The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-01-23
RESERVE COAL LANDS
La Toilette Introduces Bill
to License Miners.
ROYALTIES SCHEME PROPOSED
All PubIic Lands Containing Coal,
Gas, Asphalt, and OIL to he Kept
by Government-Surfac May Be
sold for Agricultural Purposes.
Maximum and Minimum Rates.

Senator La Toilette introduced yester-
day a bill providing for the disposition OF
the coal lands in the public domain. 1t
is most comprehensive piece Of con-
structive legislation. There have been
withdrawn from entry and sale by the
President about 46.O00000 acres of such
lands. The bin introduced by Senator La
Toilette reserves TO the United States the
right 70 all the coal OF other mineral
mined for fuel, oil. gas, or asphalt in the
public lands.
This measure has been submitted TO
President Roosevelt and meets with his
approval IN all its leading features.
II provides that the minerals I'm these
lands shall be worked under licenses, 10
be issued by the government. The sur
face Of the lands will be subject to entry
and patent under the land laws Of the
country. but all patents 10 public lands
! hereafter TO be issued are to contain q
! clause reserviug 10 the government the
right TO the coal and other mineral mined
( for fuel oil. gas. ana asphalt Licenses
| Of mineral rights are TO be limited 20 the
right to mine upon an area equal TO five
government sections. $500 acres. But one
license may be issued TO any individual.
or any association Of individuals, corpo-
rate or otherwise. No officer agent. or
stakeholder of any common carrier under
/ the provisions of the bill. is entitled %
secure q license. and If one becomes in
/ terested Ia q license to mine coal upon
public lands he must dispose Of such
/ interest within a reasonable time
! Inspection districts are created and the
Secretary OF the Interior. under Civil
I Service rules, authorized TO appoint quail
/ ifed inspectors The buildings and ma
! chinery and products of mines are made
personal property. taxable under the laws
+ Of the State or Territory in which the
mines are located
senator Ia FOIIefte's Views.
/ ''The object sought To be- attained. said
Senator In Toilette. discussing his bin 20
/ a Herald representative, "is 90 retain ia
/ the government the title 10 an minerals
/ upon or under the public domain which
! can bc used Tor fuel OF lighting purposes
/ Al the same time. it aims 90 preserve 90
! bona fdc settlers the right to acquire
+ agricultural and grazing lands, so that
/ the withdrawal of more than 100000
acres of land from entry and sale viii
not in any way retard the growth and
/ progress OF the agricultural and grazing
/ Industries in the West.
/ 1T seems 20 me. the effect OF limiting
/ the amount OF mineral lands which shan
/ Doe licensed go auy one individual, cor
/ poration. ur association, and 60 forbid
I the common carrier from acquiring any
! interests ia such licenses. win have the
effect Of building up genuine competition
/ ia the production Of coal. oil, and gas
"The bin provides for minimum royal
! ties Maximum royalties which may boz
collected under this bin. should ID become
+ q law. are left to the Secretary ~ tha
/ Interior. The proximity Of the mines 20
/ transportation facilities and the general
market conditions are ull matters which
can Doe taken into consideration by him.
l. II the price OF coal or gas be- advanced.
/ che government can advance the royalties.
/ The minimum royalties are practically
I the royalties which are now paid on min-
ar9I leases on Indian lands. Coal. s cents
per ton. hard asphalt 90 cents per ton.
/ soft asphalt. T. cents per barrel, OIL one
/ sixth OF the value of the product, gas, 81
per .ruum for q well, the product ~
I which is not utilized. and I per cent per
/ ] 600 cubic feet for d well. the product
Of which is utilized.
Flat Rates Objectionable.
..Tho placing of the royalty on the
product OF gas wells upon the basis of
II cent per 1910 feet of production is a
deviation from the present government
mode OF fixing royalties upon this prod
luct in the leases made upon the Usage
and other Indian lands. The present
plan is TO charge a flat rate of 500 or $3.50
per aunum for wells, the product OF
which is utilized. II seems TO me that
this plan of charging royalties is waste
full. and is not based upon good or equita-
BILE business principles. I have in mind
one well al Pawhuska. in the Usage coUn-
try, which. I am Informed, produces
i2o.OCOC00 cubic feet of gas per. day. For
the right to the product of this well the
IIessees pay S1C0 per year for the benefit
of the Usage nation. The product of this
well is sold. as I am informed, sat 80 cents
per l.OC0 cubic feet for all purposes eX-
cept manufacturing, and where the prod
luct is used for manufacturing purposes,
lit is sold for . cents per 1000 cubic feet
The town is lighted and heated. and is
furnished with power from this well, il
is its fuel supply. and I am Informed that
a large part of the outflow is allowed To
go to waste If the royalties upon this
product were based upon cubic feet OF
production. the lessees would find way
in which to store or control the entire
product and il would thus be conserved
for the benefit of the community and Of
the Indian owners of the land
/ Provision is made for the reports o.
accidents against the employment of any
boy under fourteen years Of age, or of
any girl or woman, by any liceusee, be-
low the surface. 1t provides for the pro-
lection of the owner of agricultural
rights against loss by subsistence.
My attention was directed to this sub
iect some years ago by a study of the
history of the anthracite coal fields in
Pennsylvania. and how the control of
these fields passed into the hands of a
few men The history of the Standard
IOH Company and the control which il
has over the oil and gas resources Of the
country impressed itself upon me, and ]
have been convinced for years that it is
the duty Of the national government Ia
control the fuel supply for the benefit OF
the people of the entire country.
Il believe that there is here presented
one Of the greatest economic questions
upon which the people Of this country
have been called upon TO pass judgment"
Would Amend Playing Card Tax.
Representative Payne. chairman of the
/. Committee on Ways and Means, has in