form in the methods OF dlsposlnE OF what
are really agricultural lands The pres
ent laws have worked we'll The en-
Iargei homestead law has encouraged the
successful farming OF lands In the semi
arid regions.
Reclamation.
BY the reclamation act a fund has been |
created OF the proceeds OF the public |
lands u the United States with which TO |
construct works for storing great bodies |
OF water at proper attitudes from which. |
by a suitable system OF canals and ditch |
es, the water ~ TO be distributed over the |
arid and subarid lands Of the government |
10 be sold TO settlers at a price sufficient |
20 pay for the improvements Primarily, |
the projects are and must be for the Inn |
provement OF public lands. Incidentally, |
where private land IS also within reach |
OF the water supply. the furnishing at |
cost profit OF this water 70 private |
owners by the government is held by the |
federal court OF appeals not to be "A !
usurpat!On OF power. But certainly this I
ought not 10 be done except from sur |
plus water. not needed for government |
land The total sum already accunua- /
ted In the reclamation fund is yOZ73,-
2JSE and OF that all but G,igl 1853 has !
been expended II became very clear to
congress at its last session from the
statements made by experts that these
% projects could not be promptly com
pleted with the balance remaining on
hand or with the funds likely TO accrue
tn the near future. II was found. more
over. that there are many settlers who
have been led into taking 10 lands with
the hope and understanding OF having
water furnished 10 a short time, who are
left IN a most distressing situation.
recommended 70 congress that authority
be given 10 the secretary Of the interior
TO issue bonds In anticipation OF the as.
He Was Mistaken.
"rbIe cp,,rt-y womb hn al rtght "