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Show Ask Modification of Laws To j Prevent Fraudulent Practice j i t land office hearings did not find justified. jus-tified. I Practically 90 per cent of all mining min-ing claims within the National Forest of the Inter-mountain region, covered by applications for patent since 1906, in which final action has been taken, have been recommended for patent by the Forest service. The other 11 per cent were protested and all but 1 per cent were relinquished or cancelled by the Land office, as a result of the protest. ' On National forests favorable re-' ports were made on 110, and unfavorable unfavor-able on 25 mineral claims from July 1, 192S to June 30, 1929, accorduig to the forester's annual report submit-' ted to the Secretary of Agriculture. According to the report, attempts continue con-tinue to employ the mineral land laws for purposes other than mineral development. de-velopment. Citizens were recently invited in-vited by circular letter to jo:n California Calif-ornia clubs which would obtain and use for recreational purposes desir-ble desir-ble tracts within the National forests to be located as mineral claims. A modification of the present laws to prevent such fraudulent practice? without hamper 'ng legitimate develop ment of the mineral resources is ur gently required. A law which would give mineral claimants t'tle to the ore body and the right to use so much of the surface as is needed in connection connec-tion with the mining operations, but would retain title to the surface of the United States, would correct the evil. The , District Forester at. Cgden, Utah,-rejporte-tht.in. Utah no mining clrt'm ctso:' siri'e 1915. has been protested pro-tested by the Forest service, which was not relinquished by the claimant or cancelled by the land office. In Idaho, no case s;nce 1910 has been protested by the Forest service which |