The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1920-03-02
Thousands Strain at Leash
Awaiting Signature To Bill
That Means Development Of
Vast Resources.


is on in the west Thousands Of peo-
pie are toeing the line, waiting in air
planes, ready with automobiles, strad-
ding their motorcycles and brorchos,
all keen for a dash for the fortunes
awaiting first corners on undeveloped
government land.
Hills full OF men; wire Immediately
when oil bill Is signed"
Thus reads one OF score OF sim
liar dispatches received by Senator
Smoot from Utah, and other senators
and representatives from California,
Wyoming, Arizona, Colorado, Mon
tana, and North Dakota and every
state in which great areas of potential
wealth have for years been with
drawn from exploitation on the public
domain. There are more such tele-
grams on the desk at the White
House where lies the bill passed by
a Republican congress to open up un
der wise and safeguarded leasing
system an enormous acreage teeming
with vast stores of the COAL the oil,
phosphate, gas. potash, potassium and
sodium the country and the world so
badly needs locked up and kept use
less by the hard and fast government
tai policy which has retared the
growth of the west, cramped its states
and brought only expense to the gen
eral government The bill has been
passed after long hard fight and
every mail brings evidence of the in
tense desire of the people of the west
to utilize 1t If the president is to
make It low.
ID Thoroughly Nonpartisan
Talks with Senator Smoot and other
Representatives of both parties shows
that this is a great constructive meas
ure of national importance devoid of
all partisan tinge and possessing uni
versal economic Importance. Demo-
Gratis and Republicans alike regard it
as thorough and effective regulation
for the permanent preservation of the
national wealth. 1t is practically gov
eminent ownership under pirate de-
velopment
This condition on the public lands
hearing coal, oil and gas especially,
has long been the strong desire of the
west The law is aimed not only to
reduce the market price of those in
dustrial necessities the country over
but also by their production on now
practically valueless public lands
which in many cases forms large
part Of ambitious commonwealth to
so increase the income and revenue of
those states through royalties as pro-
vided in the act by creating taxable
properties that the states may profit
largely by the reclamation of land /
Open Up Vast Domain
1t is estimated that SO,OOO.OOO
acres may thus be opened up and
worked by private capital The west
is in tremendous difficulties in this
respect. 1t is predicted that within
year the amount of coal mined in
this country would be substantially
increased. Florida now produces the
most phosphates with some coming
from Tennessee and South Carolina
but there is a great shortage Of this
essential for the farmer, Immense
quantities of this valuable mineral
have been found in Idaho. Montana,
Utah and Wyoming but these lands
were withdrawn by the government
in 1908 awaiting the enactment of
law adapted to their development
Such a measure" says Senator
Smoot, "is now in the White House.
regard this bill as the most vital ,
economic measure passed BY CON
gress--it is the greatest piece of con ,
struetive legislation in the history Of
the nation. As leasing measure c
permitting the acquisition of large
areas. protecting the developer and f,
requiring payment to be made only
upon production it will conform to
The custom of private development and ,
be entirely fair to both operator and
Presidents Stand Unknown |
In the meantime the messages have