Show Victory at Last r is cause for rejoicing in the west over o the THERE L. L enactment into iulo law Jaw of the land leasing leasing- bill lilI It way may not b bo be all ilI that Hint has bus been heen hop hop-c for but it is better than keeping th the rent natural resources of these mountain st-at st states buried nn and under a n. policy polley of tight conservation Tho nio bill ch received the official tight ap- ap al of President ent Wilson lust just in n tIme nine to prevent na us taking lal effect lt without his signature is a compromise se between c ll state slate ownership of oI public lands and i of ot conservation It will at least unlock the doors 1 q to JI hidden I treasures bring them forth and lay lar them in inI in I lap hip of commerce commer American enterprise which has been cn held in Iii leash for ten tell years insofar as ns development or n natural resources on tb the public domain is concerned will viII have C no further handicap r Private capital will come out of its hiding places tl t reat extent and m seek this new and promising field The of the prospector will ill find new wings of or en- en h v c Employment will be provided for for- thou- thou JJ l of working men It t may be bo expected that there jj will dU he be man many contested locations It is reported that over 1 lh ht country men have been camped for days lands awaiting approval of or the act to taie taic the necessary preliminaries for making making- valid their 1 applications for lease lease The fhe various arious government laud land will vill be he hus busy husy for or months settling controversies ies over o priority of rights It Jt nIl all constitutes a healthy 4 indication of or renewed activity ity in the mining raining industry The file precious metals are arc not a affected by the new leasing illg law at all The Tile procedure ure for acquisition of such mining claims from locution location to patent remain unchanged The new law concerns only the mining of coal coil phosphate oil oil shale gas gns and so sodium ium on the public domain and ami prescribes the manner in which per per- its for prospecting may maj first be obtained which if successful may afterwards ards be developed into workable leases upon payment of prescribed royalties which are not riot excessive to the government The permits o originally rig rig- issue to as great t an area as four sections of land 2560 land acres but acres but in ca casc c e of discovery disco in paying quantities q of the time thing sought the thc area in the lease is to lo one fourth the thc size One great cause for congratulation lies in tho the fact that thai a large part of the tue proceeds derived from royal royal- royalties ties tics 37 2 per c cent cent is nt-is nt is to be paid over to the respective st states tes wherein the lea leased ed lan land is located to be used by such state for the construction and maintenance of public roads or for the support of ot public schools or or other public educational institutions In tho the process of bf r time these payments will undoubtedly reinforce state revenues in w western stern states so appreciably as to enable them to greatly reduce direct taxation To those who have not followed the vicissitudes of leasing bill 1111 no adequate idea iden can be formed of ot the theco co courage patience diplomacy and ork which have Devolved lc upon the friends of the measure in b both th Houses to guard and guide it to success Nearly all of of the western congressmen have been field fiel generals in inthe the thie historic fight but by reason of their positions as IS chairmen of or the public lands committees as ns well as for their intelligent persistence Senator Reed Smoot of Utah and md Representative Nicholas J. J of Oregon z are entitled to the greatest meed of or praise |