The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-02-14

quantity Of high grade mineral fuel n
the West is relatively much smaller
/ than that Of the forest and the proper
/ conservation OF these fuels Is a matter
OF far reaching Importance, This gov
ernment should not now repeal the
mistakes OF the past.
Let us not do what the next gen
/ Grafton cannot undertake. We have a
right TO the proper use of both the for
ests and the fuel during our lifetime,
but we should not dispose Of the birth
right Of our children II this move
ment sells It's remaining fuel lands
they pass out Of its future control. II
II now leases then we retain control
and future congress win be at lloer
ty to decide whether II will continue
or change this policy Meanwhile, the
government can inaugurate system
which will encourage the separate and
independent development OF the sur
face lands for agricultural purposes
and with the extraction OF the mineral
fuels In such manner as will best meet
the needs Of the people and best faclli-
tate the development OF manufactur-
ing industries.
/ am sure that objections to this
system are being urged. II Is claimed
that so large a part Of the coal In
some Of the western states has already
passed into the hands OF certain large I
corporations that parties endeavoring
to operate under lease system other
coal deposits would be unable to COM
pete with these corporations and there
fore that the fuel deposits still be-
longing to the government should a,so
be allowed to pass into private owner
ship presumably into the hands Of the
same or other large corporations. 1t
is also claimed that the reservation OF
the fuel supplies still belonging to the
would raise the price Of
coal in the west. And as an argument
in favor Of this contention, 1t Is claim
ed that the reservation of the natural
forests Is raising the price Of lumber in
the West. 1t should be remembered
that the best and most accessible bod
les Of timber in the West passed into
private ownership before the forests
were established: that while
the price of timber has advanced in
the West, it has advanced still more in
the East, where there are no forest re-
serves; that supplies Of timber are to-
lay being shipped from the West to
he markets of the Mississippi Valley,
and even 10 foreign countries, and that
he probability of obtaining future
;uplies Of both timber and mineral
htI III tlt wei at ltdSoiiaDIS piiSS7'
will be much greater with large por-
ion Of both the forests and the fuels
lnder the control Of the government
han if this control should pass to pri-
ate parties. To secure cheapness Of
imber and fuel for the moment at the
ost Of ruin to our own children would
urely be a suicidal policy.
1T may be fairly claimed among the
he friends Of the leasing that it will
acilitate the working, under favorable
Of coal deposits for local r
larkets, by miners without large CAPT O.
A. as no land purchase money would
c required and small royalty charges i,
'ould be paid out Of the earnings;
will facilitate larger operations,
s the leases are made sufficiently lib q,
raj in the matter Of time, and other
to insure healthy compe-
ton and meet all real demands; and :.
ct in all cases the general supervis-
n Of the government it is believed
,ould be such as to prevent waste in -,