New-York tribune., 1910-01-15
MIR. TAFT'S MESSAGE
FOR PROTECTION OF
PUBLIC DOMAIN.
lHis Programme for Conser-
cation of Resources Set
Forth in Detail.

Washington, Jan. 14-President Taft
sent 10 Congress to-day the following
special message on the conservation Of
natural resources:
To the Senate and House OF Representa-
tives:
In my annual message / reserved the sub
Sect OF the conservation OF our national re-
sources for discussion in a special message
as follows:
In several departments there is presented
the necessity for legislation looking to the
further conservation of our national re-
sources, and the subject is one of such i'm
portance TO require a more detailed and
extended discussion than can be entered
upon IN this communication. For that rea-
son j shall take an early opportunity TO
send q special message to Congress on the
subject OF the Improvement OF our water
of arid. serai-arid. and swamp lands: upon
the preservation Of our forests and the re-
Of safe of se pbe so9n b9 THE Nth re-
View OF separating from agricultural set
te.nent mineral coal and phosphate lands
bordering on streams - ssitsbie sfs for ntue the
utilization Of water power.
In 1850 we had a public domain of 1.o55,-
eli28 acres. We have now 731, ,2254,os1 acres.
confined largely 70 the mountain ranges
anc the arid and semi-arid plains. We
have. IN addition sss 15, ,s7s acres OF land
sn Alaska.
THE PUBLIC LANDS
The public lands were, during the earliest
udrr.nistrstiors, treated rs a 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 railways, in order TO
regions
inaccessible. All the principal land statutes
were enacted more than a quarter of a
empton and timber culture act the coal
land and the mining acts were among
bands under the early statutes, and the
!eX methods of distribution prevailing, due,
should rapidly pass into private ownership.
gave rise 10 the impression that the pub
lc domain was legitimate prey for the un-
scrupulous. and that il was not contrary
70 good morals TO circunlvent the land
s37Ws- This pro6igsi manner of disposition
TeSnitea inns;l in 1T the psssing Of large areas Of
resources into the hands of persons who
selt little or no responsibility for promoting
the national welfare through their develop
nnent- The truth is that title TO millions
of seres of public lands was fraudulently
large part Of such lands for the govern
ynent long since ceased by reason of
There has developed in recent wears
deep concern in the public mind respect
ing the preservation and proper use of our
natural resources. This has been par
ficularly directed toward the conservation
of the resources of the public domain.
.n the public print in seneraiized form n
TINS subject. but there has been little
practical suggestion. 1t has been easy to
cav that the natural resources in fuel
supply, in forests, in water power and in
other public utilities must be saved from
waste, monopoly and other abuses. and the
general public are in accord with this pro
position, as they are with most truisms. The
problem, however. is how TO save and how
to utilize. how to conserve and still de-
Felop; for no sane person can contend that
y is for the common good that Natures
y blessings are only for unborn generations.
y PROSECUTION OF FRAUDS.
Among the most noteworthy reforms
Initiated by my distinguished predecessor
were the vigorous prosecution of land
frauds and the bringing 10 public attention
of the necessity for preserving the re-
naming public domain from further spolia-
lion, for the maintenance and extension of
our forest resources and for the enactrnent
of laws amending the obsolete statutes so
as TO retain governmental control over that
part of the public domain in which there
are valuable deposits of coal of oil and of
phosphate, and, an addition thereto, TO pre-
serve control, under conditions favorable
streams in which the fan of water can be
made 10 generate power to be transmitted
1n the form of electricity many miles TO
the point Of its use, known as water
power" sites.
The Investigations into violations of the
public land laws and the prosecution of
land frauds have been vigorously continued
under my administration. as has been
the withdrawal of coal lands for classifca-
ton and valuation and the temporary
withholding Of power sites.
since March Z. 1909. temporary with
drawals Of power sites have been made
Fon 10 streams. and these Withdrawals
therefore cover 22s per cent more streams
than We're covered by the Withdrawals
made prior TO that date
The present statutes. except SO far
the purely agricultural lands. are not
adapted TO carry out the modern view of
the hest disposition of public lands TO
private ownership, under conditions offer
sFe- or the one hand. sufficient inducement
to private capital TO take them over for
proper development, with restrictive condi-
ions; on the other. which shall secure to
the public that character of control which
will prevent monopoly or misuse of the
lands or their products The power of the
Secretary % the Interior 10 withdraw from
the operation OF existing statutes tracts
Of land the disposition of which under
such statutes would be detrimental TO the
public interest is not clear or satisfactory
terest of the public with the hope that
Congress might affirm the action Of the
conditions Unfortunately, Congress has
not thus far fully acted the recor1-
ton as 70 what the Executive is TO do is.
iJ1ncer the circumstances, full of difficulty
II seems 30 me that it is the duty OF Con
sress now: by. statute, to validate the
withdrawals which have been made hv the
secretary. OF the Interior and the Presl-
dent, and TO authorize the Secretary of
the interior temporarily TO withdraw lands
pending submission TO Congress of recon-
lnentations az TO legislation to meet con-
Heiuons or emergencies as they arise
CLASSIFICATION NEEDED.
One Of the most pressing needs in the
rnnatter Of public land reform is that lands
Should be classified according to their
principal value or use. This ought to be
done by that department whose force is
best adapted 10 that work. 1t should be
done by the Interior Department through
the Geological Survey. Much of the con
fusion, fraud and contention which have
existed in the past has arisen from The
lack OF an official and d determinatjve
isclassification of the public lands and their
1.confents
II is now proposed 10 dispose OF agri-
sculturai lands as such, and at the same
time to reserve for other disposition the
treasure Of coal, oil, asphaltum natural
gas and phosphate contained therein. This