622 



CONSERVATION 



cently stated that this increase in valu- 

 ation "can prockice but one result — the 

 lands will be sold only as they are ac- 

 tually needed for mining purposes. This 

 should reduce the danger of monopoly, 

 without promoting over-production and 

 wasteful competition. In the end it 

 should give future generations cheaper 

 coal. The unearned increment will go 

 in part to the Nation rather than to 

 individuals." If a scientific classification 

 and adequate valuation of the coal lands 

 will accomplish all this for the people 

 of the West — protection against monop- 

 oly, over-production, and wasteful com- 

 petition, as well as the assurance of 

 cheaper coal to the consumer and a 

 larger return to the public — what more 

 can you ask ? 



The popular view in regard to the 

 disposition of the public lands is, in my 

 opinion, in a state of transition. Not 

 only is the speculator now given less 

 consideration than the entryman who 

 desires to use the land, but by reason 

 of the operation of the Reclamation Act, 

 the citizens of each state are beginning 

 to take a personal interest in the re- 

 ceipts of the Land Office. It is hardly 

 necessary in this connection to bring to 

 your attention the fact that the in- 

 creased valuation of the millions of 

 acres of public coal land must result 

 in increased contributions to the recla- 

 mation fund and greater possibilities 

 for local utilization of your agricultural 

 lands through irrigation. 



In conclusion, I would mention a 

 principle that is winning increased rec- 

 ognition in land legislation — namely, 

 relative worth. The earliest land laws 

 provided for the reservation of mineral 



lands from disposal for other purposes 

 and the present coal-land law expresses 

 this principle of relative worth by giv- 

 ing gold, silver, and copper deposits 

 priority over the coal, and the coal in 

 turn preference over agricultural values. 

 These distinctions necessitate land class- 

 ification based on adequate field ex- 

 amination, and with such classification 

 data at hand the principle of relative 

 worth can be further developed. Wher- 

 ever the dififerent values conflict the 

 higher use should prevail. For ex- 

 ample, the reservation or disposal of a 

 tract of land for a dam or reservoir site 

 should have preference over its use for 

 agriculture. On the other hand, wher- 

 ever the dififerent values can be sep- 

 arated, that separation by appropriate 

 legislation is at once the easiest and 

 best solution of the problem. For in- 

 stance, the surface rights may be sep- 

 arated from the right to mine underly- 

 ing beds of coal. The first step in this 

 direction was taken in March of this 

 year in the passage of the Mondell act 

 for the protection of the surface rights 

 of entrymen, whereby the homeseeker 

 may secure all of which he made entry, 

 all he swears he is getting, while the 

 coal beneath his tillable land is reserved 

 to the Nation for future disposal. 



The ideal land classification would be 

 that based on field examination, scien- 

 tific and detailed enough to include 

 every natural resource ; the ideal land 

 legislation is that which fully recog- 

 nizes the principle of relative worth ; 

 and the ideal land administration is that 

 which will assure the reservation or the 

 disposition of the people's land only for 

 its highest use. 



THE WOODS 



Straiglit as a linCj in beauteous order stood 

 Of oaks unshorn a venerable wood ; 

 Fresh was the grass beneath, and ev'ry tree 

 At distance planted, in a due degree, 

 Their liranching arms in air, with equal space, 

 Strctch'd to their neighbors with a long embrace. 



— Dryden 



