The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-08-02
President, Through Secretary
Hitchcock, Withdraws
Vast Tract.
MOVE A SOCIALIST ONE
Deposits Are 20 BE Held in Case Strike
Comes or Trust 10 Too Greedy
In Line With Ia.
Toilette.

Clai 10 the lflDune says
As a result Of action by the preSi-
dent and Secretary Hitchcock, the
American people have been placed In
a position 81 Independence with respect
10 the coal monopoly or TO "A conflict
bet miners n coal operators.
Following an exhaustive invcstiga-
ton. the secretary by direction of the
president has issued an order with
drawing from entry 5000. 900 acres OF
public lands which are known Ia pos
scSs workable coal. The order perhaps
is In contravcntion OF n revised stat
ute. which provides that all valuable
mineral deposits on lands belonging To-
the United States are free and open to
purchase.
The examination by the geological
survey In accordance with N instruc-
tons uf the president developed that
there were $1,000. 600 acres OF public
land believed To- contain coal deposits.
Tho president. though. desired the
withdrawal OF only those sections
known TO possess workable coal. Ac-
cordingly the area was reduced to g.
OO0. 900 acres.
The coal lands withdrawn from en-
Try are situated In New Mexico. Colo
RADIO. Utah. Wyoming. North Dakota.
Montana. oregon and Washington.
Action Declared Soeialistie.
Tho action OF the president and Sec
rotary Hitchcock In this matter IL So
r~lalistic I'm the extreme. IL mcan that
the government has taken possession
II coal lands capable OF supplying the
nation with an indefinite amount OF
fuel. Certainly the socinlistic slogan OF
government ownership OF public u,il-
tiles has been carried out by the ad-
mInlstratlon In this instance.
Congress has not authorized anything OF
The kind. though the president Ina his mes
age transmitting the report OF Commis-
sioner OF Corporations Garfield In regard
10 the Standard OH corporation declared
that tho time had come when no oil or coal
lands held by the government. either with
n the public domain proper or territory
,wned by Indian tribes. should be alien
,ted The president expressed the opinion
tha, tho fee 20 such lands should BE- kept
n the United States government and
~ased on such terms and for such periods
" would cnnblc the government TO keep
fn,irc control thereof.
Congress Fails 10 Act.
Senator In Toilette introduced r"solu-
spooncr wRs approached by Secretary
ions 20 attain this result. and Senator
Hitchcock with a view to securing the IN
,arporation OF a provision In an uppropria-
ion bill authorizing the president TO locate
nd withdraw from entry all public coal
nndx. But congress adjourned Without
tstion. and the president and Secretary
Hitchcock. after thorough consideration OF
| De subject. decided to act without SPECIFIC
Fgislaiivc authority.
The conservatives I'm both the senate and
| the housc who were getting ready To nEht
,hc La Toilette and Spoou'r resolutions
tooth and toe nail undoubtedly VIII subject
thr new administration policy 10 sharp
| siticlsm az the next session 81 congress.
| rho president and Secretary Hitchcock ar"
| sonudent, nevertheless. that IN" people
ull approve a policy tn" only purpose OF
Ehich was 10 prevent injury To- the public
| Interests.
The president last spring when there was
langcr OF "A second coal strike. let " be
known thnt he would not hesitate % carry
5ut has plan OF rccciycrship Il he was
| forced To do so by the failure OF the opcr-
| 4iurS and miners 10 reach an agreement
| and hy tho suffering which such "A failur
Eould entail next winter.
lie realized hat the seizure ~ mines
aould greatly irriiatc capital and might
cause Il to grow tImld. IL probably would
| consider thal the government might re-
rard coal mine seizure a. "A precedent Tor
similar action IN other Industries. The
president knew. moreover. that ~ would
o. subjected 10 virulent criticism. and. nm
slly. that many OF his successors. con-
| 'ronted by n similar emergency. might no.;
care to go as far rs lac himself would.
Coal Lands Subject Of Fraud.
Secretary Hitchcock was informed
through reports that he had received In an
facial way that thousands OF acres OF The
public domain have been entered as agri-
| cultural lands. when as "A matter OF fact
ne lands arc mineral AMI ar" being
worked for coal. cement. asphalt. ana ON
r minerals. The prosecutions Tor FRAUD
which are committed In some instances Tor
this deception are being prcsscd and others
Elll follow.
senator LaFollcttc OF Wisconsin played
prominent part In the discussion on THIS
subject last winter. lie urged vigorously
greater government control % coal, oil and
ether mineral lands IN the possession or
the Indians. But the senate turned down
he IDEAS.
senator LaFollcttc's presentation of the
subject attracted the attention % the pres
dent. as Il was la line with the considcra-
Ton nc was giving Ia" subject % IA" gov.
'Tnmcnt retaining possession % coal lands
~ within the public domain.
4 thorough Investigation conducted by
sacrc,ary Hitchcock disclosed that there
vas no warrant or authority under exist
TX law L. withdraw from entry all coal
and asphalt lands lying within the public
l0mAin. The president had hoped that he
lad sufficient; authority 20 do tbs. Not
a~tthstnnding the failure % congress 20 en-
act legislation comforting such authority.
le evidently In still OF tn" same opinion.
AMI counts upon the approval OF his action
hFer