The Elbert County tribune., 1912-02-09
CONCERNING THE
PUBLIC DOMAIN
President Taft, in Message to
Congress, Points Out Needs
Of Various Sections.
ALASKA TOO LONG NEGLECTED

Urgent Need Of Legislation That
Shall Develop the Resources Of the
Territory and Afford Protection to
Settlers-Would Have Government
Build and Own a Trunk Line Rail-
road-Water~ay Improvements.
Washington. Feb. President TAFT
sent the following message to con-
gress today:
To the Senate and House Of Repre-
sentatives:
There is 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 is in Alaska
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 semi-arid, are not well adapted to
the perfecting OF title to land made
arabic by government reclamation
work.
l concur with the Secretary of the
Interior In his recommendation that,
after entry 10 made upon land being
reclaimed. actual occupation as a
homestead of the same be not re-
quired 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
1ve 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-
tion at 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 hold
ing
/ also concur In the recommenda-
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 to
that particular class
Leasing Of Government Lands.
The chief change. however, which
ought to be made. and which l have
already recommended in previous
messages and communications to con-
gress. is that by which government
mineral lands containing non-metal-
hferous minerals, shall be leased by
the government, with restrictions as
10 size and time, resembling those
which now obtain throughout 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 Scotia The
showing made by Investigations into
the successful working Of the leasing
system leaves no doubt a. to its wis
dom and practical utility Require
ments as to the working of the mine
during the term may be SO framed
as to prevent any holding of large
mining properties merely for specula-
sufficiently low, not 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
10 NO reason why substantial income
should not thus be raised for such
public works as may be deemed
necessary or useful.
Would Build Trunk Line Railroad.
am not In favor of government
ownership where the same certainty
and efficiency OF service can be had
by private enterprise, but think the
conditions presented in Alaska are of
such character as to warrant the
government. for the purpose of en-
couraging the development of that
vast and remarkable territory. to
build and own trunk line railroad.
which 1t can lease on terms which
may be varied and changed to meet
the growing prosperity and develop
ment of the territory.
! have already recommended to
Congress the establishment Of a form
OF commission government for Alas
ka. The territory is too extended, its
needs are too varied. and its distance
from Washington too remote to en-
able Congress to keep up with its
necessities in the matter of legisla-
ton of a local character.
The governor of Alaska in his re-
port points out certain laws that
ought to be adopted. and emphasizes
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Not AIton.tber Annrnnr,,+.