Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-02-07
LAND CLASSIFICATION
A BUSINESS POLICY
Directors of United States Geological
Survey Outlines to Engineers New
Economic Work of Bureau.

The public land problem Of today,
whether viewed from the standpoint Of
a federal officer or from that Of a
private engineer, is one of administra-
tion and of legislation,
Not only is the engineer interested
in the right classification of land in
order that he may not be an accessory
or instrument Of fraudulent practices,
but he does not wish to be connected
with an engineering project that in
wolves large economic waste. His
professional code opposes contribut-
ing his technical skill to mining de-
velopment or an irrigation scheme or
a hydro-electric installation whose
only possible purpose is the taking
of a promoters profiles before that
day of reckoning when the balance is
struck between cost and value There
fore, we are all alike interested in
knowing the facts Of land cassifica-
tion that will prevent the construction
of reservoirs and canals for a Carey
act project, for example, where the
water spply is insufficient or the soil
unsuited to irrigation, We will agree
that power sites should be used as
such and not as homesreads; that
mineral lands should be acquired by
mining men for mine development and
not by nonresident capitalists for the
timber value; that irrigable lands
should be irrigated and not dry
farmed; and that reservoir sites
should be used to promote irritation
or power development, and not as
cattle ranches,
If we agree upon highest and most
beneficial use as the ideal sought by
the engineer, land classification be-
comes the first duty in public land
administration. In a large way your
interests as engineers and citizens are
identical and the administrative Of
ficers duty to you in your profession
al capacity and to the people as a
whole is the same, namely, to decide
every question arising in the admins
tration of the public lands with. full
regard for the physical conditions
giving value to those lands and con-
trolling their highest utilization.
Indefinite, Inadequate Mining Laws.
The mining engineer first Of all en-
counters indefinite and inadequate
mining laws, perplexing and unsatis-
factory alike to himself and to the
administrative officer, Here is the
opportunity for cooperation in the
general crusade for legislation that
will at least recognize the past one
third Of century's progress in min
ing engineering, geology and metal
lurgy. Pending such legislation,
which needs to be framed TO meet
modern conditions in the mineral in
dustry, the chief executive, acting up
on specific recommendation Of the
geological survey, is making with
drawals Of public lands whose chief
value is for oil or gas, phosphate and
potash. There is no business wisdom
in continuing to allow oil lands to be
located and explored under law
framed to meet the conditions Of dis
covering placer gold In the develop
ment Of an oil field that law provides
no protection of the purposeful pros
ector against unscrupulous claim
jumpers, nor OF the developer, well
equipped with engineering experience
and necessary capital, against the
Ihold-up Of blackmailing paper locators
Again, viewed from the standpoint Of
the citizens generally, the federal
landlord receives nothing from these
rich lands, although commonly the
operator pays tribute to a middleman,
usually larger In amount and often
! with more exacting conditions than