The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-02

I
in the United States.
The reclamation laws of the United
States should be modified, in the opin-
ion of the president so that a home
steader might be granted a patent al
the end of five years of cultivation
and three years of occupation The
president also would relieve home
steaders from the requirement of oc-
cupation at time when the condition
of the land would make it burden
some and difficult.
Following a suggestion of Secretary
of the Interior Fisher, President Taft
declared in his message that the con-
troll of WaterpOWer sites should re-
er than be turned over to the states
He would have the sites disposed of by
direct lease from the government. the
rental to be used in improvement OF
the stream and for the benefit of the
local community where the power
sites were located. The president
would give to the states the right to
regulate the rates at which the con-
verted power was sold. The proper
disposition of waterpower sites has
been one of the most serious subjects
discussed by conserVationists. Presi-
dent Taft believes that the leasing
system he now suggests is the best
solution Of the problem; that it would
mean honesty of administration and
the prevention of abuses which a
monopoly of absolute ownership in
make possible. The message follows:
The Message.
To the Senate and House of Repre-
sentaives:
There is no branch OF the federal
Jurisdiction which calls more impera-
lively for immediate legislation than
that which concerns the public domain
and especially the part of that domain
which is in Alaska. The report of the
secretary of the interior. which is
transmitted herewith. and the report
to him of the governor of Alaska set
out the public need in this regard with
great force and in satisfactory detail.
The 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 is not arid or
semiarid are not well adapted to the
perfecting of title to land made arabic
by government reclamation work.
I concur with the secretary of the
interior in his recommendation that,
reclaimed, actual occupation as a home
stead Of the same be not required IN
til two years after entry, but that cul-
hvation of the same shall be required
and that the present provision under
which the land Is to be paid for in ten
annual instaIlments shall be so modi-
fed as to allow a patent to issue for
the land at the end Of five years cul-
tivation and three years occupation,
with a reservation OF a government
lien for the amount Of the unpaid pur-
chase money This leniency to the
reclamation homesteader will relieve
him from occupation at a time when
the condition OF the land makes 1T most
burdensome and 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 holding.
also concur in the recommendation
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 to that par
icuIar class.
The chief change, however, which
ought to be made and which have al
ready recommended in previous mes
sages and communications to congress
IS that by which government coal land
and phosphate and other mineral lands
containing nonmetalliferous minerals
shall be leased by the government, with
restrictions as to size and time, re-
sembling those which now obtain
the country between the
owners in fee and the lessees who work
the mines and in leases like those
which have been most successful in
Australia, New Zealand and Nova SEQ
tia. The showing made by investiga-
tons into the successful working of
the leasing system leaves no doubt as
to its wisdom and practical utility. Re
as to the working of the
mine during the term may be so fran
ed as to prevent any holding OF large
mining properties merely for specula
ton, while the royalties may be made
low not unduly to increase
the cost of the coal mined and at the
same time sufficient to furnish a rea-
sonable income for the use of the pub
lie in the community where the mining
goes on. In Alaska there is no reason
why 4 substantial income should not
thus be raised for such public works
as may be deemed necessary or useful.
There is no difference between the
reasons which call for the application
Of the leasing system to the coal lands
still retained by the government in the
United States proper and those which
exist in Alaska
There are now in Alaska only two
well known high grade coal fields of
large extent. the Boring river coal field