, 1907-03-26
PRESIDENTS COAL LAND POLICY

ing the the coal lands OF tho United
States, it is his sincere desire to have
all the people share more equitably in
the profits therefrom. He believes that
the people of the states wherein the
coal Is mined ought to have the beneht
Of a royalty. This was the policy con-
templated by the makers of our state
constitution in the coal mine tax, but
their efforts were circumvented to a
large degree by the present law pro-
yiding that the tax should apply to the
net product instead of the gross. In
the sale of lands 1t is the purpose OF
the value thereof. instead Of at a fixed
rate. At present coal lands more than
fifteen miles from a completed line OF
road are sold for the fla rate Of $40
per acre and those within fifteen miles
of a completed line OF road are sold for
$40 per acre. The lands just
outside may be more valuable than
those inside and yet they sell
for half the money. 1t Is the pur'
pose to have coal lands appraised and
sold according to the valuation thereof
This can be done without any change
In the present act of congress-, which
does o fix u maximum price, but sim
ply provides that the lands shall not be
sold for less than $40 and $40 per acre.
The fact that coal lands have always
been sold at the minimum price fixed
by law has been a matter Of depart
mental regulation.
II the presidents stand for leasing,
following in the footsteps Of the most
advanced thought Of the earth, should
prevail, then there would doubtless be
no more sales of government coal
The policy would be to lease them un-
der strict governmental regulation, the
people mo- only getting a fair deal as
to price Of coal, but q royalty from the
companies operating the mines. This
royalty would doubtless be based upon
actual value. No definite plan has
been outlined, and no figures can be
offered, but supposing that the plan
of the president had been In operation
last year and that the royalty had been
the small sum Of five cents per ton,
there would have been returned to the
people of the state $780, 900. And isn't
1t Just that the pioneers who have as
sisted in building W this common
wealth should have q share of the bless
ings accruing through the extraction
of the products OF It's mines. Under
the present system Wyoming people
pay an excessive tribute to the coal
companies. They are given no con-
sideration whatever because of the
act that they are residents of Wyo-
ming, but the entire benefit goes to
foreign capital, controlled by men hav-
ing little interest In the state except
to exploit its natural wealth and n
vert it to their private gain. They toll
not, neither do they spin, SO far as the
sdilding up of the state is concerned.
They simply mine with foreign labor,
take the products Of the mine from us
forever and when the mines are ex-
nausted they have no further use Tor
the state or its institutions. Isn't 1t
right that they should contribute a
mite from their wealthy store toward
the maintenance Of u government,
the support of our schools, etc?
Recently the state Of Wyoming has
i~naugurated a new policy with respect
to it's coal lands. In his annual mes
sage Governor Brooks said: None OF
our coal or mineral lands have been
sold during the past two years, but
n number Of leases have been eXecut-
ed upon a royalty basis, from which
the state expects to obtain a fair in
come, as a minimum royalty is charg-
ed whether or not the mines are pro-
ducers.'
Again, in his report to the governor,
Commissioner Fuller says: Several
leases of school lands have been made
upon a royalty basis, but as yet no de-
velopment work has been made. Rent
ais of from $50 to $500 per section have
been asked, being based upon the local
ity and the value Of the coal mined.
These rentals are to apply upon a roy
atty of from S to 10 cents per ton, In
case such royalty exceeds the annual
rental"
The foregoing shows that the state
is getting squarely in line with the pol
icy adopted by other states and of the
leading nations OF the world. Colorado
receives annually a very large income
from royalties collected from coal and
other mineral lands. OF course 1t is
too late to lock the barn door so lar
as the horses that are gone are con
cerned, but America as a hole could
prevent future requirement OF coal
lands upon the basis hitherto in vogue.
What a blessing it would be to the
state to have in addition to its royal
ties from its own mineral lands royal
ties from the government mineral
lands. This is about the only way that
the average taxpayer can derive any