The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-07-18
.EAFOtLETTE TRIES
TO SAVE COAL LANDS
Resolution Will Prevent Grab ofs
45,000,000 Acres.
PRESIDENT IN FULL ACCORD
Purpose is to Keep What Is Left OF;
Nations Fuel Beds Out OF tho
Control of NIonopolics and

Purpose is to Keep What Is Left OF
Nations Fuel Beds Out of the !,
Control of NIonopolics and
Trusts.
Washington, D. C4-Standard Or
and railroad senators sat up and
took notice when Senator La Toilette
introduced concurrent resolutions
which, If adopted. will prevent the
Federal Government from selling
any more public lands undertake
with coal. ignite or Oil. the purpose
being to keep what is left of tho
lands out of the grasp Of the copora-.
ations which have been grabbing all
they could get as rapidly as possible.
It is Senator La FoIlette's idea
that there are left 45,000,000 acres
of public lands known to be under
laid with rich supplies Of fuel. He
thinks they will become factor in
the future industrial development OF
the country and should be retained
by the Government. He has no Eadt-
cal notions about the Government,
operation Of these fuel beds, but he
is firm in. the conviction that these
necessities sh.uld be kept out OF the!
greedy nav of the monopolies and
trusts which are grabbing for Them
wherever they can be obtained by
purchase or theft.
La Follette's belief is that with
the Government in perpetual :control
of these fuel deposits it could pre-
| vent any threatened tieup OF, fuel
such has been imminent in the past
from coal strikes President Roose-i
velt is in thorough accord with Sem
ator La Toilette on this subject. =
Soon after Senator La Toilette had
spoken in the Senate on the fragrant
wrongs being perpetrated against the
| five civilized Indian tribes by the
seizure of their valuable coal and
mining lands by the railroads, the
President sent for the Senator from
Wisconsin and talked over the eRj.
tire question with him. The Presi-
dent then wrote in his message ac-2
companying the Garfield report on
Standard Oil: -. -
1.-THE time has come when no OH
or coal lands held by the Govern
ment either within the public domain
proper or in territory owned by the,
Indian tribes should be alienated.
The fee to such lands should be kepej
In the United States Government
whether or not the profits arising
from it are to be given to any Indian
tribe, and the lands should be leased
only on such terms and for such PERI
iods as will enable the Government
to keep entire control thereof:
The central point of the resolu-
tions is contained in this section: -
"That the President be authorized
to withdraw from entry and sale alH
| public lands known to be undertake.
| with coal, Ignite or oil and all suck,
lands as, in the judgment Of the di-,
rector of the geological survey. CONF
tain deposits of coal, Ignite and OIL.
| and that all such lands be withhef0i
from entry and sale until such time
as Congress shall determine other-E
wise" .= -.,.
Senator La Toilette in presenting
his resolutions spoke briefly, saY1Hg:t
"I believe that there should be no,
doubt in regard to the PresfaencS
poWer .toSwithdraWs these lands frmii
entry ;aiidi SALE. There is LITTLE Smora
TO say in regard to the resolutaona
other than I believe every man I'M
this country has direct interest IN
knowing the character and extent Oh
the coal deposits.
! "There is not a pound OF c0aS
which should be wasted. The COY,
ernment has about 45,000,000 acres
of coal and Ignite deposits. II
should retain control OF them. do
| not contend that it should operate
them. It might lease these lands to
private companies upon IT'S own
terms to prevent the monopohzalon
! of the fuel supply, the man1puiatioH
of prices or the occurrence OF sucA
diastrous strikes as the great strlho
in the anthracite coal fields: Tne
fact that the Government would OWE
the coal supply and could dispose ON
It upon such terms as IL wouiu Da
pleased to impose, would enaD!e tna
| Goyernment to enforce arbitration aT
least in all disputes between labor
and the operators. I know that the
president is anxious to conserve tne
fueI supply of the country, ano tne
nurnose of my resolution Is TO clear;
up all doubt as to his authority 10
withdraw: these public lands 1or
sale" ,,~..
Another feature of the La Toilette
resolutions indicating the possible
| Government development Of the fue1
lands ready for operation, was thisi
"That the Secretary Of the Interior
cause to be made thorough 1nvest1t
cation Of the fuel, Ignite and OIL deJ
oosits of the United States and report
to Congress the nature, extent and
best methods of mining the same, SO
as to operate them with the leas1
amount of waste" .--
Standard Oil might find COM
netitor in the oil field which 1t could
not crush in the United States Gov
ernment. =