The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1912-02-09
CONCERNING THE
PUBLIC DOMAIN
President Taft, in Message to
Congress, Points Out Needs
of Various Sections.
ALASKA TOO LONG NEGLECTED

snail Develop fhe resources ~ she
Territory and Afford Protection to
ssttiers-WouId Have Government
Build and Own q Trunk Line Rail-
road-Wstsrway improvements.
Washington, Feb. 2.--Pres!dent TAFT
sent the following message to con
xress today:
To the Senate and House OF Repre-
s~entatiyes:
There Ia no branch OF the Federal
Jurisdiction which calls more impera-
lively for immediate legislation than
that which concerns the public do
main. and especially the part OF that
domain which ID In Alaska.
Tho progress under the reclamation
act has made clear the defects Of Its
limitations, which should be remedied.
The rules governing the acquisition
OF homesteads, Of land that ia not arid
or semi-arid, are not well adapted to
the perfectIng OF title to land made
arabic by government reclamation
work.
/ concur with the Secretary of the
Interior in HIS recommendation that,
after entry Ia made upon land being
reclaimed, actual occupation as a
homestead Of the same be not re-
CURED until two years after entry,
but that cultivation OF the same shall
be required, and that the present pro-
vision under which the land Is to be
paid for In ten annual installments
shall be 80 modified as to allow a pat
ent issue for the land at the end of
five years cultivation and three
years occupation, with a reservation
OF a government lien for the amount
of the unpaid purchase money. This
leniency to the reclamation home
steader will relieve him from occupa-
ton at q time when the condition OF
the land makes 1t most ~burdensome
aud difficult, and at the end Of five
years will furnish him with a title
upon which he can borrow money and
continue the improvement Of his hold
Ing.
/ also concur In the recommends
ton OF the Secretary Of the Interior
that all OF our public domain should
be classified and that each class |
should be disposed of or administered
In the manner most appropriate 10
that particular class.
LEASING Of Government lanss.
Thu chief change however which
ought 10 be mada and which 7 have
recommenae IN nraviors
and COMMUNICATION IN ron.
gress, ia that nv which goverpmen+
coal land and phosphate and other
mineral lands containing nop-metal. |
liferous minerals, ehall bo leased by |
the government, with restrictions as
TO size and time, resembling those |
which now obtain throughout the
country between the owners in fee
the lessees who work the mines,
and In leases like those which have
been most successful In Australia,
New Zealand, and Nova Scotia. The
showing made by Investigations into
the successful working OF the leasing
leaves NO doubt as to Its wis
dom and practical utility. Require
inents as to the working Of the mine
during the term may be so framed
as to prevent any holding of large
properties merely for specula-
ton, while the royalties may be made
low, o unduly to In
crease the cost of the coal mined, and
at the same time sufficient to furnish
reasonable income for the use OF
the public In the community where
the mining goes on. In Alaska, there
is no reason why a substantial income
mould not thus be raised for such
public works as may be deemed
necessary or useful.
Would Build Trunk Line Railroad,
I am not In favor of government