The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-01-20
THAT ALASKA COAL PILE.
Do the People Own 1t, or Does the
Moneyed Interestss

DO the People Own 1t, or Does the
Moneyed Interests:
From Life
This is q big question, this question
whether there IS the needful honesty and
cspacity IN the present government OF
this country 10 save the treasures Of
Alaska and vast treasures elsewhere Of
land, water, forests, and minerals to the
use of the people Of the country. The
laws that govern these concerns are
scandalOUsly out Of date. Everybody
agrees 20 that Mr.. BaIinger IS one Of
those who best know It, and he has pub
lshed his demand for better laws. Mr..
Pinchot knows H. and with splendid zeal
has struggled 20 protect the peoples IN
terests for the time being under the laws
as they are and with such powers as the
government now possesses. The Conser-
walton issue. he says, is a moral issue,
Our natural resources are 70 be con-
served. but for whose benefit For the
benefit Of the many or the use and profit
of the few There IS no question before
us. says Mr. Pinchot. that begins to be
SO important. or viii be SO hard 10 strad-
die, as the great question between special
interest and equal opportunity.
There Is no doubt on which side Of that
question Mr.. Pinchot Is fighting. We
could never see any doubt on which side
of it Mr. CLAWS was fighting. There is
no doubt on which side Of IT an enor-
nous majority OF the voters Of the Unit
ed States wifi line up II ever the merits
Of the question take hold Of their minds.
There is no doubt which side Mr. Roose-
welt was on and NIr- Garfield, but where
stands Mr.. Taft? Where stands Mr. Bal
linger? Where stand Aldrich and Can
non2 And where viii Congress stand
and whispered and bargaiaed and log
rolled and cajoled and appealed? Since
Congress must pass new land laws. fl
will do well 10 get at the bill introduced
late last month by AR NondeI 20 sepa-
rate surface lands from mineral deposits
in our public lands. and meanwhile It is
TO applaud whoever aims a searchlight al
Alaska and its coal pile and its mines
We don't want these properties grabbed
while proper laws are making The only
temporary way 10 save them IS 70 make
a noise about II. The laws must save
them for US in the long Tun-pTOper laws
enforced by proper men,
And there IS where Mr.. Taft and Mr.
Ballinger may come I'm. They are law.
yers, and believe in doing things legally
OF Mr. Tafrs recutude Of intention Their,
is no question. OF Mr.. BallingeT. as muCI
cannot be said. For some reason he Ia.
come to be the hope Of the predaciou.
and at outs with the most effectuaI work
ers on the peoples side He IS clearly
under suspicion, but he has asked Con
gress to inspect him. II may turn ou
that ii is nothing worse than scrupulosity
| as 20 method that makes him get on s,
i'll with folks who are jealous to saw,
the peoples inheritance, though he seem.
able to get along with claimants VIII,
want to Gust the heirs II he is good. W,
all want to know it. The value OF IN.
Alaska coal pile is as great as the value
/ Of last years crop. or twice. or thrtc,
/ the prospective cost Of the Panama Ca
nal.
When Mr.. Tafts administration began
the people still owned that coal Their
| will be another election in two years an,
ten months, and much discussion befor,
| II. lot Of congressman are to be elect
ed next fall Before both these election
there will be inquiries whether the PEG
pie still own the Alaska coal pile, and I
/ not, why not