Show REPORT ON ONt ONI t 1 I P PUBLIC u I LANDS I S Secretary Discusses Sub Sub- Subject d of Much Interest in the West r WASHINGTON Dec 9 In In his annual an an- nual aril report just made public Secretary Secre Secre- tary Ballinger of the dep department of the interior devotes a large amount of space to public land problems After rec reciting Y the history of the public domain do main and giving statistics to show that there is now remaining acid a d unreserved acres acres of f public land in Continental United St States tes and Alaska the secretary says Heretofore as will wiH be seen it has been the policy of congress ss to dispose of the public lands to those who were disposed tomake th the best use of them none of which which- were vere disposed of with a aview a av v view to securing revenue f for r governmental gOvern govern- mental support Even Evon t the e caal lands w wore were re sold at nominal figures and until untila til a few years ago they were not entered Centered ev even n at that figure except where market market mar mar- ket fa facilities made the land salable for their product r S Save ve Land From Monopoly I Under more conservative theories the question I 1 n now w is of saving the remnant of the public lands from monopolization or misuse without r. r abandoning the old policies of encouraging encouraging encouraging en en- development The highest productive use of these lands is the concern concern of the people T The e methods of spearing securing sp this use are the concern of national and state governments By the constitution the congress is made the steward of the public domain domain do do- main and for its stewardship it is responsible responsible responsible re re- to the people The executive executive- can move only as directed or authorized by congress in lU selling or otherwise disposing dis p posing sing of this national estate New or amendatory legislation respecting respecting re reo re- re our public lands should be di th direct recto simple sample effective and relate principally prin prine to the proper prOpel form of dISPOsition disposition disposition dispo dISPO- of the withdrawn wn lands water lands water waterpower power sites oil ou lands coal lands and way rights over public m lands public lands of the public land states and territories amount to about acres and as compared with private lands in these various states are a a small percentage of the territory thereof and the federal fed eral government should not undertake or assume the entire burden of the conservation conserva Hon of the natural resources Work of the Year Increased appropriations for the field service of the general land office expiring expiring ex ex- June 30 30 1910 enabled that P bureau measurably to clean up the vast number of cases in arre arrears rs pending under fraud charges The ap appropriation i tion for field neld work has bas been reduced a quarter of a a. million dollars dollars- for the current y year ar but investigation of land cases will be kept up The Tho area of public and Indian lands included in original ginal entries and nd filin filings s during the fiscal year 1910 is acres which is an increase of acres over the area dur- dur iner the year 1909 The area patented during the fiscal year 1910 is is acres s of which amount acres was disposed disposed disposed dis dis- posed of under the homestead laws Public Land Sales The total cash receipts from the sales of public lands including fees and commissions were I from the sales of Indian lands 2037 reclamation water right charges depredations on public lands sales of government property and copies of records making makin the total cash receipts r from all an sources in JU connection with the public lands 11 a decrease of from the fiscal year 1909 The excess of receipts over over all expenditures expenditures ex ex- and estimated liabilities of the public land service is There has been an increase over previous years in area of lands ent entered red but a decrease in in the acreage patented although patents issued have exceeded in in number those issued during the preceding year showing a wider distribution of the lands patented For the survey of the public lands con congress ess at the last session increased the appropriations over former years and nd authorized the abandonment of the theold old ld contract method I of surveys In view view of the conflict between n waterpower waterpower waterpower water- water power withdrawals and applications for rights of way for purposes of irrigation as well as the development of power the department is granting after field investigation inv rights of way for irrigation iniga I tion where the value of the site is found to be higher for the reclamation of arid lands than for the development 1 of commercial TOw power r. r There have been also I granted some revocable permits und under x r the act of 1901 in Ceases cases caes where the claims ha had 1 been initiated prior to withdrawal and c appeared not to conflict with tho the pub pub- lie Hc Interest The system of granting revocable permits under the act of 1901 is unsatisfactory both loth to the govern I ment and the applicant I Surface Entry Law The passage of the act allowing surface surface sur sur- face entries on lands classified as coal lands lanas has been a relief as against the tension created by keeping the enormous enormous enormous enor enor- area of over acres from settlement These lands are now open to to toa a agricultural entry with authority to I issue patents on full compliance with withlaw withlaw law except pt that the patentee secures no ne right in or to tho the deposits of coal that may be bo found in the the lands Great activity has existed in connection connection con con- with the tho lands opened und under r the enlarged homestead act of 1909 1009 al allowing allowing al- al lowing entry of acres There have been classified and opened for entry under this act approximately acres and aud and from time to time further classifications will be made and tho the lands so classified opened to settle settle- ment The existing withdrawals s of coal oil phosphate and waterpower water lands aggregate aggregate ag ago at this time in round numbers over acres A failure to release much of tho the lands now under withdrawals by new and amendatory acts directing the manner of their disposition will inhibit development development devel devel- and greatly retard the new ane and struggling settlements and industries of man many o of the western stat states s and terri tern tories All An tIle the coal lands in Alaska not located lo 10 cited prior to November 12 1906 are under the bond bond of withdrawals t Those located prior to Said date aate are for tho the most part under departmental investigation investigation resti iD gation gabon on charges of fraud or irregularities irregularities lari ties etc In view of such conditions I deem it of the highest importance that all these Cunningham cases involving thirty thirty- three entries or acres- acres of coal lands be transferred from the jurisdiction jurisdiction tion of the general land office directly to the tho court of appeals of tho the District of nf Columbia for consideration Tho The secretary calls attention to the importance of enacting legislation which would give tho the department an in ef ef- method of disposition of coal lands especially in Alaska The oil land withdrawals now outstanding outstanding out out- standing including some private lands within the exterior limits aggregate acres and are arc comprised within the states and anti territories of oft Anzona Arizona Ari An- zona California Colorado Louisiana t New I 1 Mexico xico Oregon Idaho and Wyoming Wyo Wyo- ming thing I am in favor of a general leasing system sy tem of oil and and gas bearing lands such a system as will promote legitimate legit a development of this industry prevent monopoly and conserve oue one of the tho great natural resources of of- the tho coun try I r I recommend that the government adopt a liberal p policy it 1 opening the oil lands in California In my judgment judg ment this can be accomplished if the state of California should declare the consumption of bf f oil a public k use uso Reclamation Cash returns to the reclamation fund are areS S qs s follows Water right building charge charges Vat Water r right op operation and maintenance nance charges Total Total 1 In addition amendatory acts authorizing authorizing au au- sales bf of town lots sales of water to towns and cities leases of i power developed in etc have produced an aa additional nal r revenue venue of which under the law in question is iR credited as a reduction of the cost of the projects from whence the receipts are derived Xo No o new projects have lave be been n undertaken undertaken undertaken under under- taken since March 4 1909 but prior to that date two thirty primary projects had been undertaker undertaken the net invest invest- ment in which on ou June 30 1910 amounted to In addition there h had d been invested invested in in- vested in secondary projects Juno 30 1910 in in townsite development development develop develop- ment 9 in Indian irrigation 1 and for general expenses It is is' is important that legislation be bo |