The Jersey City news., 1906-03-10

must pc changed. lt ls rather starting
to learn that the same condition exists
in the West, and Southwest; that the
immense coal fields which have barely
been worked at all there. and whose FIJI
ture greatness is largely problematical,
are being monopolized by the railroads
just as the fields Of the East have been.
The proposal for Senate committee TO
investigate the condition of affairs in con-
nectioa with the Indian lands. and espec-
tally the railroads and the coal lands. in
Indian Territory, is a good one. The
whole question is one that can be treat
ed with deliberation 1t is too important
to be decided offhand The Indians. and
the coal consumers have TOO much at
stake.
That the alarm over this question is
not premature is shown by the existing
conditions Already nearly 10000 acres
of these Indian coal lands are leased, di-
rectly, on indirectly, by the railroads.
Most Of these leases have been made in
direct violation of the railroad charter
laws The Choctaw Coal and Railway
Company, which is the Rock Island under
under another name, was granted permis-
sion by Congress, in 1885, to build a rail
road through the territory. The right Of
way was given to the company. One of
the conditions was that the company
s'shall accept this right of way upon the
express condition that it will neither aid,
advise nor assist in any effort looking TO-
ward the changing or extinguishing the
present tenure Of the Indians in their
land, and will not attempt to secure from
the Indian nation any further grant Of
land or its occupancy than is heretofore
provided: Provided, that any violation
of the condition mentioned in this section
shall operate as forfeiture of all the
rights and privileges of said railroad COM
pany under this act
Here was definite enactment Of law
providing forfeiture of charter in the
event of the railroad company attempting
to secure use or occupation Of additional
Indian lands. How seriously the COM
pany regarded such a little thing as the
law is shown by the fact that two kears
later the railroad people went before
Congress, told of having made eleven
leases of Indian coal lands, which action
legally invalidated their charter, and had
the presumption to ask Congress to ap-
prove the leases.
It was a clear case. Congress had said
that if the company made further effort
to secure additional Indian lands it would
take away the company's charter The
company calmly violated the law and
asked Congress to approve and indorse
its violation. Not the least remarkable
part of the transaction is that Congress
did as requested and approved the leases.
The railroad companies always look
far ahead. The rule is that company
cannot successfully mine and exhaust
more. than 5000 acres in coal land in
twenty-five years. Here are the quau-
titles of land already under lease by the
Indian Territory railroads: Chectaw,
Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad, 2S,S00
acres; Missouri. Kansas and Texas Rail-
road Company (through two subsidiary
companiesl 1880 acres. and Fort Smith
and Western Railway. $3.50 acres.
AS showing the universally of railroad
methods when they get into control of
coal fields. the following extract from
letter written by one of the owners Of
an Independent coal mine in Indian Ter
ritory is interesting
Il am interested in coal mine situ-
ated between .Atoka and Lehigh, in the
Choctaw Nation, and, with other inde-
pendent mine owners. have to suffer be-
cause the railway companies control
other mines. If we make a shipmast of
coal, the coal company Immediately
knows from the agent of the railway
company who the purchaser is, and short