The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1912-02-08

washington. Feb i--The presidents /.
special message on the work Of the IN /.
terror department YVES read to congress
loday.
There IS no branch OF the Fedora!
.ufisl!g9on which calls more imperative
ly for immediate legislation than that
which concerns the public domain, and
especially the part OF that dJmuln which
n in Alaska.
The progress under the reclamation act
mas made clear the dcfegtB OF It's iiMlta-
tons. which should be remcdicd. Tho
rules governing the acquisition OF home
RteadH OF land that Is not arid or semi
arid are not well adapted to tho perfect
Ing O: tltie 10 land made arabic BY gov
erumcr' reclamation work.
concur with the secretary OF the in
terror in his recommendation that, after
entry Is made upon land being reclaimed
actual occupation ~ homestead OF tho
Same he not required until two years n't-
er entry, but that cultivation OF IN" saWa
rha.l be required, and that the present
provision under which the land II to he
paid for In ten annual installm"uts shall
be so modified as to allow patent issu"
Cor the land Mt the end OF five years
cultivation and three years ocrupnlnn'
with q reservation OF a government lien
for tho amount OF the unpaid purchase
money. This lcnieucy 10 the reclamation
homosteuder will relieve him from occuph'
lion AZ q time when the condition OF tho
land makes II most bITd'nsume and di'-
fcuIt, and at tho end ~ NV" years VIII
furnish him with Il title upon which he
can borrow money and continue the i'm.
proyem"ut OF his holdings.
also concur in the recommendation
OF the secretary OF the Interior that all
OF our public domain should b" classified
and that each class should Dee disposed
Of or administered IN the manner most
appropriate to tina, particular class.
Tho chief change, however. which ought
e be made and which I hay" already
recommended tn previous messages ana
communications 70 congress, iE ihai by
which government .0u land and phos-
phaiu and other mineral lands containing
-Iu'lallif,rous minerals, ahall DC
leased by th" government. with t"'iJ''-
lions as 70 size and time. resembling
those which now obtain throughout tho
COUNTRY between the owners IN zee ana
the lcssocs who work the mines, and IN
leases Ike those which have been most
SuCcogsful in Australia, New zealand ana
Nova Scotia The showing made by In
vesugatons into the aurccssrul working
OF tho leasing system leaves no doubt ne
10 its wisdom and practical utility. Re-
quiromcnIa as to the working OF the mine
during the term may be so framed az 10
prevent any holding ~ large mining prop
critic, merely for speculation, WIN" the
royalties may be made sufficiently low,
not uuduly to incr"us" the cost Of tho
GOA mined. and at the same time suth'
Cient 10 furnish reasonable income for
the use Of the public In the community
where the mining goes on. In Alaska,
there r. no reason why substantial IN
come should not thus be raised for such
public works as may be deemed neces-
sary or useful.
There is no Inference between the rca-
sons which call for the application Of the
leasing Fyst"m 20 the coal lands SUI re.
tanned BY the government In the United
states proper and those which exist In
Alaska.
nm not I'm favor OF government owner
ship where tho Same certainty and EN-
cheney Of service can b" had By private
enterprise but I think the conditions
presented in Alaska are OF such a char
actor MS to warrant tho government. 70,
the purpose OF encouraging the develop
ruent ~ that vast and remarkable terri
tory, 10 build and own a trunk limo rail
road, which II can lease on terms whici
may he varied and changed to meet TN
growing prosperity and development o
the territory.
For some yearE past the high and stead
fly Increasing cost Of living has been
matter Of such grave public concern tina
deem II Of great public interest that "a
international conference be proposed n
this time for the purpose of preparing
plans. to be submitted TO the various gov
ernments, for an International inquiry In
to the high cost OF living, It's extent
cause, effects. and possible remedies
therefore recommend that to enable III
president TO invite foreign government
TO such a conference. 10 DO held at WASH
ington or elsewhere, the congress provd
an appropriation, not 20 exceed S2OVo' |
defray the expenses OF preparation an
OF participation by the United States.
Tho magnitude and compleXIty OF moo
ern Industrial disputes have put upo
some OF our statutes and our preser
mechanism for adjusting such difference
where We can he said TO have an
mechanism at ala strain they wei
never intended to bear and for whc
they are unsuited What Is urgently nce'
cd today is a reorganization OF our Ia"
bearing upon the relations OF employ
and cmplnye and Il careful and dscrin
mating scrutiny OF the various plai
which are being tried in several OF OF
own states and In other countries. IN
would seem to be the first natural st'
in bringing about an adjustment OF the
relations better suited % tho newer col
ditiona OF industry.
nv attention has been called 70 the i
tustice which ia done In this country
the sale OF articles In the trade purpor
ing 90 be made In ireland, when they n
not 80 made and It Is suggested that &
Justice Of the enactment OF law whic
so far az the Jurisdiction OF the feder
government can GO would prevent
continuance OF this misrepresentation
tho public and fraud upon those W
are entitled TO use the statement IN l
nnle of their goods. I think II 10
Greatly in the interest Of fair dehlir
which ought always to be encouraged
law. for congress to enact law MAXI
it misdemeanor, punishable by hne
Imprisonment, to use the mails or to ?
into Interstate commerce any articles
merchandise which bear upon their IN
a statement that they have been mar
featured in some particular country W"
the fact is otherwise.