Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1912-02-08
PRESIDENT ASKS IMMEDIATE At.
TENrioN TO WANTS or
PUBLIC DOMAIN.
MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL
Legislation In Interest Of Alaska 10
imperative - Homestead Laws
Need notwithstanding Law REQ
ommsndsd-WouId Probe Cost Of
Living.

terror department was read to congress
today.
There 10 no branch of the Federal
jurisdiction which calls more Imperative
ly for immediate legislation than that
which concerns the public domain. and
especially the part Of that domain which
II In Alaska.
The progress under the reclamation act
has made clear the defects of its limita-
lions, which should be remedied. The
rules governing the acquisition Of home
steads. Of land that IL not arid or semi.
arid, are not well adapted to the perfect
Ing OF title to land made arabic by gov
reclamation work.
/ concur with the secretary OF the In
terror in his recommendation that. after
entry II made upon land being reclaimed,
actual occupation as a homestead OF the
same be not required until two years aft
or entry. but that cultivation OF the same
shall be required. and that the present
provision under which the land IL to be
pad for In ten annual installments shall
he SO modified as to allow a patent Issue
for the land at the end Of five years
cultivation and three years occupation,
with q reservation of q government lien
for the amount Of the unpaid purchase
money. This l~eniency to the reclamation
homesteader will relieve him from occupa-
ton at q time when the condition OF the
land makes II most burdensome and DIFF
f1cult. and at the end Of five years will
furnish him with a title upon which he
can borrow money and contipue the i'm
provement of his holdings.
! also concur In the recommendation
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.
The, chief change, however. which ought
IN ho ynodo md u,hfCh I have alrapdy
recommended in previous messages and
communications to congress. 10 that by
which government coal land and phos-
phate and other mineral lands containing
non-metalliferous minerals, shall be
leased by the government, with ~restric-
lions as to size and time. resembling
those which now obtain throughout the
country between the owners In fee and
the lessees 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 in
vestigations into the successful working
Of the leasing system leaves no doubt as
to It's wisdom and practical utility. Re-
quirements as TO the working Of the mine
during the term may be so framed as to
prevent any holding Of large mining prop
critics merely for speculation, while the
royalties may he made sufficiently low,
not unduly to increase the cost OF the
NDui Ihilcu, III u NHe htilc lHlc suih-
cient 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 q substantial In
come should not thus be raised for such
public works as may be deemed neces-
sary or useful.
There Is no difference between the rea-
sons which call for the application OF tho
leasing system to the coal lands still re-
tained by the government In the United
States proper and those which exist In
Alaska.
am not in favor Of government owner
ship where the same certainty and eff
cheney OF service can be had by private
enterprise, but I think the conditions
presented In Alaska are Of such a char
acter as to warrant the government. for
the purpose Of encouraging the develop
ment OF that vast and remarkable terri
tory. to build and " a trunk line rail-
road. which It can lease or terms which
may be varied and changed to meet the
growing prosperity and development Of
the territory.
For some years past the high and stead
lily increasing cost Of living has been a
matter OF such grave public concern that
l deem II OF great public interest that an
international conference be proposed at
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, its extent.
cause. effects, and possible remedies. I
therefore recommend that, to enable the
president TO invite foreign, government
10 such a conference, to be heldat Wash
lngton or elsewhere, the congress provide
an appropriation. not to exceed 1900. to
defray the expenses Of preparation aud
Of participation by the United States.
The magnitude and completely OF riod-
ern industrial disputes have put upon
some OF our statutes and our present
mechanism for adjusting such differences
where we can be said to have auy
mechanism at ALA strain they were
never Intended to bear and for which
they are unsuited. What Is urgently need
cd today Ii a Denomination OF our laws
bearing upon the relations OF employer
and cmploye and a careful and discrim-
mating scrutiny OF the various plans
which are being tried In several of our
own states and In other countries. This
would seem TO be the first natural step
In bringing about an adjustment OF these
relations better suited to the newer con-
ditions Of industry.
NY attention has been called to the In
Justice which Ii done In this country by
the sale OF articles In the trade purport-
ing TO be made In Ireland. when they are
not so made, and II Is suggested that the
Justice of the enactment OF a law which,
so far as the jurisdiction OF the federal
government can 30. would prevent u
continuance Of this Misrepresentation te
the public aud fraud upon those who
are entitled to use the statement In the
sale OF their goods. think It to be
greatly In the interest OF fair dealing
which ought always to he encouraged by
law. for congress to enact a law making
It a misdemeanor. punishable by fine Of
imprisonment, to use the malls or to put
into interstate n articles OF
merchandise which bear upon their fact
a statement that they nave oeen manu-
featured I'm soma particular country whsr
The fact V otherwise