Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1916-01-21
HOUSE PASSES THE
LAND LEASE BILL
UNDER THIS PLAN MORE THAN
SEVEN HUNDRED MILLION
ACRES THROWN OPEN.
GAO ACRE HOMESTEAD NEXT
Prospect Is That Il viii Pass-SeveraI
Western congressman Opposed to
Parts of Lease PIan-OiI and
Coal Get Big Boost.

Washington.-The second of the ad-
ministration conservation measures, a
bill under which more than 70O,O00,OOO
acres of public lands would be thrown
open for lease by private interests,
passed the house Saturday without a
roll call. Immediately afterward the
640-acre homestead bill was taken up,
with prospect that it soon would
pass.
Opposition to the land lease bill was
confined principally to far western
representatives, as in the case of the
water power leasing bill passed last
week. Led by Representative Mon
dell of Wyoming, group of members
from the western states opposed par
ticularly in the debate the provision
under which the vast oil resources on
public lands in California and Wyo-
ming would be developed under feder-
al leases. They contended that each
state should be permitted to regulate
development Of such resources within
it's borders.
Partial Victory to Claimants.
Representatives Raker and Church
of California objected to a section CIV
ing relief to California oil promoters
affected by the land Withdrawals I'M
der the Taft administration as not be-
ing liberal enough. In the form pass
ed, however, 1t was partial victory
for claimants. All who filed on land
prior to July 8, 1910, the date of the
congressional withdrawal, would be
granted preferential leases provided
they gave evidence of having attempt
ed to develop their claims. The pres
ence Of well or evidence that they
were working on January 1, 1914,
would be accepted as proof
In its report the lands committee
declared that the lands opened, which
included approximately 100000 100000
tons of coal and 9O,OOO,OO0,O00 worth
of phosphates and unknown quantities
of oil, gas and mineral fertilizers,
should be developed Immediately The
Alaskan coal field and oil lands in ma
val reserves are not affected by the
bill.
The measure would lease public min
eral lands on royalty basis. Proper
safeguards, it's sponsors insist, have
been established to prevent corpora
lions from acquiring any vast quaint
ties
Features of Measure.
These are the salient features:
Coal-No one may acquire more than
1850 acres before development Rail
roads may produce coal only for their
own use, for which an annual rental
and royalty of not less than cents a
ton shall be paid. Free coal is pro-
vided for domestic use of homestead
ers. Municipalities may obtain for
their own use 100 acres without
charge.
Oil and gas-Tracts to run from 100
to $40 acres. The government would
issue 20-year lease, with 10-year
renewal clause. Annual rental of not
less than 81 an acre and royalty of
not less than one-tenth of the amount
of the product would be paid to the
Phosphates and fertilizer minerals
are covered in similar way.
Control of the leases would rest with
the secretary of the interior and the
proceeds would be equally divided be-
tween the federal government and
states in which the lands lie. Federal
moneys would be used for reclama-
ton purposes.