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Show ROOSEVELT INDORSES LAND LAW REVISION WASHINGTON, Feb. 14.-A second partial par-tial report of the Public Lands commission commis-sion was sent to Congress today by President Pres-ident Roosevelt who. in his letter of transmittal, says the report seems "to require a radical revision of most of the laws affecting the public domain. If we are to secure the best possible use of the remaining public lands by actual home makers." The Presidents letter follows: I ftubmit herewith the second partial report of the public land rommluion appointed by me October '!, 10S, to report upon the condition, condi-tion, operation and effect of the present land laws, and to recommend such changes & re needed to effect the largeit practical dln-povltion dln-povltion of the public lands to actual settlers set-tlers who will build homes upon them, and to secure in permanence the fullest and most effective use of the resources of tbs public lands. The subject Is one of such marnitude snd Importance that I havs concluded to rubmlt this second partial report bearing- upon some of the larger features which require immediate imme-diate attention, without waiting for the final statement of tbs commission, whic:-.. from the very nature of the case, it has not been possible to complete at this time. I am in full sympathy with the general conclusions of the cummtMston in substance and In essence es-sence and 1 commend Its recommendations to your earnest and favorable , onid?r.i:lGn. The existing conditions as set forth In this report aem to require a radical revision of most of the laws siTecting the public domain. If we are to secure the best possible ue of the remaining public lands by actual home-maker. home-maker. . The report Is signed by W. A. Richards, Rich-ards, land commissioner: F. H. Newell of the geological survey, and Glfford Pln-chot. Pln-chot. chief of the bureau of forestry. In a summary of Its recommendation, the I report say? the conclusions are based on a broad and general view of the public land situation, not on specific cases. Among other things, the commission says: "The present laws are not suited to meet the conditions of the growing public domain. The agricultural possibilities possibil-ities are unknown. Provision should be made to ascertain them, and pending such ascertainment, to hold, under Government Gov-ernment control and in trust for such use, the lands likely to be developed by actual settlers. The right to exchange lands In forest reserves for lands outside should be withdrawn. Provision should be made for the purchase of needed private pri-vate lands ln?lde forest reserves, or for the exchange of such lands for specified tracts of like area and value outside the reserves." The report renews Its recommendation for the repeal of the timber and stone acts, and asks that the sale of timber from unreserved public lands should be authorized. The commutation clause of the homestead home-stead act Is found on examining to work badly. Three years' actual residence should be required before commutation. The desert land law Is found to lead to monopoly In many cases. The area of a desert entry should be reduced to not exceeding ItW acres. Actual residence for not leaa than two years should be required, re-quired, with the actual production of a valuable crop on one-fourth the area and proof of an adequate water supply. The commission opposes the immediate application of any rigid system to all grazing lands, but recommends that the President should be authorized to set aside grazing districts by proclamation, said districts to be under the control of the Secretary of Agriculture. The summary sum-mary concludes with this statement: "The fundamental fact that characterizes the situation under the present public land I law Is this that the number of patents issued is increasing out of all proportion I to the number of new homes." |