Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1912-12-16

tby Associated Press)
WASHINGTON, Dec. 16.-A def.
mite and comprehensive water power
policy for streams upon the public
domain and navigable streams not on
The public domain, is urged by the
Secretary of the Interior Walter l.. /
Fisher, as the most important sub
ject pending before congress and the
country, in his annual report submit
ted today to President Taft.
Other legislation which Secretary |
/ Fisher recommends as important to |
the welfare of the country embodies
an enlarged application of the leas-
ing principle as applied to the pub
lie DOMAIN in general; a comprehen
sive leasing law for coal, oil and
other mineral lands; and laws pro
viding for the classification of pub
lie lands according to their respect
i've characteristics and appropriate
uses and administration in accord
anee Herewith. Secretary Fisher al
so declares in favor of legislation for
the development of the transportation
facilities and the coal lands of
Alaska and for the withdrawal from
entry of public lands in the west
at the sources of streams. He rec
ommends the retirement and pen
sioning of the civil employees of the
government Most of his recommen-
dations are in renewal and empha-
sis of those made in his previous
annual report
As to federal as against state con
troll of water power concessions on
streams which are navigable, the sec
retary says: The suggestion is made
frequently by those who are in one
way or another representing either
present or future investment in water
power development that such power
sites and their control should be
turned over to the respective states
in which they are located. 1t is in
: teresting to note, however that the
a ordinary citizens of these states are
! not at all concerned over federal
5 usurpation or unjust treatment.
"They suspect that the real pur-
pose of those who urge the turning
over of the federal domain to the
states is that they may escape the
longer and the stronger arm of the
federal government and may take
advantage of the more limited re
sources and governmental facilities OF
the individual states.
Some of the individual states are
developing effective policies OF water
I conservation, but it is the federal
government after all which is called
upon to make the chief expenditures
for the development of navigation
{ and for the protection of the forest
covered ground around the sources
and along the watersheds of botl
navigable and non-navigable streams.
The secretary emphasizes the rec
ommendation made in his annual re
IT port last year for the need of
's comprehensive land classification ant
"a of administration based thereon. Tn
y existing statutes, he says, attemp
III to recognize in a very general ant
e ineffective way the fundamental dill
II ferences between the different class
es of agricultural lands still remain
e. ing in the public domain. The pres
e ent system is not flexible enough t
II recognize the differences, he d.
is clares; and greater difficulties ar
er found in the present laws or lac
le of laws with regard to other part
"a of the public domain, especially on
timber lands, our grazing lands, on
water power and reservoir sites an
Al our lands containing coal, oil. ga
- asphalt, potash, nitrates and pho
plates.
II. Secretary Fisher recommends th
IN adoption of constructive legislatio
or with respect to water power develo
ed ment and the control and the cor
~. prehensive application OF the lea
~ ing system TO the development of OF
ad public coal. OIL gas. asphalt. uitrat
,e potash and phosphate lands. wit
IN. appropriate provision for the prote
tion of prospectors during reaso
able exploration period preliminaI
20 the leasing Of the land.
IN As TO homestead law leglslatio
the secretary says he l. still OF q
- some opinion. in spite OF som
=. What different law passed last Jun
~ that "the homestead settler shou
- be- excused from the necessity af 7
- siding upon his land during the fir
9wo Years after entry. provided
substituted Tor residence auFlug n
period the Improvement and eultis
tiuu II a substantial portion of q
ground The Law passed ae sas
'he Is being administered o. eneaufa
80 las much as poaNinir the bona q
~ settler
im Far whole development oi Aiasa
"a be reports. u Naifins hfseis 20
AZ he passage 1f snifahie iesisiation
The development of fs transports 81 !