Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-11-11
THE CLAWS CHARGES.

THE CLAWS CHARGES.
The newspapers of the country
have had their share of the contro-
versy with relation to the policy of
the interior department with refer
ence to reservations of land, coal,
water rights and other properties in
the interest of the conservation pol
icies put forth by President Roose-
welt. The most recent article is that
of l.. R. CLAWS, formerly one of the
field workers of the general land Of
flee, who was dismissed from the SER
vice at the close Of the investigation
into the charges against Secretary
Ballinger. Mr.. CLAWS article with
reference to the disputed Alaska coal
lands appears in Golfers weekly, and
piled in advance to the newspapers
of the country, and some of them
have printed it. 1t is all interesting,
and the matter will in the end be
analysed and pretty Intelligent
opinion formed with relation to it.
The controversy that has arisen be-
tween various departments of the
government with reference to the
conservation policy of the govern
ment is not unnatural. There is a
difference of opinion as to just what
constitutes conservation, and just
how far the government can go in
withdrawing properties without de-
feating the progress of the county
or state in which they are located.
There is also, it is hardly necessary
to state, some pickering and jealousy
between departments at Washington.
Forester, Pinchot, Director Newell,
Secretary Ballinger and other officials
do not always agree with reference
to policies to be pursued, and out of
the disagreements have come these
appeals to the public in behalf of one
department or the other
The CLAWS article sets forth the in
Quiries that were made into the ma
ture of the Alaska coal claims, with
the inference that it was proposed
to enter these claims with an under
standing that they were afterward to
be consolidated and pass into one
corporation. There are vast quanti-
ties of coal on the hundred thousand |
acres of coal lands. At present the !
coal is for use only locally, because !
of transportation and mining diff
,cnlties. Whether the present policy
of the government with respect to !
claims is the best one for |
the development of the Alaskan |
mines is a question in which there
may properly be some difference of
opinion. The same differences might |
eexist with reference to the difficulties
that have arisen in the coal bearing |
part of this state with reference to |
lands homesteaded in good faith, and |
found afterward to be classified as
coal lands. Certainly the agricultur-
al development of this state would be
retarded and the interests of home
steaders jeopardized if no patents
could be issued for any land on which |
there was Ignite coal in some guam
tity, or through which veins of coal
were supposed to run. 1t Is known
that great quantities Of land were
withdrawn by Secretary Garfield. |
pending investigation as to the con-
servation policy. 1t was at no time |
intended that this should be perma-
nent1y withheld from settlement |
And some Of it has been restored to
settlement. This is not to say, either. |
that that restoration was against |
public policy.
The CLAWS article will probably |
lead to a discussion of the whole |
matter and the adjustment of our
laws with reference to coal claims
and water power claims to conserve
both the interests Of the government |
and the states in which the claims |
and sites are located. President Taft |
has Investigated the matter and stat
ed it as his finding that there was
no basis for the charges made. The
president has the reputation of being |
= -. - -. &
ia pretty good Judge. Without charg-
ing anything against the good faith