New-York tribune., 1910-12-09
BAL L|NGER'S CARE
OF PUBLIC DOMAIN
Would Divide Conservation OF
Resources Between Nation
and States.
CUNNINGHAM COAL CLAIMS
Asks Legislation Regulating
Coal. Oil and Water Power
Leases-Appeals IN
Land Cases.


no-z made public to-day, Secretary Bal
ff,re-- Of the Department OF the Interior,
dsvotes q large amount OF space 10 public
and problems. After recitfng the history
o. TIE pubic domain and giving statistics
20 show tnat there is now remaining TN
srn-o7-tated and unreserved IL, ,986. .409 acres
OF pu5lic and IL continental United States
s5d Alaska, the Secretary says:
For nearly forty years the statutes have
declared that all valuable mineral deposits
n lands peloislne 70 Ue Cniteo states.
both surveyed and unsuryeyed- are to be
free and open 70 exploration and purchase
and TIE lands II NhlCn they are FOUND 10
orsuustion and purchase by citizens of the
United States and those who have de-
caTed their intention to become such
RiCr GeFCSltS OF precious metals in the
Pacific states and territories have been
discovered and located under these gen.
s-aI mining laws and have been operated
FOR many years. Granting defects in the
laws. they have accomplished their pur-
pose II causing the mineral resources TO De
a1Ve-3lec aIlc nave ti-uS contributed eiloi-
E:ncuSly 10 the wealth OF the nation 1t IS
hardly reasonable 20 believe that any ma
f-erl4i cilaI7ge VIII oe made in these laws or
or The method Of disposal OF the lode and
placer claims Of the mineral regions
Here as in the settlement laws. the gov
erumenrs ability has had its reward IL
+he material prosperity of the people. and
= HE abuses have existed they cannot be
o. the law
To-day's Problem
Heretofore il has been the policy Of Con-
z-eSs 70 dispose OF the public lands TO
Tlcse who were disposed 70 make the best
l1se Of them, none OF which were disposed
Eove-nueotai support. Even the coal lands
acre sold a. nominal figures and until a
Few years ago they were not entered even
- that ngure, except where market Iaclll-
pes made the land salshle for their product
Under more conservative theories the
question now Is OF saving the remnant OF
+re public lands from monopoIiZatlcn or
misuse without abandoning the old poll
-leE q encouraging development The
highest productive Use Of these lands IS the
---~i,5r 4Fs 7lsa ere the rorcaT1 oF r7a
Naw or ameudatorv Legislation respect
tr- our public lands should be direct, sim
ole, effective, and relate principally to the
proper form Of disposition OF the Withdrawn
ta-1s-water power sites. oil lands coal
lands. and rights Of way over public lands
Inc federal government should not under
take or assume the entire burden Of the
-orse~ya1ion Of the natural resources Of ne
states n which they are situated for II has
been demonstrated that the states are
CarsCie Of taking care Of those questions
s q large measure
The Cunningham Claims.
e Regarding coal lands in Alaska. the Sec
-etary says
Al the coal lands in Alaska not located
prior % November L, 1905 are under the
bond OF itrdra agyaIs. Those located prior
@ said date are for the most part under
-sUarLrlenUai invest cation on charges OF
fraud Or irregularities. etc These invest
cations have been taken up under g corps
1f ira med officers with the view OF securing
tre exact status OF all such locations ana
---lErIes. In the meantime no patents nave
issued and none Will oe issued except upon
q fun showing Of compliance with law and
Gepar1tnental regulations
4 class Of entries, known as the Cunning
liam entries made IL 1907. have provoked
wide disCus ssi0D ana popular interest
largely because Of their alleged value and
Snetlod % attempted acquisition
In view OF such conditions deem II or
the highest Importance that ali thece cases.
involving LflfTTT-t lTee entries. or 5.2SJ acres
.,F coal lands ie transferred from the Jtlr1S-
r!ic1!on Of the General Land Office
directly to The Court of Appeals Ct the Dis
rricr or Columbia for consideration and
40 IsIgiCsst ion without the necessity OF 4
r1llinl aS 10 the validity OF 5nvalidiJy Of
these entries 5y the Commissioner Of the
General Land Office, as i now required IN
provided hv special direction in the bill
now pending in Congress for the authorl-
zatioU oF appeals in land cases from the
Interior Department 70 that court
Ees-er-lng 10 the condition Of the pub
SIC land laws IN Alaska, even the most
> s1-sgrv examination Of them, in view or
seal CouditionS Of climate. Of isolation OF
territory. except as 10 ocean tranSporta-
s-eneir-. satisfies al practical men that they
s-= crude and unsuited te the best inter
isis O. the government ON the other
hand experiments at amendment have
rIr0gresS II Al q deadlock without doTnes-
rie coal in AlaSlta railroad construction and
operation IS rruhihitive. and without both
0rly. the rouEuesJ pioneer development IS
possible.
IN addition 10 the necessity Of opening
tID ana developing coal deposits in Alaska
for railroad operation Il Is equally I'M
7o--anr that II should be available for
r--- - q --7sar of -r-Tl-