, 1906-07-31
MANY MILLION ACRES OF COAL
LANDS WITHDRAWN FROM
ENTRY BY PRESIDENT
AND SECRETARY.
independence of Coal Monopoly One of
the objects of Withe rawine Large
Areas in Wyoming, Utah, Colo
RADIO, North Dakota, Montana, Or
egon, Washington and New Mexi-
co-WiIl Protect Consumers.

Washington, July 31.-Independenct
of the coal monopoly or a great strik,
of coal miners seems to be assured b!
the action taken by the president ant
Secretary Hitchcock.
Secretary Hitchcock has, by direc
ton of tie president, following a thor
ough Investigation, issued an orde
withdrawing from entry G,OOO,O 600 acre
of public lands which are known t,
contain workable coal. These lands
are situated in New Mexico, Colorado
Utah, Wyoming, North Dakota, Mon
tana, oregon and Washington.
Millions of Acres.
The geological survey made an ex
animation in accordance with instruc
lions from the president and ascer
tanned that there were 5000, 900 acres
of public land believed to contain coal
deposits. The president, however, de.
sired the withdrawal of only those sec.
lions known to possess workable coal,
and the are was accordingly reduced
to 100000 acres.
Coal for Whole Nation.
This gives the government posses
sion of coal lands capable of supplying
the nation with an indefinite amount
of fuel. The president last spring,
when there was danger of a second
coal strike, let it be known that he
would not hesitate to carry Il his
plan of a receivership if he were fore
ed to do so by the failure of the op.
orators and miners to reach an agree,
ment and by the suffering which such
failure would entail next winter.
Position of the President.
He realized that the seizure of mines
would greatly irritate capital and might
cause it to grow timid. 1t probably
would consider that the government
might regard coal mine seizure as q
precedent for similar action in other
industries. The president knew, more
over, that he would be subjected tc
~virulent criticism, and finally, that any
of his successors, confronted by a sim
liar emergency, might not care to &C
as far as he himself would.
Prosecutions for Fraud.
Secretary Hitchcock was informed
through reports that he had received
in an official way that thousands Of
acres of the public domain have beer
entered as agricultural lands, when, as
a matter of fact, the lands are minera
and are being worked for coal, cement
asphalt and other minerals. The prose
%cutions for fraud which were commenc
ed in some instances for this deception
are being pressed and others will fol
low.
No Coal Lands to Be A~lienated.
The president, in transmitting the re
port of Commissioner of Corporation
Garfield on the Standard oil corpora
ton declared that the time had com,
when no coal or oil lands held by tn,
government, either within the publ,
domain proper or territory owned b.
Indian tribes, should be alienated. TIL,
president was of the opinion that tn,
fee to such lands should be kept in tn,
United States government and lease,
on such terms and for such periods a
would enable the government to keel
entire control of them.
People Will Approve Policy.
Senator La Toilette introduced resc
buttons to attain that end, and Secre
tary Hitchcock enlisted the support 0
Senator Spooner in the same direction
asking that a provision be put in an al
preparation bill authorizing the pres
dent to locate and withdraw from er
try all public coal lands. Congress at
journed without any such action, how
ever, and the president and Secretar
Hitchcock, after thorough investiga
ton, determined to act without NOR
specific authority, resting upon the be
lief that the people will approve tn
policy which is to prevent an injury t
the public interests.
Urged Federal Control.
Senator La Toilette of Wisconsin
played a prominent part in the discus
sion in the senate on this subject las
winter. He urged vigorously create
government control Of coal, oil and ott
err mineral lands in the possession O
the Indians. The senate, however
turned down his ideas. Senator La Fo
lette's presentation of the subject a
tracted the attention of the presideni
as 1t was in line with the considerable
he was giving the subject of the goN