The Penn's Grove record., 1911-02-17

- D N~0H-HA =E NAtAItA~N- 49,
rai6cRtion this CANADIAN rect proclty
treaty. The re@Son probably is taat
Mr.. Taft, though one of the most
charming Of men personally. is per
haps the poorest politician that has
held the presidency in the last quar-
ter century-and in writing that / do
not forget Benjamin Harrison, who
was able to force his own renomina-
ton, but not his reelection. Unless
signs fail, Mr.. Taft may not be able
to accomplish either.
Extra Session DOGGY.
If there is anything likely to injure
the prospects Of the Republican party
It will be the sudden Eruption Of the
tariff question into the few remaining
days of this session of congress. 1t
will solidify the Democrats and dis
rupt the Republicans. But more than
anything else it will bring about. what
neither Democrats nor Republicans
want, an extra session of congress.
Certain newspapers are pleading
vigorously for an extra session. They
are insisting that the time is ripe for
a revision Of the tariff downward.
Some of them are foolish enough to
demand that Champ Clark. the next
speaker, shall call 1t now-overlook-
ing the mere constitutional fact that
only the president has that authority.
Others demand that the Democrats in
the house shall force 1t, not compre.
hending that an extra session forced
by Democratic obstruction in congress
would probably result in Democratic
disaster in the next presidential cleo
ton. But If the Democrats, after
proper discussion in the caucus or in
their ways and means committee
should press amendments to the Nc
Call bill, which would express the
Democratic position on the tariff, the
treaty would probably go over to the
next session-unless an extra session
resulted.
More Alaska Trouble.
Alaska is likely to make much trou-
BILE for this congress and this admin
istration. Incidentally 1t may be re-
marked that this government has
made much trouble for Alaska and for
the American citizens who went thith-
er to develop the country.
When that territory was purchased
for $7,200,000 from Russia the people
of this country generally rose in
wrath and roared with rage. Score
tary Seward was roundly denounced
for negotiating the treaty. Just now
there are pending in congress Ger
tain deals that will involve turning
over to certain interests more than
five times the whole amount the terri
tory cost. They involve SO small a
part of Alaska as to be hardly discern
able on the map.
Curiously enough, this lavish gift to
private interests Is offered under the
guise of conserving our natural and
national resources. 1t grows out of
those eternal Cunningham coal claims
in Alaska which made of a clerk in
the interior department, one CLAWS,
a hero; made Clifford Pinchot a very
receptive candidate for the presidency,
and made the unfortunate Ballinger
the target for all who accepted maya
zine misstatements, and the real goat
of the administration. This is only a
small chapter in the history Of the
struggle for the wealth lying in the
Alaska coal mines, but it will serve
as an introduction to the more COM
plete story.
Senator Nelson's Bill Defective.
Into the senate of the United States
a week or so ago Senator Nelson in
troduced a Bill to provide for the leas-
ing of coal and coal lands in the ter
ritory of Alaska" Among those in
formed as to mineral conditions In
Alaska, and unhappily there are few
in congress thus informed, many
points in the bill come in for severe
criticism. For the moment can,
comment on one only.
Section three of the bill authorizes
the secretary of the interior to lease,
at his own discretion, on behalf OF the
United States coal lands not exceeding
5000 acres to each applicant at a
royalty of FIVE CENTS A TON Of coal
extracted.
The Governments Royalty.
Kindly note that royalty. FIVE
CENTS A TON. That is the measure
which the government puts upon its
interest in the coal lands of Alaska,
lands which l am credibly Informed
are worth more than all those left in
Pennsylvania
Now take what are known as the
Cunningham claims" They compre-
bend according to official reports,
lands with between 10000, 900 and co.
600, 900 tons readily mineable. The
first estimate was made by a Pinchot
witness in the celebrated Ballinger
controversy. The geological survey In
clines to the larger estimate. Suppose
we split the difference and call 1t TO-
600, 600 tons. Under the leasing sys-
tenn the United States would derive
from the coal when mined ~$3,500,0O0
This is more revenue than the United
States is deriving from any existing
mines and might, if the surrounding
circumstances we're unknown, be re-
garded as a good step toward getting
for the people some revenue from the
mineral wealth which nature has de-
e.. +ba bowels OF the earth FOR