Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1912-02-08

Il
eettlers-Woutd Have Government
Build and Own a Trunk Line Rail-
read-Water~ay improvements.
Washington, Feb. President Taft
sent the following message to con-
gress today:
70 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 well adapted to
the perfecting Of title to land made
arabic by government reclamation
work.
]. concur with the Secretary of the
Interior in his recommendation that,
after entry is made upon land being
reclaimed, actual occupation as q
homestead of the same be not re-
quired until two years after entry,
but that cultivation Of the same h
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 will 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 l have
already recommended In previous
messages and communications to con
gress, is that by which government
coal land and phosphate and othel
mineral lands containing non-metal
liferous minerals, shall be leased BY
the government, with restrictions al
to size and time, resembling thost
which now obtain throughout thu
country between the wner in fet
and the lessees who work the mines
and in leases like those which have
been most successful in Australia
New Zealand, and Nova Scotia. Tit
showing made by Investigations int
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 min
during the term may be so frame,
as to prevent any holding Of larg
mining properties merely for specula
ton, while the royalties may be mad
sufficiently low, not unduly to II
crease the cost Of the coal mined, an,
at the same time sufficient to furnis
a reasonable income for the use c
the public in the community wher
the mining goes on. In Alaska, Their
is no reason why a substantial incom
should not thus be raised for sue
public works as may be deeme
necessary or useful.
Would Build Trunk Line Railroad
/ am not in favor Of governmer
ownership where the same certaint
land efficiency of service can be ha
by private enterprise, but I think tt
conditions presented in Alaska are
such a character as to warrant II
government, for the purpose Of e
%Icouraging the development of TIL
vast and remarkable territory,
build and own a trunk line railroa
which 1t can lease on terms WIKI
may be varied and changed to me
the growing prosperity and deyelo
ment Of the territory.
I have already recommended
Congress the establishment Of a for
of commission government for Ala
ka. The territory is too extended, |
needs are too varied, and its distan
from Washington too remote to G
able Congress to keep up with
necessities in the matter Of legis.
ton Of a local character.
The governor Of Alaska In his
port points out certain laws th
ought to be adopted, and emphasiz