public, the charge would naturally be made low and the time limit long.

The income derivable from this source would materially aid in the complete improvement of our navigable waters, for which there is now such crying need. The Chief of Engineers of the Army reports that the bills pending at this session of Congress permit the construction of dams in navigable streams capable of developing over 1,300,000 horsepower. These rivers run every hour in the day and every day in the year. To develop this amount of power would, under average conditions, require about 25,000,000 tons of medium-quality coal every year. This natural wealth is the heritage of the people. I see no reason for giving it away, though there is every reason for not imposing conditions so burdensome as to prevent the utilization of the power. The authority to make, modify, or withhold grants manifestly implies both the power of inquiring into the grounds on which the grants are asked and the duty of administering the grants in the public interest.

We are now at the beginning of great development in water power. Its use through electrical transmission is entering more and more largely into every element of the daily life of the people. Already the evils of monopoly are becoming manifest; already the experience of the past shows the necessity of caution in making unrestricted grants of this great power.

The present policy pursued in making these grants is unwise in giving away the property of the people in the flowing waters to individuals or organizations practically unknown and granting in perpetuity these valuable privileges in advance of the formulation of definite plans as to their use. In some cases the grantees apparently have little or no financial or other ability to utilize the gift, and have sought it merely because it could be had for the asking.

In place of the present haphazard policy of permanently alienating valuable public property we should substitute a definite policy along the following lines:

First. There should be a limited or carefully guarded grant in the nature of an option or opportunity afforded within reasonable time for development of plans and for execution of the project.

Second. Such a grant of concession should be accompanied in the act making the grant by a provision expressly making it the duty of the designated official to annul the grant if the work is not begun or plans are not carried out in accordance with the authority granted.

Third. It should also be the duty of some designated official to see to it that in approving the plans the maximum development of the navigation and power is assured, or at least that in making the plans these may not be so developed as ultimately to interfere with the better utilization of the water or complete development of the power.

Fourth. There should be a license fee or charge which, though small or normal at the outset, can in the future be adjusted so as to secure a control in the interest of the public.

Fifth. Provision should be made for the termination of the grant or privilege at a definite time, leaving to future generations the power or authority to renew or extend the concession in accordance with the conditions which may prevail at that time.

THE WHITE HOUSE, April 13, 1908.

O

THEODORE ROOSEVELT.

SD-60-1-Vol 32-26

SWAMP LANDS OF THE UNITED STATES.

LETTER

FROM

THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE,

TRANSMITTING,

IN RESPONSE TO A SENATE RESOLUTION OF DECEMBER 9, 1907, INFORMATION IN REGARD TO THE LOCATION AND AREA OF SWAMP AND OVERFLOWED LANDS SUSCEPTIBLE OF BEING DRAINED FOR AGRICULTURE; THE EFFECT OF DRAINAGE UPON SUCH LANDS; THE AREA DRAINED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE DIFFERENT STATES AND THE BENEFITS WHICH HAVE RESULTED THEREFROM, ETC.

APRIL 21, 1908.-Referred to the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry and ordered to be printed.

To the Senate:

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY,
Washington, April 20, 1908.

In accordance with the resolution of December 9, 1907, I have the honor to transmit, by direction of the President, information in regard to the location and area of swamp and overflowed lands in the United States susceptible of being drained for agriculture; the effect of drainage on such lands; the area of land which has been drained under the laws of the different States and the benefits which have resulted therefrom; a summary of the legislation of different States and methods under which drainage works have been constructed, and a review of the drainage laws and policies of leading agricultural countries in Europe.

Respectfully,

JAMES WILSON, Secretary.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS,
Washington, D. C., April 20, 1908.

SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a report containing information upon the general subject of drainage of agricultural

lands, prepared under your instructions in accordance with a resolution passed by the Senate December 9, 1907.

Very respectfully,

E. W. ALLEN, Acting Director.

The SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS,

Washington, D. C., April 18, 1908. DEAR SIR: In accordance with your instructions, I am herewith handing you a report prepared for the Secretary to supply information upon the general subject of drainage of agricultural lands, asked of him in a resolution passed by the Senate December 9, 1907.

By way of explanation, allow me to say that the statistical information supplied consists of estimates made from data furnished by correspondents in reply to circulars and personal requests sent out by this office. The information, while the best that can be obtained in the time given, is considered as only approximately correct. The digests of the drainage laws of this and other countries have been carefully made and are authentic.

Yours, sincerely,

Dr. A. C. TRUE,

C. G. ELLIOTT,

Chief of Drainage Investigations.

Director, Office of Experiment Stations.

SWAMP LANDS OF THE UNITED STATES.

By the act of Congress of 1850 all Federal swamp and overflowed lands were granted to the States in which they were located. By the decision of the Secretary of the Interior rendered August 17, 1858, this act did not apply to the swamp lands of States admitted into the Union after its passage. The term "swamp and overflowed lands," within the meaning of the act, refers to lands which, in their natural state, are unfit for cultivation by reason of their swamp or their overflowed condition.

The regulations relating to the subject gave the States the choice of two methods of selection:

First. The field notes of the Government survey could be taken as a basis for selection, and all lands shown by them to be swamp or overflowed, within the meaning of the act, which were otherwise vacant and unappropriated September 28, 1850, would pass to the States.

Second. The States could select the lands by their own agents. and report the same to the Secretary of the Interior, with proof as to the correctness of their selections.

In the States which have adopted the second method of selection claims for large areas have been filed, which have been approved by the Secretary. The report of the Commissioner of the General Land Office for 1907 gives the following areas, claims for which under the act named have been approved, and also gives the number of acres

which have been actually patented to the several States to which the act applied:

Swamp-land claims approved and certified under various grants.

Total.......

The total of the approved claims is 65,582,503.59 acres, and the lands actually patented to the several States named amount to 63,356,541.01.

The adjustment still goes on, claims for 36,732 acres having been approved, and for 235,722 acres having been rejected during the past year. With reference to this matter, it should be noted that Illinois has reported claims for nearly 4,000,000 acres of swamp land, but claims for less than 1,500,000 have been approved, and that of the 4,500,000 claimed by Iowa, only 940,000 acres have been approved.

UNRECLAIMED SWAMP AND OVERFLOWED LANDS.

The following is an estimate of the number of acres of swamp and overflowed lands in the several States, which may be reclaimed for agriculture, exclusive of the coast lands which are overflowed by tide water. The acreage given is that obtained from the most recent information secured by correspondence with officials of the counties in the States represented:

The lands above enumerated are not all permanently unfit for cultivation in their natural state, but part of them are swamp or are subject to such frequent overflows from streams as to be entirely