The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-01-28
THE COAL LAND OFFER.

II is stated from Washington that
the proposition Of Mr.. John h. Ballaino
of Spokane with respect to Alaskan coal
lands is attracting a good deal Of at
teniion in Washington, II may we'll do
So il the figures in the reports Of his
offer are in any way TO he trusted He
is applying for a lease of 5000 acres of
Alaskan coal lands. offering TO pay the
Government royalty Of fifty cents n
ton on all coal that he mines from that
ground. His reckoning is that this
ROYALTY would mean $1,000 900 for each
hundred acres to the Government. At
that rate the 5000 acres would yield TO
| the Government revenue of SlOO.-
100000, sum startling in lis magni-
tude and we'll calculated to make the
authorities in Washington consider very
earnestly the value Of Alaskan coal
lands, and TO make every possible effort
to prevent the Government parting with
any of such lands for nero trifle.
To be sure, Mr.. Balainc IS offer is
coupled with provisions which require
that no other coal lands in Alaska shall
be leased for smaller royalty, and that
at least half the Government supply
of coal shall be obtained from his
mines or from a naval coaling reserve
which tho Government may establish
there and operate in that district. ship.
ping the product TO Seward at rates TO
be fixed by the Interstate Commerce
Commission over a railroad which Bal
laiuo proposes to build.
That makes it a somewhat complicated
proposition, and unless the Government
is guaranteed against imposition it
might be "soaked' for good many
million dollars in place of receiving any
money at all on the lease. And if the
Government should prove to be a con
siderable customer of Mr.. Ballaine s
coal mines, the probability is that it
would simply receive credit on coal
bought without any real cash at all.
The proposition, however, embodies a
new principle in the Government deal
ing with coal or mineral lands, Here
tofore the Government has fixed price
for such lands, and has sold them out
right for the price named in the law.
II there is to be a change, and if the
leasing proposition is TO come in, then
it would be interesting TO know how
far it is to apply. If the coal lands
arc all to be held from entry and TO be
worked only on lease, the Government
will need large corps of mining en-
oineers to protect the Nation S interests
in the coal lands so leased and worked
If, however, the leasing proposition is
to apply only in Alaska, that also would
introduce new feature in our legisla-
tion; for hitherto all laws with regard
to the occupancy and procuring titles
for Government lands have been gem
eral, applying throughout the country.
1t may be that the extreme richness
and great abundance of coal in Alaska
will make it advisable TO treat of tho
coal lands In that region on different
basis from the way in which the Gov
ernment deals with its coal lands in
other parts of the national domain. If
so, doubtless good reasons will be
urged for the change. And in any
event the offer of Mr. Ballaine opens
il most interesting field for inquiry and
speculation. and it is no wonder that
the statesmen in Washington are sitting
up and taking notice.