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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 15, 1910)
The Omaha Daily. Bee NEWS SECTION WEATHER FORECAST. For Nebraska Fair, warmer. For Iowa Fair. For woathir report see Tago 3. PAGM 1 TO . VOI XXXIX NO. 1G0. OMAHA, SATURDAY MORNING, JANUARY 15, 1910-SIXTEEN PAGES. SINGLE COPY TWO CENTS. 1 f x I I' i n J 4 PEACE PROGRAM IN TAlE HOUSE Regular Republicans and Insurgents Reach Agreement Whereby Latter Will Attend Caacni. D WIGHT AND HAYS SEE TAFT leaden Arrange Matter After a Con ference with President. ALL TO VBE TREATED FAIRLY Inauiry Committee Will Acknowledge ,A ' Impartiality to Be Choien. STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT , Iher Agreement la Foreshadowed Whereby Alt Republicans Will Support Platform Measures. WASHINGTON. Jan. 14. Representative John Dwlght of New York, the republican "whip" of the house, said today that an agreement had been reached between the regulars and the Insurgents whereby the latter would attend the party caucus on selection of the Balllnger-Plnchot Investiga tion committee and would abide thereby. When Representative Hayes (Cal), one of the leaders of the Insurgents was notified of Mr. Dwlght's statement ha denied that any agreement had been reached and said his own statemi nt promised to the public today would not be ready before tomorrow. Later the following was given out by Tsresidsnt Taft: "It has been agreed between the regular republicans and the so-called Insurgents represented by Mr. Dwlght on the one band and Mr. Hayes on the other, atfer conference with the president that a cau cus should be held to pass upon the ques tion of thecommittee In the Interior de partment Investigation with the assurance that the insurgents, If they came into the caucus, would be treated fairly and that a committee of acknowledged impartiality would be appointed. "A further agreement was foreshadowed that caucuses would be held from time to time to which all elected as republicans should be Invited to take up the various measures recommended by the administra tion as performance of party pledges, the subject of each caucus to be announced in adVanoe." Statement of Mr. Dwlght. The statement at Representative Dwlght, the republican whip of the house, concern ing the reported understanding between the regulars and Insurgents was as follows: "The questions of the past have been (orgotcn. The tariff bill is no longer a matter for discussion. The speakership fight is endedv' The question ot the rules Is not-now an Issue. We are confronted with' the problem of redeeming the pledges ot the republican party to the peopta ,. ' "Last Friday there was a vote In this house which caused a republican division." V'. Dwlght here referred to the vote on . - the Norrt Amendment taKtng the appoint ment of th BalllngejPlrichVtoyesUgatina committee from the hands of Speaker' Cannon and placing It with tne house itself. ' "That was a matter of no consequence and a small subject in which the people could have but Little interest. But it showed a division in the party. The next day I aaw President Taft and laid the matter before h.lin. "I told the presldont that the so-called insurgents were represented as being the frit rids t and supporters of (he admlnlatra tlon and ready to help enact his reoonv mendatlona Into law. I assured the presi dent that the regular republicans of the house were ready to do likewise. We were prepared also to go Into caucus uppn any proposition and abide by the result. Were the Insurgents ready to do the sameT "For the last two days conferences have been lit progress and those who differed from us last Friday are now ready to enter the caucus ' and abide by the decision I reached there." .f Mr. Dwlght was asked if the insurgents had been given any definite assurances as to the treatment they would receive in caucus. - "No," replied he, "except'that they have been assurred of fair treatment. They will - not be discriminated against" Hares mm Statement. Speaking for the republican insurgents, Representative Hayes- of California, char' terlsed as premature the statement of esldent Taft and Representative Dwlght dlcatlng a cessation of hostilities between the house regular and Insurgents. Former Chief Forester Pinchot and See retary Balllnger may be represented by counsel throughout the Investigation by congress, covering the conduct of their of flees, it was practically agreed by senate and house conferences today. Similar rep resentatlon of other dismissed government employes involved was notyleclded. WALSH SIGNS AGREEMENT Convicted ' Banker Practically Closes (.' His Financial A( fair. CHICAGO, Jan. 14.-John R. Walsh today attached ' his signature to the agreement of settlement of hta financial troubles and sent It to the First Trust and Savings bank to be held until the guarantors of the note sign their part of the agreement The algnature gives to the Associated Banks of Chicago, which backed the ad Juetment of Walsh's financial afalrs after bis banks were suspended in 1906,, the fit, Ott.Ode In securities he put up to cover I note for tT.121.ss7 in return for the cancelled note. ;' In addition the banks will get $000,000 front the guarantors of the big note, who are then to be given the t&49,000 in securt tiee they put up as surety. When the guarantors sign their part of the agreement, the financial affairs of the former 'banker and railroad owner will be practically closed. ', WARRINER GOES TO PRISON Bnkeukr Isaacs Statement Denying He is Protecting Some one. CINCINNATI, Jan. 14 Charles U War rlner, who confessed to having erabea sled 141.000 while treasurer of the Big ' Pour railroad in this city, was taken to the penitentiary at Columbua today to m begin a sentence of sis years. Warrlner Issued a signed statement de claring that the various rumors circu lated that he was protecting "some one hjter up",' were not true. J. J. Hill Backs Road to Yukon From Winnipeg Syndicate Organized to Continue Line Two Thousand Miles Long at Cost of Fifty Million. ST. PAUL, Minn., Jan. 14. (Special Tele gram.) A party of Canadian-American cspltallsts. In which James i. Hill Is said to be Interested, have obtained charters for and will build a railroad 1000 miles long, to cost tbO.WM.OOO, from Winnipeg to Uie Yukon. Joseph E. Lelter of Chicago and Lord Somerset, brother of the duke of Beaufort, are Interested in the enterprise and have lately visited Montreal to interest other Canadian capital. Mr. Letter is now In Winnipeg. The road will run from Winnipeg to Letbbrldge at the base of the Rockies, thence to Calgary and from Calgary into the Alaskan-Yukan. It will up the rich Peace river valley and will depend largely for revenue on the shipments of ore from the Yukon fields. The syndicate has secured charters for the road from two sets of promoters who formerly held them. They anticipate no difficulty in raising sufficient capital to finance the enterprise. Man Higher Up Caught by Jury Charles L. Heike, Secretary of Sugar Company, Indicted in Fraud Case. NEW YORK, Jnn. 14. The federal grand Jury this afternoon returned indict. tnents against Charles L. Heike, secretary f the American Sugar Refining company; O. W. Oerberacht, J. R. Bendernagel, Henry W. Walker, Jean M. "Voelker and ames F. Halligan, employes. Four counts charge false entries of sugar products and two counts allege con- piracy to defraud the government in weighing sugar imports. The Indicted men will be arraigned to morrow before Judge Hough in the crim inal branch of the United States court Heike is secretary of the American SugaV Refining Company of New Jersey and secretary and treasurer of the Ameri can. Sugar ' Refining Company of New York. Oerbracht was formerly general super intendent of the two companies; Bender nagel was formerly cashier; Walker was assistant dock superintendent and Vlelker was a checker on the docks. Halligan was also employed on the docks where Imports were received. . All except Heike resigned recently. . Cohen in Jail for Two Weeks Eloping Waiter Held for Trial, but ) ,'. May., Neyer Be Prose- , . . cuted.-, -." : PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 14-After 4 brief hearing today, Frederick Cohen,. , who eloped with Miss Roberta De Janon, was committed to the county prison without bail for further hearing two weeks from today on a charge of kidnaping. There la a possibility, however, that Cohen will go unpunished for the part he took in the escapade. i The police today made the emphatic statement that Cohen did not harm the girl and .that the young runaway still ad heres to her story that she alone was r sponsible for the affair. After an inter view with the waiter in his cell his law yer told reporters that Cohen, under the law, committed no crime. The girl is In a privaite apartment of hospital under the care of a nerve spe cialist. It Is quite likely she will be kept there for some days. Mrs. Julia Cohen, the deserted wife, who was, taken to a hospital last night in a state of nervous collapse, was better to- day. MURDOCK SCORES POSTAL CHIEFS FOR BIG DEFICIT Kansas Representative Asaerta uot- ernment Should Use Its Mall Carrying Monopoly. WASHINOTON, Jar.. 14.-Arraignlng the express companies for making enormous profits on an Infringement of the govern ment's right to monopoly of transporting mall and criticising the Postofflce depart ment for surrendering that right. Repre sentative Murdock of Kansas today intro duced a long resolution callinr sr. the post master general for Information. 'For many years," says Mr. Murdock, "the Postofflce department has been sur rendering Its monopoly on the transporta tion of packet mail matter under authority of a regulation foot note apparently based on an unpublished letter to Postmaster General James from Attorney Oeneral Mo Veagh In 1881 declaring that 'packets' meant packages of letters." The resolution says that while the Post office department last year had a 'deficit of $17,000,000 the Wells-Fargo Express com pany distributed nearly (26,000,000 in divi dends, and that the government failure to exercise monopoly In transporting mall Is enriching the express companies. Human Spider Feet in Air, 8 truck on the head and scalped by an elevator while standing on the frosty edge of a steal beam at 108 feat above the pave ment. Frits ScbulUe, one of the human spiders working on the City National bank building's slender skeleton, held his footing He walkLd unaided to the bottom of the building and araa taken to a physician's office. Today he ia back on the job. "Hurry up that box of rivets, " roared Frits, leaning over hoi the elevator shaft, spanking with ungentle aoonnU to the man at tha on hie half a doaaa stories below. "Going an." yelled back tha operator. Frits walled to sea. The elevator, which travels at tha mare snail's pace of nighty-flee feet a seoanu. caught the top of Frltx's brad as be drew 'FOOT OF SNOW IN NEW YORK Second Heavy Fall Practically Blocks Street Traffio in the ;" City. THREE DEi, .uHE V- x Colder ,Weatl is Promised by Weather Bureau Today. TRAINS ON ALL ROADS LATE Inbound Steamships Fast in the Ice in Lower Bay. WIRE SERVICE IS CRIPPLED Sis Hundred Thoasnnd Dollars Spent In Clearing Away fcnst Snow, and 800,000 More is Needed. NEW YORK. Jan. 14.4The heaviest snow storm of the winter fell upon the city early this morning and raged unabated all day. Since 11 o'clock last night, twelve Inches of snow has fallen. In one hour the thermometer fell from SI above sero to SO above. ' Prospects for tomorrow were said at the weather bureau tonight to Indicate in creased cold. Three persons died in the storm tonight from exposure and undernourishment. A threatened strike among the laborers ot the street cleaning department was fortunately averted. Added appropriations made today for the removal of the last snowfall, which has not yet been fully cleared away,' will bring the total thus far expenaea mis year 10 souu.uuu. a conserva tive estimate of what the present snowfall will cost exceeds 1800,000 additional. The Inbound American liner St Louts, which was due here this afternoon Is still held a prisoner since last night In the lower harbor by the thick weather. Am bassador Whltelaw Reld, who had hoped to make shore in time for the funeral this morning for the funeral of his father-in- law, D. Ogden Mills, did not even see the battery. . : The St. Louts was due to discharge Its mails and cargo, take on another cargo and sail again with the outbound malls at 10 o'clock tomorrow. It Is impossible for it to make Its schedule. ' Ferry service was almost suspended at times. The narrow and crooked streets of the downtown wholesale district were a confused tangle of Interlocked wheels and cursing teamsters. The congested condi tion, of the surface and elevated lines which ran far behind schedule thrust upon the . subway a . greatly Increased burden. Through trains on- all the railways were late, but. the local, suburban service was better.' ' Just , at twilight there was a collision of two surface cars on the Brooklyn bride, but no passengers were Injured. ' " ' - . The v telegraph companies were badly crippled, but there was no actual paraylsls of .their service. The telephone system was scarcely troubled, at all, but many of the 'operator! !who. Jive far iroth.the exchange were 'unable to get home. WRECKAGE ' IX - FLOOD'S WAKE Loss to Shipping at St. Loots Will . Exceed f 200,000. ST. LOUIS. Jan. 14.-The Mississippi river front at St. Louis presented a de vastated appearance today. The river, gorged with Ice, rose from 22 feet Wednes day night to 81.S feet early this morning, and then the gorge broke. Inside of three hours the river fell more than five tact and at 8 o'clock the gauge read 26.1 feet. The boats on the river were left high and dry -by the rapid fall and the levee was strewn with wreckage. The property loss wilt exceed 1200,000. ' The gorge which formed late yesterday after the breaking of the gorge which had held for three weeks, gave away at dawn under the pressure of ice and water which had come down the Missouri river Into the Mississippi. Weathor reports Indicate the Mississippi river is rising north of St. Louis. The maximum height of the river early today was 1.9 feet above the danger stage. The railroad tracks on the levee were Inun. dated and the falling water left them cov ered with debris and Ice. The gorge at Alton, twenty-three miles north of St. Louis, broke this morning and will reach here during the day. The brldse at Alton caused the Ice floes to bank up1 again and another gorge Is forming there. South of 8t Louis the river Is full of floating Ice to below Chester, III., sixty miles down the liver. The Illinois and Missouri rivers are ris ing. Here the river cortlnued to fall. At 10 o'clock the gauge stood at 24.7 feet. It Is expected to drop to 22 feet by tomorrow. The preliminary work on the free bridge, which St Loulj Is erecting, was destroyed by the Ice. , TOPEKA. Kan., Jan. 14 With the gauge in the Kansas river here showing a fall of six feet since Thursday morning, all danger of 'a disastrous flood or further damage to ' bridges in this vicinity is passed. The stage of the river is now 12.2 feet Traffio on Atchison, Topeka tc Santa Fe railroad Is blocked near Lake View, east of Topekea, by an ice gorge which covers the tracks. . . C. A. Nobel. CEDAR RAPIDS. Ia., Jan. 14.-C. A. Nobel, editor of the Union at Belle Plalne, died today of typhoid fever, aged 35. Scalped 165 but Works On back from the shaft The speeding plat form ripped off a big round patch of Frits 's blonde German hair and scalp and then came to a stop. The injured workman, with blood stream ing over him, turned about and ' felt his way down tha ladders and steps. "Are you hurt?" asked a foreman as he reached the bottom. "Feet like I might be scratched a bit." answered the workman, holding his hand ever the bleeding wound. The physicians did some extensive em broidery work oa the head of the nervy workman and declares that his scalp, hair and ail. will trow bank ail light I Frits Is still handling the rtvets, but he J walta far the elevator From the Sioux City Jouranl. JUDGE CASUN'S LIFE ENDS Pioneer Jurist, Noted Over 'Entire State, Dies at Alma. SIXTEEN TEARS ON THE BENCH Terror to Evil Doers In West, Where Enforcement of Lnwa Depended Mnch on Court For Time . . In Omaha. . ALMA, Neb., Jan. 14. (Special Telegram.) L-Judg William Gaslln,, formerly an umana ajiorney ana mier n aninui suuiv jurist In the western part of the state and noted through' Nebraska as a, barrister, died -this afternoon at the home of his nephew, .William Haskell. He waa . 82 years pf age... - " . Judge aaslln was one pi the most. , re-, markable characters In the legal history of the state. For sixteen years after leaving Omaha he presided over the district court in western Nebraska and his decisions and rulings won fo- him a name of prominence. For many years he was a resident of Kearney. Ife was first elected to the district bench In the fall of 1875, when the district covered more than one-half of the area of the state and was Infested by the most notorious outlaws, desperadoes, ' horse thieves and bad characters who ever con gregated In one section of country. Judge Gaslln "made the law to fit the crime," and his methods struck terror to the hearts of these lawbreakers, while ' it won the approval ot the law abiding members of th community and resulted In his re-elec tion several times, many times without op position whatever.' Native of. Maine. A native ot Maine, he hailed from Ken nebec county, where he was born July 29, 1S27. His parents lived on a farm and he was compelled to work from the uge of 5 until he was 1S, attending school In the winter as much as possible. When he was IS he earned a man's wages, working as a shoveler on a mill race and wtlh the money thus earnfd purchased a small and rocky farm for his parents. The height of his ambition . was to get an education and books were his companions while working In the logging camps and as a sailor and cook on coasting vessels. A wounded foot prevented him from working for several months and he made good use of the time by attending a seminary. ' He afterwards attended Bowdoln college, working at odd times to support himself, and in 1850 commenced the study of law. He practiced in Augusta, Me., after being admitted, meeting with flattering success, but in 18G5 his office was burned and he yielded to a strong desire to come west After many strange experiences In Omaha and different points in Kansas, he took up a homestead in Harlan county In 1871. Dur ing the following years he endured many hardships and in the fall of 1875, while practicing at Bloomlngton, he was elected Judge of the district' From that time until 1891 he waa continuously on the bench. Since retiring Judge Git si In resumed the practice of law. Do you want a girl for housework? Phone Douglas 238 and get one. That is the "Want-ad Num ber." If you are without help, go do it now. No use drudg ing this cold weather when you can get help so easily. Girls looking (or work know that The Bee publishes practically a com plete list of people who want help, so they look to The Bee Want-ad when loklng for a place. Better step to the 'phone and put in the ad. "Wrestle da Bear and Maka da Monl" Artist Christy Beat His Wife Was Also on Familiar Terms with Models, Asserts One of the Witnesses. ZANESVILLB, O., Jan. 14. There was considerable diversion In the life of How ard Chandler Christy, the artist, accord ing to the testimony . of Charles Hall, former Christy model, today in the habeas Corpus proceedings of Mrs. Christy to ob tain ' possession of their 12-year-old daugh ter Natalie. . - - Mrs. Hail also testified.. ; .The conduct of Mr. Christy, she said In the present of Natalie was at times most unbecoming of a father. She told of how the artist struck his. wife, knocking her down, caus ing, her nose to f bleed and "''sitting; upon her." ' ''!.' . Mr. Hall told of Incidents in the studio In which' various models played a conspic uous role. Hall mentioned the names of a few women models with whom Christy was up on Quite familiar terms. There was much freedom between Christy and the girls, he said, and that hugging and kissing waa a common pas time. At other times Hall said he would hold and caress a model and call her his "baby doll." Christy's trip to a Keeley cure was related. Mae Wood Case , Finally Dismissed Illness of , Senator Piatt Prevents Prosecution for Forgery and ' Perjury. NE.W YORK, Jan. 14. The charges of forgery and perjury against Miss Mae C. Wood were dismissed In general sessions court here today and Miss Wood was dis charged from custody. Bhe was Indicted In 1907 following the trial of her suit against former Senator Piatt, who she al leged, was married to her in this city. Senator Piatt's illness has made Impos sible his appearance to testify against Miss Wood. BIG VICTORY FOR THE "S. & H." Green Trading- stamps The Sperry A Hutchison Company Wins. . WASHINGTON. D. C, Jan. 14. All ques tion regarding the legality of "S. H." green trading stamps has been forever dis posed in the sweeping decision just ren dered by Judge Mullowny. The Judge care fully reviews the Lansburgh decision and holds that . it has no application to the Bperry & Hutchinson company's trading stamp business, and ui conclusion says: "In the defendants' scheme or plan Of busi ness, therefore, there is no element of chance, no appeal to the gambling instinct, or anything by a which the morals of the community may be affected. Mondcll Refuses to Stand Sponsor for WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 Representative Mondell of Wyoming, chairman of the house committee on public lands, has de clined to stand sponsor for President Tail's bills designed to carry out his program for conservation of natural resources. He offered to Introduce the measure "by re quest" but the offer was declined. The bills were sent Chairman Mondell from the White House to be presented In connection with the message of the presi dent, which waa read In the house todsy. They Included measures for the tempo rary withdrawal of lands, for the classi fication of lands, prescribing methods for the dlspoaal of classified lands by leas ing and for the disposal of oil, gas and phosphate lands. As to all of these subjects Mr. Mondell's views of legislation that la needed dif fered so radically front that entertained LETTERS POUR ON BIMETT Nebraska Senator Upheld by Friends in Nebraska. . EAST HOLDS HIM INSURGENT Old Line Senators at Washington Declare He Has Been Active -Aaralnst Them Thorn In ' Their Flesh. (From a Staff Correspondent.) Washington. Jan. 14. (Special Tele gram.) As a result of the alleged "pro- grebslve republican" meeting held at Lin cola, the first of the week. Senator Burkett s being swamped With . letters' -ami . tele. grams from individuals and newspaper editors In Nebraska pledging him their sup port. One of the editors says the fight Is simply because "other people want the Job."- Another says, "We understand who the bunch is at Lincoln that Is fighting you." And one man writes. "I was trapped into that meeting, and am for you rather tl.an against you." "One of the writers says: "You have been too long before the public and we have watched your career too closely to be swept off our feet by this trumped up charge that you are not 'progressive.' " The telegraphic dispatches that have appeared here in local papers have aroused a good deal of interest and are attracting a good deal of attention on account of the, fight that is being made against Senator Burkett. Here In Wash ington Burkett Is looked upon as a "pro gresslve" and an insurgent. As one of the old line senators said today: - "He Is ono of the most pernicious and persistent insurgents that we have, for he waa al ways fighting us all the. way through." Evidence Plenty In Capital. Another senator who has not been pleased with Burkett's actions said: ''If all Burkett needed out there was a cer tificate that ' he had been an Insurgent' In the senate during the consideration of the tariff bill, he would have no trouble getting it from those who were here with him." ' A perunal , of the Congressional Record shows that the Nebraska senator was prob ably more often a thorn In the flesh of the Aldrlch crowd than any other senator on tha floor. He it was who led the at tack on the committee organisation at the opening of the special session and scored a victory by getting the biggest shakeup in committee assignments that has ever been brought about for many years and getting anJentlrely new distribution of committees throughout tseveral states of the country. Almost at the beginning of the session Burkett entered into a spirited controversy with Aldrlch as to the lack of Investiga tion that the committee had given his bill and taunted the chairman of the finance committee with the fact that the com mittee had brought In no real Information, that they had Jumbled the bill together without suitable hearings to disclose facts enough upon which to base honest Judg ment. Again in open session Senator Burkett openly accused Aldrlch on the floor of the (Continued on Second Pago.) Taft Measures! by the president that he told his frlendi he would not be Justified in presenting the bilLs In a manner designed to give them his Indorsement. Because he was chairman of the com mittee on public lands he felt he could not decline to Introduce the bills, and so suggested that he should present them as having been Introduced "by request." When Mr. Mondell's suggestion was communicated to the White House word was received that It was not satisfactory to the administration. - The president is said to have decided to seek another member of the committee on public lands to stand sponsor for '.he proposed leg islation. v , , "Request bills" have a wsy of getting lost In committees, and such an endorse ment is regsrded as equal to oongrosslonal disapproval. TAFT FOB BOTH LAND AND WATER President Outlines His Conservation Policy in Special Message, to Congress. UKOES REFORMATORY STATUTES Laws Now on Books Not Ample to Protect Public. MONEY FOR RECLAMATION WORK Bond Issue to Carry Out Many Unfin ished Projects. FORESTRY ANB INLAND RIVERS Consrrraa Should Immediately Take Necessary Steps to Conserve I a terest of Pnbllc In Woods and Streams. WASHINGTON, Jan. 14. -President Taft's special conservation mesFSKe was flr-llvcrnd to the house by Mr. Latta. assistant sec retary to the president, soon after that body convened today. Pension legislation was Interrupted for the reedlna of the document and the speaker advised mem bers to pay close attention thereto bp- cause no printed ooples had arrived for distribution among them. Practically all members present remained In their seats and followed tho reading clerk carefully. When the reading of the message had been concluded, a roar of applause arcsa ' from the republican sldo of the chamber and several democratic members also Joined in the demonstration of approval. Test of the Messnsre. President Taft'b message is as follows: To the Acnate and House- of Representa tives: In my annual message I reserved the subject of conservation of our national resources for discussion in a speolal mes sage as follows: "In sevsral departments there Is presented the necessity forleglslation looking to the further conservation of our national re sources, and the subject is one of such Importance as to require a more detailed and extended dlsucsslon than can be en tered upon In this communication. For thlp reason I shall take an early oppor tunity to send a special message to con gress on the subject of Improvement of our waterways, upon the reclamation and Ir rigation of arid, neml-arld and swamp lands, upon the preservation of our forests and the reforesting of suitable areas, upon reclassification of the public domain with a view of separating from agricultural set telemcnt mineral, coal and phosphate lands and sltea belonging to the government bctderlng on streams suitable for the utili sation of water power." In 18G0 we had a public domain of 1,m.. 911.?88 acres. We have now 731,354,W acres, confined largely to the . mountain rangrs and the arid oud semi-arid plains. We have in addition w, 036. 875 acres of land in Alaska. - ' The public lands were, during the earliest administrations, treated aa a national asset for the liquidation of the publio debt and aa a source of reward for our soldiers and sailors. T-ater on they were donated In large amounts in aid of the construction of wagon roads and railways, In order to open up regions In the west then almost inaccessible. ProdlKallty of the Past. The principal land statutes were enacted more than a quarter of a century ago. The homestead act, the pre-emption and timber culture act, the coal land and the mining acta were among these. The rapid disposi tion of the public lands under the early statutes and the lax methods of distribu tion prevailing, due, I thlnkr to tho belief that these lands should rapidly pass Into private ownership, gave rise to the Impres sion that the public domain was legitimate prey for the unscrupulous and that It was not contrary to good morals to circumvent the land laws. This prodigal fnanner of deposition resulted In the passing of large areas of valuable land and many of our national resources into the hands, of per. sons who felt little or no responsibility for promoting the national welfare through their development. The truth is. that title to millions of acres of publio lands was fraudulently obtained and that the right to recover a large part of such lands for the government long since ceased by reason of stautes of limitation. - , ' There has developed In recent years a deep conoern In the public mind respecting the preservation and proper use of our natural resources. This has been particu larly 'directed toward the conservation of resources of the public domain. The prob lem Is how to save and how to utilise, how to conserve and still to develop, for no sane person can contend that it Is for the common good that nature's blessings are only for unborn generations. some Roosevelt Reforms. Among the most noteworthy reforms initiated by my distinguished predecessor were the vigorous prosecution of land frauds and the bringing to public attention of the necessity for the preserving of the remaining public domain from further spoliation, for the maintenance and exten sion of our forest resources and for the enactment of laws amending the obsolete statutes so as to retain governmental con trol over that part of the public domain In which there are valuable deposits of coal, of oil and of phosphate, and in addi tion ' thereto to preserve control, under conditions favorable to the public, of the lands along the streams in which the fall of water can be made to generate ;oer to be transmitted In the form of electricity many miles to the point of its use, known as "water power" sites. The Investigations Into violations of tha public land laws and toe. prosecution of land frauds have been vigorously continued under my administration, aa has been the withdrawal of coal land for classification, and valuation and the temporary withhold ing of power sites. Hlnce March 4, 1909, temporary with drawals of power sites have been made on 102 streams, and these withdrawals there fore cover 229 per cent more streams than were covered by the withdrawals made prior to that date. Kxistliis; Laws Inadequate. The present statutes, except so far as they , dispose of the precious metals and the purely agricultural lands, are not adapted to carry out the modern view of the best disposition of public lands to pri vate ownership, under conditions offerinf on the one hand sufficient Inducement to private capital to take thetn over for proper development, with restrictive con dition on the other which shall secure to (Continued on Fifth Page.)