Gilpin observer., 1910-12-08

lands are permitted to be sold 10 80
an acre; but the secretary of the In.
terror has the power to FIX a maximum
price and to sell at that price.
"As one-third Of all the coal supply
Is held by the government, 1t seems
wise that 1t should retain such con-
troll over the mining and the sale as
the relation of lessor to lessee fur
nishes.
THE secretary of the interior thinks
there are difficulties in the way of
leasing public coal lands. which OBJ
jections he has set forth in his re-
port, the force of which l freely con-
cede. l entirely approve his stating
at length in his report Of the objec.
tons in order that the whole subject
may be presented to congress, but
after a full consideration. for the rea
sons I have given above. favor
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reclamation service, Withdrawn from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 were hastily made and in
cluded a great deal of land that was
not useful for power sites. They were
intended to include the power sites
on 29 rivers in 8 states. Since that
time 3.475.442 acres have been re-
stored for settlement of the original
100000 because they do not con-
tain power sites; and meantime, new
Withdrawals have been made which,
with other restorations based upon
field examination. result in withdraw
ais at present effective of 1,218,356
acres on vacant public land and 202,-
1877 acres on entered public land. or a
total of 1,420,553 acres. These with
drawaIs made from time to time cover
all the power sites included in the
first Withdrawals and many more, on
ISL rivers and in IL states. The dis
position of these power sites involves
one Of the most difficult questions pre-
sented in carrying out practical con-
servation.
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 1t, at present we have
had enough experience to know that
combination would be profitable, and
the control Of a great number Of pow
er at will within certain sections.
However this may be, 1t is the
plain duty Of the government to see
to 1t that in the utilization and devel-
| 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 ia
not q partisan one, and sincerely
| hope that even In the short time OF
| the present session consideration may
be given to those questions which
have now been much discussed, and
that action may be taken upon them"
Alaska.
with reference to the government
| Of Alaska, ! have nothing to add to
| the recommendations made In my
last message on the subject l am
| convinced that the migratory charac-
ter Of the population, its unequal dis
| tribution. and its smallness of num-
Der. which the new census shows to
be about $4,000. in relation to the
enormous expanse Of the territory,
make 1t altogether impracticable to
give to those people who are in
Alaska today and may not be there q
year hence, the power to elect a leg
islature to govern an immense ter
ritory to which they have relation so
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 Of
the nation in the perilous days Of the
great civil war. has always been Of
the most liberal character. Those
men are now rapidly passing away.
The best obtainable oficial statistics
show that they are dying at the rate
of something over three thousand q
month. and. in view Of their advanc-
ing years. this rate must inevitably in
proportion, rapidly increase. To the
man who risked everything ON the
field of battle to save the nation in
the hour Of its direst need We owe q
debt which has not been and should
not be computed in q begrudging or
parsimonious spirit"
Bureau Of Corporations.
Referring to the report Of the com.
missioner Of corporations, the presi-
dent says:
the commissioner nnds . condl.