The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1910-04-13

length a reply to the report of the
Seattle Chamber OF Commerce, pre-
pared by Judge Burke, on the ques-
ton. The views of Judge Burke are
important as he is a candidate for
election to the United States senate
and these views are indicated in the
answers which Mr.. PoindeXter makes
to the report The letter of the con
gresham is as follows:
Washington, ID. c.,
April 6, 1910.
Seattle Chamber of Commerce.
Mr. G. b. Yandell, Secretary,
Seattle, Washington.
Dear Sils:-I have your favor OF
18th ult.. enclosing report of vonr
committee on conservation which you
state was prepared by Hon. Thomas
Burke. chairman of the committee:
and | also have yours of goth ult.,
enclosing six printed copies of same
for all of which i am verv much
obliged
In reply. 7 beg to saw that 7 cam
not agree at all with your proposal
as stated in the report of Judge
Burke adooted by YOU that the ma
ton shall surrender all control over
what remains of the water powers
and coal lands within the states and
also within the territories when they
shall be admitted as states. There
are many water powers in the state
of Washington. both develoDed and
undeveoped. which have passed into
private hands. over which the federal
government has lost its control Upon
these the state should exercise
when needed. the power vested in it
bv the constitution of the state. and
which it would have by one means or
another even in the absence of such
constitutional provision so far Il:
water powers are concerned.
Greed Must BE Curbcd
The tendency of the day towards
monopoly, and towards eXtortion
urged on by the powerful motives of
greed and selfshness, requires for its
proper regulation the combined
watchfulness, authority, and power OF
the state federal governments. TIM
vast influences eXerted upon both
state and national governments by
gigantic private interests, apparently
unsuitable in the desire for greater
mower and vaster wealth. are far more
objectionable than the existing con-
stitutional power Of either state OF
federal government and l am OPP
posed to the surrender in the slightest
degree by either the state or the ma
ton of any means of regulating and
controlling these interests. OF course
those seeking natural monopolies such
as water powers, or artificial monopo-
lies such as are afforded by the COM
hined and exclusive ownership of Goa
and it's means of transportation
Nd M
they would defeat, if possible, any
control of their operations either py
the federal government or by the
state.
Methods Arc Ingenious.
It has been demonstrated that these
and similar interests in attempting tt
avoid or defeat such control not only
employ every legal method which the
ingenuity OF lawyers can devise, but
do not hesitate to resort to illegal
and criminal methods. If they can
succeed in first persuading the people
10 surrender the national authority
over the operation of the remainine
natural resources, they will then, o!
course. in the inevitable search for eX'
"mption and privilege, concentrate
their attack upon the authority OF
the state governments How often II
the past the local authorities AMI
local laws have been unable to resist
the methods and influences employed
in similar cases is we'll known 20 most
Of our citizens.
Oil and Timber Rights.
The same principles apply not only
TO water powers and coal, but to oil
timber lands, and railroad and pipe
line franchises on the public domain
In each case the nation should sup
element the authority of the state by
deserving the right to prevent mon
opoly and extOrtion by reasonable reg
uIation of rates and combinations
to be exercised when needed. This res
orvation should be expressed in every
patent and very act granting such re-
sources and franchises, and, as stated
above, I am absolutely opposed to its
surrender as proposed in Judge
Burke's report
notice this report states that
bureau clerks seem to have q
strange hold" on Alaska. My own
opinion, based upon a rather Gloss
observation of the situation, is that i
s not SO much government clerk
that have strange hold as it is
the Guggenheim- Morgan syndicate
been most conspicuous in connection
with Alaska coal lands has done more
than any one else to break loose that
strange hold or at least to prevent
It from becoming death grip.
Alaska Self-GOvcrnmcnt.
I am in favor of a greater degree
&c local sef-GOvernment for Alaska
The men who are the real developers
Of Alaska have among them a large
percentage of the most intelligent
most erterprising, and most self-re-
Liant type of American citizens; am
they can we'll be trusted, though few
N numbers as were the early colon
iSts Of all our western territories, tC
apply the fundamental principles OF
justice and good order to their loca
conditions and necessities. | note tina
your report comedies that the fedora
government should have the power t.
prohibit monopoly and regulate rate
in the territories; but it is sgnifican
that the monopoly seekers in Alaska
already suffering from the disease o
swollen fortunes, who are so strenu
ously advocating the surrender by thu
federal government, without con
ditions attached, of the natural re
sources of Alaska, are also strenuousl!
opposed to any form of territorial
government for Alaskans; so tina
having disposed of federal restraint
and denying all local authority TIL
people would be left to their benevo
lent despotism.