Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1912-11-07
THE PUBLIC LANDS
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO TRY
NEW SCHEME TO GET PEo-
PIE ON PUBLIC LANDS.
QUESTION IS: SETTLER OWN OR LEASE
Next Session of American Mining Con-
gress at Spokane, November
rs, to Debate This Vital
Subject.

The most important question which
will be considered at the Annual Con-
yention of the American Mining Con-
gress, which meets at Spokane, Wash
ington, during the week of November |
25th-29th, concerns the future manage
ment and control of the public lands |
which include more than half the acre
age of the United States west of a
north and south line passing through
the eastern border of Colorado.
Whatever of development and pros
perity has come to this section of the
United States and whatever of benefit
which this section has given to the ma
ton at large, has come through wise
and liberal administration of public
land laws designed to offer the largest
inducement to the pioneer.
Under liberal administration of
these laws, these pioneers have devel-
oped a civilization second to none in
the world, have provided continuing
stream of gold which has constituted
the basis of our monetary system and
which, during the days of the Civil
War, saved the nations credit and
made possible a united nation.
In accomplishing these benefits, a
very liberal construction has been ap-
piled to the technical wording of the
statutes, a construction seemingly
justified by the intent of the statutes
and the purpose for which they were
created.
This construction, so long followed,
has been so generally recognized that
the western pioneer has read the law
in the light of such uniform construc-
ton and upon this assumption many
enterprises have been 'predicated in
which millions of dollars have been
invested, only to find that more re-
cent administrative policy anticipates
the most strict construction of the
law, Under this changed construction
from which there is practically no ap-
peal, many enormous investments are
made valueless and aggravating re
uuirements create delays which great
ly obstruct and hamper the continu
ance of the enterprises already under
taken and absolutely prohibit all new
undertakings. 1t is freely asserted
and generally believed that this ad
ministrative policy carries with it al
effort to accomplish by indirection
what the law does not justify by The
most technical construction, IN orde
to establish a new system OF LAM
tenures; that through this indlrec
method of Withholding from privat
ownership public lands needed for dc
yelopment of western enterprises, con
ditions are being kept in statu gu
until congress may provide an entlrel
new system for control of the publ
lands.
Thus far, aside from general pro
test, the west has not agreed upo
any definite policy touching this ia
reaching question. 1t is hoped tina
the resolutions, adopted at Spokan
convention. upon this subject, wi
create a fixed policy and that tn
delegation from the several wester
states will be so representative tina
the policy thus agreed upon Will nav
the united support of the westeI
states. To this end, an invitation M
been issued 10 edCu VI liS SS' NAN 49,
of the arid land states to attend u
convention, take part in its discu
sions and assist in the framing OF
policy which will be thoroughly repr
sentative.
Governor John F. Shaforth OF C(
orado will lead this discussion. 20
Shaforth has, for years, given tn
subject careful consideration al
brings to its discussion the value
a long experience in public afiah
both as a member of congress and
governor. 1t is confidently expects
that there will be full attendance
state executives and that throuI
their cooperation the delegates
Spokane will be so representative IN
the policy there outlined Will De
cepted as the last word on the sup1e
and that upon the platform the
adopted an aggressive campaign W
be carried on through which the &C
tinued prosperity of the west Will
assured.