Show I CONCERNING THE PUBLIC DOMAIN President Taft in Message to Congress Points Points Out Needs A of Various Sections MASKA LASKA TOO LONG NEGLECTED Urgent Need of Legislation That Shall Develop the Resources of the Territory and Afford Protection to Settlers Would Settlers Would Have Government Build and Own a Trunk Line Railroad Rail Rail- road Waterway road Waterway Improvements Washington Feb 2 President President Taft Tart sent the following message to congress congress con con- gress today To ro the S Senate mate and House of Representatives I There Is no branch of the Federal Jurisdiction which calls more Imperatively Imperatively Impera Impera- Imperatively for Immediate legislation than that which concerns the public domain domain domain do do- main and especially the part of that domain which is In Alaska The progress under the reclamation act lct has made clear the defects of its limitations which should be remedied The rules governing the acquisition of homesteads of land that Is not arid or semi arid are not well adapted to the the perfecting of title to land made arable arabic by government reclamation work vork I concur with the Secretary of the Interior in his that after entry is made upon upon land being reclaimed actual occupation as a homestead of the same be not required required required re re- re- re until two years ears after fter entry but that cultivation of the same shall be required and that the present provision provision pro pro- vi vision lon under which the fie land Is to be paid paM for In ten annual Installments shull be so modified as to allow a patent pat pat- enl eat issue for the land at the end of five years years' cultivation and three years rears occupation with a reservation of a u gov government lien Hen for the amount of the unpaid purchase money This enl leniency ncy to the rec reclamation homesteader homesteader homesteader home home- will trill relieve him from occupation occupation tion Ion at a time when the condition of the land makes It most burdensome and difficult and at the end of five years year will furnish him with a title which he can borrow money and continue the improvement of or his hold hold- ing lag I also concur In the recommendation tion of the Secretary of the Interior that all of our public domain should be classified and that each class should be disposed of or administered In the manner most appropriate to that particular class Leasing of Govern nt Lands The chief change however which ought to be made and which I have already recommended In previous messages and communications to congress con con- gress Is that by which government coal land and phosphate and other mineral lands containing non metal minerals shall b be leased by bythe bythe bythe the government with restrictions its as asto asto to Size and time resembling those which now obtain throughout the I country between the owners In fee and the lessees who work the mines and In leases like those which have been most successful in Australia New Zealand and Nova Scotia The showing made by investigations into the successful working of the leasing system leaves no doubt as to its wisdom wisdom wisdom wis wis- dom and practical utility Requirements Require Require- ments meats as to the working of the mine during the term may be so framed as to prevent any holding of large mining properties merely for speculation speculation specula specula- tion while whilo the royalties may be made low ow not unduly to to Increase Increase In In- increase crease the cost of the coal mined and at the same time sufficient to furnish a R reasonable Income for the use of the public in the community where the mining goes KOCS On In Alaska there is no reason why a substantial Income should not thus be r raised for such public works as may may be deemed necessary ry or useful Would Build Trunk Line Railroad I am not In favor of government ownership where the same certainty and efficiency of service can be had b by private enterprise but I think the I conditions presented in Alaska are of such a character as to warrant the government l for the purpose of encouraging encouraging encouraging en en- the development of th that t vast and territory to build and own a trunk line railroad which It can ran lease on on terms which may be and changed to meet the growing prosperity and development development develop develop- ment of o the territory I hive have already recommended to Congress Cong the establishment of a form of commission government for Alas Alas- Alasha ka ha Th territory is too extended Its needs are too varied and Its distance from Washington too remote to enable enable en en- able Congress to keep up with its necessities in the matter of legislation legisla legisla- Lion tion of ot a local character The governor of Alaska lask In his report report report re re- re- re port points out certain laws that ought to be adopted and emphasizes what I have haTe said as to the immediate need for a government of much wider powers than now exists there if it It Itcan Itcan itcan can be said to have havo any government at all aU Lower Colorado River There is transmitted herewith a aletter aletter aletter letter from the Secretary of ot the InterIor Interior In In- tenor setting out the work done Under under un Un- der Joint resolution approved June 25 1910 authorizing the expenditure of or so 80 much thereof as might be necessary to be expended by the President for the purpose of protecting lands and property in the tho Imperial valley vaney and elsewhere along the Colorado river In Arizona The money was expended and the protective protective tive tivo works erected but the disturbances disturbances disturbances disturb disturb- ances in Mexico so BO delayed the work and the floods in the Colorado river were so extensive that a part of the works have been carried away and anel the need for further action and expenditure expenditure ex ex- ex of mone money exists Water Power Sites In previous communications to Congress Congress Con Con- gress I have pointed out two methods 1 by which the water power sites on onno no navigable non streams may be controlled controlled con can trolled as bet between een the state and the national government It has seemed wise that the control should be concentrated concentrated concentrated con con- In one government or the theother theother theother other as the active participant In supervising its use by private enter enter- prise The Secretary of the Interior has suggested another method by which the water power site shall be leased directly by the government to those who exercise a public franchise under un un- un d der dr r provisions Imposing a rental for forthe forthe forthe the water power to cre create te a fund to tobe tobe tobe be expended by the general government govern govern- ment meat for the Improvement of the stream and the benefit of the local community where the power site is tand and permitting the state to regulate the rates at which the converted power Is sold The latter method suggested sug aug by the Secretary is a more direct method for Federal control and in view of the probable union and systematic organization and welding welding weld weld- ing together of the power derived from water within a radius of ot or miles I think it better that the power of control should remain in inthe inthe inthe the national government than that it should be turned over to the states Under such a system the Federal government government gov gov- would have such direct supervision supervision supervision su su- su- su of the whole matter that any honest administration could easily easily ease ily prevent the abuses which a monopoly monopoly oly of absolute ownership In private persons or companies would make mak possible For some years past the high and stead steadily fly increasing cost of living has been a matter of such grave public concern that I deem It of great public interest that an International conference conference confer confer- ence be proposed at this time for the purpose of preparing plans to be submitted submitted sub sub- I to the various governments for foran I an international inquiry into the high cost of living its extent causes effects effects ef- ef and possible remedies I therefore therefore there there- therefore fore recommend that to enable the president to Invite foreign governments governments govern govern- ments meats to such a conference to be held at Washington or elsewhere the con- con press provide an appropriation not nol to exceed to defray the expenses of preparation and of participation by bythe bythe the United States Commission on Industrial Relations The extraordinary growth of industry industry indus Indus- try In the past two decades and its revolutionary changes have raised new and vital Ital questions as to the relations between employers and wage earners which have b become come matters of pressIng pressIng press- press Ing lag public concern Industrial relations rela relations concern the public for a double reason We are directly interested In Inthe Inthe inthe the maintenance of peaceful and stable stable sta sta- sta ble Industrial conditions for the sake of our own comfort and well being but society Is equally Interested in its effectively civic capacity In seeing that our institutions are effectively maintaining Justice and fair dealing between any classes of citizens whose e economic interests may seem 10 io clash I The and complexity of or modern industrial disputes have put upon some of our statutes and anil our I presen presen- mechanism for adjusting such where where we can be said to have any mechanism at all all all-a a strain they were never intended to bear and for which they are unsuited What Is urgently need needed d to day Is a re re re MIsbranding g Imported Goods My attention has been called to the I Injustice which is done In this country by the sale of article in the trade purporting to be made In Ii eland when the they are not so made and it is suggested that th the justice of the enactment enact enact- ment meat of a law which so far ab as the Jurisdiction jurisdiction Jur jur- of the federal government can go would prevent a continuance of this misrepresentation to the public public pub pub- lic lie and fraud upon those who are entitled en en- titled pitied to use the statement In the sale saJe of ot their goods I think It to be greatly great great- ly in the Interest of fair dealing which ought alwa always s 's to be encouraged by law for congress ss to enact a law making It Ita Ita ita a misdemeanor punishable by fine or Imprisonment to use the malls mails or to put into interstate comme commerce ce an any articles articles ar at tides of merchandise w which b bear ar upon their face a n statement that they the have been manufactured in some particular country the fact Is otherwise |