The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-12-09
SEC'Y BALLINGER'S REPORT
DISPOSiyION or THE ALiSkA
GOAL LANDS.
up RECON- mends That the Cunningham
EnsTies Re Referred To the District
'curt for Judicatioa-lrge, Lib
ersl Policy In Opeulns Bti Lands

eTsl Policy In DpeninS Oii Lands
rsporr. made public to-day. Secretary Of
,hs Interior ballIngeT recommends that
the cunningham coal cases. which have
1Sured IN the Ballinger- Pinchot row. be
referred 10 the Court Of Appeals OF the
District OF Columbia for adjudication
instead Of beng passed on IN the ordinary
way by thA Interior Department He
saws
All At the coal lands In Alaska not located
prior TO November IL. 1868. are under the
bond OF Withdrawals Those located prior
TO said date are for the most part under
departmental investigation on charges Of
fraud. irregularities. &c. These inVesu-
cations have been taken up under a corps
81 trained officers with the view OF securing
the exact status Of all such locations ana
eaJr.es In the meantime no patents ha,c
lssled and none ."il oe Issued eXcep, upon
a iull shox1Rs OF compliance With Law and
departmental regulations A class OF On
tries known as the CunninSham entries.
made In 1907. have provoked wide discus
sion and popular interest largely because
of their alleged value and method Of at
rempted Acquisition
In view OF such condition deem it of the
involving thirtv-three entries. or $3.50
acres OF coal lands. be transferred from the
jurisdiction OF the General Land Once
directly TO the Court Of Appeals OF the Dis
trict OF Columbus for consideration and
adjudication WITHOUT the necessarily OF Z
ruling as 70 the validity or lnvalidty al
these entries by the Commissioner OF the
General Land ONCE. as 10 now required 10
such cases
Concerning oil lands Secretary BsllinSer
says
am IL favor II a general leasing system
II oil AM gas bearing lands. such a system
as will promote legitimate deN elopmen'
II this industry. prevent monopoly and
conserve one OF the great natural resources
OF the country
. liberal policv IN opening The oil lands IN
California The Government ought 70
support any n. oycmenr which would r~iuca
the enormous 'os' ~ fuel IN slIiorn.a
The Secrerarv directs attention 20 the
recommendation contained in has previous
report for coal land eSIslatIon. aud he
quotes from al oflcIal statement made
IN 1907. wherein some Of the difficulties
which ~ould be encountered IN the
operation Of i leasing system are pointed
out anu again calls attention 70 rhs
importance OF enaCting legislation which
would give the Department an eTscrive
method Of dIsposIns II coal lands.
especially IN Alaska
The Secretary saws there IL now with
drawn from disposition. pending lesisla-
ton concerning water power sites approx
smateiy .i3O ooo acres Of tne public do
rnain and be adds
I earnestly advise he adoption n ,orra
'syislstion which WILL IN anv event rt-ain
he fee gItle ~ lie .ands n the people and
sfsec ;iiafsy vest the power ~ regulation
and control IN the state or IN the Federal
Government and which will NOT result IN
limiting promp' aud economical deNelor-
rnen' or permit monopolGzatlon or eGtoT-
ron
According 70 the report the total cash
receipts for the wear from sales OF pubic
lands, Including fees and commissions.
we're - 3.l 49,, from ths sales OF Indian
char ges $40 $50. deprsdat Ious on public
linds. salAs NJ Government properly and
copiee Of records s2s4 las. making the
total cash receipts from al sources M
connection with he public lands sll iH3 924
decrease ~ sIS2 AL from the fiscal year
1909.
The Secretary recommends thar -he
board OF pension appeals hA abolished
from july next and IT'S duties trans
terred 70 the office Of rhe Assistant Atcor-
MY General for the Interior Depart men'
He also recommends that Congress give
careful cons Iteration 70 previous recon.
rnendatious that -he number OF pension
agencies in rh- United States be de-
creased or abolished. With a view n
economy 70 administration