The Alaska citizen., 1910-12-05
BAL[|NCER TALKS
 OF ALASKA
AGITATION, HE SAYS, IS DELAY ING COAL LAND DEVEl.
 OPMENT.

WASHINGTON, Nov. :. Blam ing agitation which has been raised throughout the country since the withdrawal of the Alaskan coal lands in 1906 as the cause of keeping the whole question unsettled, and also for the inaction of Congress, Sec retary of the Interior Ballinger last night made public a lengthy state ment in the form of an interview, in the course of which he assails those who have charged him with being an opponent of conservation, and planes then for the unsettled con ditions.
 The statement was brought out by the recent indictments in Washing ton against Alaskan coal claimants, in which connection, the secretary says. these are but further steps in the effort which is being made by the government to clear up and settle this whole question"
 Since the withdrawal order was made to enable congress to decide upon definite policy of dealing with this resource, the secretary says; there has been throughout the coun- 'i ' illu' Il dSItdllOlI ltSdl ullS Alas kan cOal-an agitation, a large part 0f which is based on false state ments. Whatever has been the mo- tive behind the agitation, 1t has re suited in keeping the whole question unsettled and is largely blamable for the inaCtiOn of coneress."
 MT. BaIinoer's Remedies.
 The secretary points out that there are two essentials for clearing up he situation, as follows:
 First. an early prosecution and disDosition of the pending cases, in- volving the charges of fraud and conspiracy against existing claimants. ond. second congressional action. definitely deciding the manner in which Alaskan coal may be acquir ed"
 As the Pacific coast Is obliged 70 draw its goods from the Atlantic coast. the secratarv says the charge has arisen that the interests are the beneficiaries of the policy which prevents the opening of large fuel feDoSitS
 There has been much talk" Sec retarv Ballinger continues, "of the interests opposing that so-called conservation which makes for reser- vation rather than use, but as mat ter of fact the interests naturally favor rather than opnose, the reser- vatiOn and nonuse idea"
 The secretary points out that Mex ican coal can be delivered at San Francisco at s4 a ton. while a rail- road in Alaska is compelled to pay SIP ton.
 Hopes Conqress Will Act.
 "To my mind continuance of the present situation Is the direct antithesis of rational conservation" the secretary continues. Consider that for each tens of Atlantic sea- fic coast. 1 ton is used up in trans Dortation, or a total waste of 20 ner cent. and you will see that exist ing methods do not conserve, but destroy.
 Prom an economic point of view. it is intolerable that this waste should continue, and that a large re- oicn should be handicapped in it's legitimate development and the pro- per use of it's resources by the fail ure of the government properly to settle the problem of how to use these resources It is most sincere " to be hoped that congress will determine early in the coming ses- sion the manner in which Alaska coal may be taken out and placed in the markets of the Pacific coast before those markets are absorbed by foreign imnnrtations