Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1910-12-07

iHiANN VIZ w h'ANNsN W " NNf" ." Wv
M acre, but the secretary Of the In
terror has the power 10 hr a maximum
price aud to sell at that price
AS One.third OF all the coal supply
is held by the government, it seems
wise mat It should retain such con
troll over the mining aud The sale AZ
the relation OF lessor 10 lessee fur
nishes
The secretary Of the Interior thinks
there are difficulties In the way OF
leasing public coal lands which OBJ
iections he has set forth In his 70.
port, the force OF which freely con
cede entirely approve his stating
at length In his report Of the obieC.
lions In order that the whole subject
may be presented to congress, but
after u full consideration, for the rea.
sons have given above, ! favor u
leasing system and recommend IT,
Water Power sites.
Prior to March 4. 1909 there had
been on the recommendation OF the
reclamation service. withdrawn from
agricultural entry. because they were
regarded as useful for power sites
which ought not TO be disposed Of as
agricultural lands. tracts amounting
to about 100000 acres. The with
drAwals we're hastily made and IN
cuded great deal of land that was
not useful for power sites, They were
intended to include the power sites
on ~ rivers In states Since that
time 3,4I54A2 acres have been re-
stored for settlement Of the original
1000 900 because they do not con.
tain power sites and meantime, new
Withdrawals have been made which.
with other restoratlons based upon
field examination, result In withdraw
ais at present effective Of l,2lS,3b6
acres on vacant public land and 2O2,-
ly7 acres on entered public land, or n
total OF ,42O,55S acres These with
drawsls made from time to time cover
all the power sites included In the
first Withdrawals and many more, on
lbl rivers and in ~ states. The dis
position OF these power sites involves
one Of the most difficult questions pre-
sented IA carrying out practical con
servatlon.
"The subject is one that calls for
new legislation. 1t has been thought
that there was danger Of combination
to obtain possession of all the power
sites and to unite them under one
control. Whatever the evidence Of
this, or lack Of II. at present we have
had enough experience 10 know, that
combination would be profitable, and
the control OF great number OF pow
er at will within certain sections,
However this may be. II IL the
plain duty VI the government to see
to II that Ia the utilization and deyel
opment Of all this immense amount
OF water power, conditions shall be
Imposed that will prevent extortion
ate charges, which are the usual &c
compartment of monopoly.
The question Of conservation ID
not partisan one, and ! sincerely
hope that even In the short time VI
the present session consideration may
be given to those questions which
have now been much discussed, anc
that action may be taken upon them.
Alaska.
with reference TO the government
Of Alaska | have nothing to add tt
the recommendation ! made In my
last message on the subject. ! an
convinced that the migratory charac
ter OF the population, It's unequal dis
tribution. and its smallness OF mum
Der, which the new census shows tt
be about $4,000, In relation to th.
enormous expanse Of the territory
make It altogether impractlcable L
give to those people who are II
Alaska today and may not be there 1
year hence, the power TO elect leg
islature to govern an immense ter
rltory to which they have relation u
little permanent"
Pensions.
The uniform policy Of the govern
ment in the matter Of granting pen
sions to those gallant and devoted
men who fought to save the life u
the nation In the perilons days OF th'
great civil war has always been o.
the most liberal character. Thos,
men are now rapidly passing away
The best obtainable Official statistics
show that they are dying at the rat'
Of something over three thousand I
month and, In view N their adyanc
ing years, this rate must inevitably II
proportion, rapidly increase. To the
man who risked everything on tn,
field OF battle 10 save the nation II
the hour OF It's direst need we owe 1
debt which has not been and shoult
not be computed In a begrudgins VI
parsimomous spirit.
Bureau Of Corporations.
Referring 10 the report of the com
missioner Of corporations, the prssi
dent says:
THE commissioner finds condi
; tion Ia the ownership OF the STANDING
} timber Of the United States othe
than the government timber that call
for serious attention. The direct in