Arizona republican., 1910-01-15
THE WHOLE FIELD COVERED
President Taft Also Recon mends the Authorization |, of a $3O,OOO,OO Bond Issue to Extend Work of Reclaiming Arid Lands.


 Taft today transmitted special message to congress on the conserva- ton of the natural resources. The recommendations of Secretary Ballin- ger in his annual report with reference to a remodeiing of the land laws. re- classification of public lands and legislation making more definite and certain the powers of the interior de- pertinent are reiterated.
 The president urges a s30.OOO.O0o bond issue for the purpose of carrying on the work of reclamation. He also recommends legislation for the i'm provement of the inland waterways.
 The message follows:
 In my annual message I reserved the subject of the conservation of our natural resources for discussion in a special message as follows:
 In several departments there is pre- sented the necessity for legislation looking to the further conservation of our natural resources and the subject is one of such importance as to require a more detailed and extended discus sion than can be entered upon in this communication. For this reason. l shall take an early opportunity to send a special message to congress on the subject of the improvement of our waterways: upon the preservation of our forests and the reforesting of suitable areas; upon the reclassifica- tion of the public domain with view of separating from agricultural settle ment, mineral. coal and phosphate lands and sites belonging to the gov ernment bordering on streams suitable for the utilization of waterpower-
 In 1860 we had public domain of i,055.9l12SS acres. We have now 731, ,354,0S1 acres. confined largely to the mountain ranges and the arid and semi-arid plains. We have in addi- tion. 36s,035,975 acres of land in Alaska.
 The public lands were. during the earliest administrations, treated as national asset for the liquidation of public debt and source of reward for our soldiers and sailors. Later on they were donated in large amounts in the aid of the construction of wagon roads and railways in order to open up regions in the west then almost in- accessible
 TIME WORN STATUTES.
 The principal land statutes were en- acted more than a quarter of cen tury ago. The homestead act. the pre- emptior and timber culture act, the coal land and the mining acts are among these. The rapid disposition of the public lands under the early stat utes and the lax methods of distri- button prevailing due. I think, to the .1- e.l,r. ha r1r- idly passed into private ownership. gave rise to the impression that the public domain was legitimate prey for the unscrupulous and that it vas not contrary to good morals to circum- vent land laws.
 This prodigai manner of disposition resulted in the passing of large areas of valuable lands and many of our natural resources into the hands of persons who felt little or no responsi- bility for promoting the nations welfare through their development. The truth is that title to millions of acres of public lands was fraudulently obtained. and that the right to recover a large part of such lands for the government long since ceased by req son of the statutes of limitation.
 There has developed in recent years a deep concern in the public mind re- specting the preservation and proper use of our natural resources This. has been particularly directed toward the conservation of resources and the pub lie domain. The problem is how to save and how to .utilize how to con serve and still develop: for no sane person can contend that it is for the common good that natures blessings are only for unborn generations.
 BEGINNING OF CONSERVATION
 Among the most noteworthy re- forms initiated by my distinguished predecessor were the vigorous prose- cution of land frauds and the bring ing to public attention the necessity for preserving the> remaining public domain from further spoliation. for the maintenance and extension of our forest resources. and Tor the enact ment of laws amending the obsolete statutes so as to retain government control over that part of the public domain on which there are valuable deposits Of coal. oil and phosphate. and in addition thereto. to preserve control. under conditions favorable to the public of lands along the streams in which the fall of water can be made to generate power to be transmitted in the form of electricity many miles to the points of its use known as ''water-power" sites.