Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-07-25

WASHINGTON, July 19.-Every citizen of
the United States has an interest in an es-
tate estimated to be worth at least $3.50 ,000-
900, 900, with potential annual income OF
from $4,000, 100000 to $15,O0O,O0O,OOO.
Founders of great fortunes have agreed
that their only real difficulty lay in acquir-
ing the first thousand dollars-the thousands
and millions came as mere matter OF null
tiplication. Upon that basis any man, woman
or child who owns allegiance to the Stars
and Stripes has only to cash in one individ-
ual share in this $4,000, 100000 estate to
be in position to go after the Rockefeller
record for piling up treasures on earth.
Unfortunately for any such plans, how
ever, the estate is not in process of settle
ment or liquidation, and there is little like
lihood that the average citizen will ever actu-
ally get his hands on dollar of it. It's real
wealth and his title to a proportionate share
Of it is not to be disputed. 1t may increase
largely in value and no one can ever cheat
him out of his part of it. Yet he will never
be able to borrow nickel on his share and
whatever benefits he may derive from it will
be so indirect that he will never be conscious
of them. Tantalizing, isn't it?
This vast estate is made up OF the public
domain and natural resources, the title to
which is vested in the federal government.
Admittedly its value is hypothetical--a mat
ter of estimate-but it has been placed at the
figures quoted by no less an authority than
Secretary of the Interior Fall Mr.. Fall is
recognized as a shrewd business man and as
he is practically it's administrator he ought
to know more about what it is worth than
anybody else knows.
Here are some OF tine items of this national
estate as the Secretary calls it: 175, 100000
acres of forest lands; 100000 acres of
grazing lands; 150,000,000 acres of arid and
swamp lands; immensely valuable when re-
claimed; 20,000,0 900 tons of coal; So,
000,000,0O0 barrels Of petroleum and shale
;1, ,sr~l,G q
900 horsepower with industrial and CONNER
cial possibilities beyond estimate; vast de-
posits of potash, phosphate, gold, silver, cop
per and other minerals, and 150,000,000
acres of national parks.
Leasing Possibilities
Take the coal, oil, mineral and waterpower
items alone and it staggers the magination
even to approximate the wealth producing
possibilities. 1t is Secretary Falls idea that
these resources should be exploited by a sys-
tenn of leasing to private interests and if his
estimates as to royalties are correct the ma
tional debt could be wiped out in short order
and the governments income would be such
that it would not be necessary to levy any
taxes to meet the expenses of the federal es-
Enlistment.
That, however, like the prospect of the in
d1V1dual citizens ever cashing in on his
share of the national estate is something of
an lr1deScent dream. The government has
constantly growing income from the devel-
opment or the public resources, and the eX-
pertinent of leasing oil lands on a royalty
basis is now being tried, but it is extremely
doubtful that the country will ever embark
upon an ambitious program of this kind.
There is too much politics in the proposition,
or, in any event, there is too much of pos
sibility for playing politics in connection
with it.
1t involves the old familiar fight over the
question of conservation. On one side is the
element that believes that the natural re-
sources of the public domain should be care
fully preserved and guarded lest private in
diViduals and interests lay unhoIy hands
upon them, profiting unduly thereby. On the
other side are those who insist that the only
sensible policy is to make these resources
Immediately productive and that this can
not be done by the government itself. Both
groups declare that they are interested solely
in promoting general welfare but each is in
tolerant of the others ideas and each calls
other names. 1t may be added that such a
strong case is made by each side that the av-
erage layman is unable to decide which is
right. Possibly neither is wholly right nor
wholly wrong.
Origin of Public Domain
While this debate is going on it is inter-
est1ng to delve into history and ascertain
when and how the federal government &C.
the public domain BY the Articles Of Con-
federation agreed to in congress, Nov Is,
1777, and ratified by the several states in
the four subsequent years, the government of
the United States of America was organized
and pursuant to that action took possession
Of the unappropriated crown lands of Great
Britain as the successor to that government. |
The treaty of 1888 was Englands formal re-