The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1910-12-08

ground whatever has been shown JUS
tifying the opinion that he is not a
faithful and efficient public Officer"
Alaska Coal Lands.
After setting forth the fact that
the entire known coal fields Of Alaska
covering more than eight million
acres, ic still government owner
ship, the report takes up the bearing
upon the strife between Secretary
Ballinger and other officials OF the
government, including several of his
subordinates, Mr.. Pinchot who was
deposed as government forester The
report then says 10 @
"Your committee finds that the in
terests Of the people and owners OF
the Alaskan coal fields are not threat
ened Or endangered ander existing
conditions"
Speaking of the Cunningham
claims, the committee finds that it
would be improper for them to pas.
upon the merits of these claims and
thus prejudice them while they are
pending. IF thet are regular" the
report says, patents should be al.
lowed. If they are fraudulent, the
claims should be cancelled. The
claimants are entitled to an impartial
judgment upon their rights in the
premises"
II IS said the committee found no
reason to doubt that the commits
sioner of the general land office, with
an appeal to the secretary of the in
terror, would decide these cases fairly
and impartially but because of the
.hputations neaped upon them it is
recommended that a law be enacted
for the transfer OF these and any
dcIler cases involving claims to Alas
kan coal lands to tn appropriate
court for hearing and decision.
Concerning the future Of Alaskan coal
lands the report makes a definite
recommendation In favor of the leas.
ing system, which also was favored
by President Taft in his message to
congress, The recommendation fol
lows:
Your Committee believes it woutd
be the height of unwisdom to permit
theft, great coal fields to be monopo.
lized or gathered into the private
mss7ers7fp or few for speculative
purposes. AS they increase in value
the increment should inure to the
benefit Of all the people.
''.To bring about this result and at
rfie same time put an end to the un-
reasonable conditions now existing
your committee recommends that the
government refuse TO sell the lands,
but that retaining their ownership, 1t
Snail grant leases at fair royalties for
periods limited, long enough, and
covering areas large enough to jus
tify the necessary investments upon
sound business principles and thus
secure the opening and operation OF
sufficient mines to meet the necessi
ties Of Alaskan consumption; afford
relief from the present outrageous
priceg paid BY consumers, and at the
same time afford some revenue to the
! government. We recommend legis
lation to that end, and that pending
such legislation, the existing with
drawa1 from entry of the Alaska
coal lands be made"
Denounces CLAWS.
| AS to the conduct OF Mr., CLAWS in
the long period in which the Alaska
coal claim cases we're under his con
troll as special agent of the land office
the report declares he had sufficient
time ana abundant assistance to
make the field examination which he
had demanded
In this connection the committee
says.
| "If his demand was IN good faith,
CLAWS was greatly Gemiss in his duty
in not having the examination MADE
then"
Commenting upon the blanket
withdrawals of -TnDiic lands which
were made by James R. Garfield
when secretary of the interior, the
committee says this action was
taken by him after he ascertained
that he would mot be reappointed un.
der President Taft. 1t is said these
Withdrawals we're made haphazarG
from the mere inspection of the land
Office state maps.
Many of these lands were restored
to the public domain by. Secretary
| Ballinger and portion were agair
set aside. The re-withdrawals, ac
cording to the committee, we're made
by Secretary Ballinger, after care
full examination of the maps, data ant
reports in the geographical survey
and It Is held that the e-withdrawals
embraced all the power sites In thu
original blanket Withdrawals mad,
by Mr., Garfield.
CANNON FILLS VACANCIES
ON SOME COMMITTEES