Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1912-11-01
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
IS, to Debate This Vital
Subject.

The most important question which
will be considered at the Annual Con-
vention 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 a liberal administration of
these laws, these pioneers have devel-
oped a civilization second to none in
the world, have provided a 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 APP
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 recoonized 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 a more re-
cent administrative policy anticipates
the most strict construction of the
law. Under this changed construction
from which there is practically no APP
peal, many enormous investments are
made valueless and aggravating re-
quirements create delays which great
ly obstruct and hamper the continu-
ance OF the enterprises already under
taken and absolutely prohibit all new
III IS ctakings. 1t is freely asserted
and generally believed that this ad-
ministrative policy carries with it an
what the law does not justify by the
most technical construction, in order
to establish a new system of land
tenures; that through this indirect
method of Withholding from private
ownership public lands needed for de-
velopment of western enterprises, con
ditions are being kept in statu quo
until congress may provide an entirely
new system for control of the public
lands.
Thus far, aside from a general pro-
test, the west has not agreed upon
any definite policy touching this far
reaching question. 1t is hoped that
the resolutions, adopted at Spokane
convention, upon this subject, will
create a fixed policy and that the
delegation from the several western
states will be so representative that
the policy thus agreed upon will have
the united support of the western
states. To this end, an invitation has
been issued to each of the governors
of the arid land states to attend the
convention, take part in its discus
sions and assist in the framing of a
policy which will be thoroughly repre-
sentative.
Governor John F. Shaforth of Col
orado will lead this discussion. Gov.
Shaforth has, for years, given this
subject careful consideration and
brings to its discussion the value of
a long experience in public affairs,
both as a member of congress and as
governor. 1t is confidently expected
that there will be full attendance OF
state executives and that through
their cooperation the delegates al
Spokane will be so representative that
the policy there outlined will be &C
cepted as the last word on the subject
and that upon the platform there
adopted an aggressive campaign will
be carried on through which the con
tinued prosperity of the west will be
assured.