Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1912-02-15
URGES NEEDS OF
PUBLIC DOMAIN
Immediate Legislation Is I'M
peratiVe, Says the Presi-
dent.
ASKS NEW LAWS FOR ALASKA
Rules Governing Acquisition of Arid
or Semi-Arid Lands Should Be
Commission on
Cost c. Living.

Washington, Feb. "A special mes
cage on the work Of the interior de-
partment and other matters was read
TO Congress 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 we'll adapted to
the perfecting Of title 20 land made
arabic by government reclamation
work
I concur with the Secretary Of the
Interior In his recommendation that,
after entry is made upon land being
reclaimed. actual occupation as a
homestead Of the same be not re-
CURED 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 SO modified as to allow a pat
ent issue for the land at the end of
five 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 viii relieve him from occupa-
ton at a time when the condition of
the land makes It 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 recommends
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 I have
already recommended in previous
messages and communications to con.
gress, is that by which government
coal land and phosphate and other
mineral lands containing nOn-metal.
liferOus minerals, shall be leased by
the government, with restrictions as
to size and time. resembling those
which now obtain throughout the
country between the owners in fee
and the Iessees 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 as 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 specuIa
ton while the royalties may be made
sufficiently low, not unduly to in.
crease the cost of the coal mined, and
at the same time sufficient to furnish
a reasonable income for the use OF
the public in the community where
the mining goes on. In Alaska, there
is no reason why a substantial income
should not thus be raised for such
public works as may be deemed
necessary or useful.
Would Build Trunk Line Railroad.
l am not in favor of government
ownership where the same certainty
and efficiency of service can be had
by private enterprise, but I think the
conditions presented in Alaska are OF
such a character as to warrant the
government, for the purpose of en-
couraginS the development of thai
vast and remarkable territory tc
build ana own a trunk line railroad
which it can lease on terms which
may be varied and changed to meet
the growing prosperity and develop
ment Of the territory.
/ have already recommended tC
Congress the establishment Of form
of commission government for Alas
ka. The Tertiary 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 Iegisla
ton Of a local character.
The governor of Alaska in his re
port points ouS certain laws that
ought to be adopted, and emphasizes