The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-11-02
THE LEASING PROPOSITION.

We regret 10 see that Secretary
Fisher has nothing better to propose
with regard to Alaska than the imprac-
tieable idea Of leasing the coal mines.
Mr.. Johu Dern of this city. the Presi-
dent of the American Mining Congress,
thoroughly punctured that idea in his
speech on the opening Of the Mining
Congress in Chicago This speech was
| published in full in The Tribune last
Sunday, and as We have said before,
| it is an able, practical discussion of the
mining industry in most of its phases.
The leasing idea is especially objec-
tionable as applied to Alaska. because
of the uncertainty of the tenure of the
lessor, In our usual Official methods of
procedure there is nothing like business
10 snch propositions as Secretary Fisher
brings forward The lessor Of a coal
tract would constantly be at the mercy
of blackmailcrs, both official and volun.
teer. AS soon as any coal company,
corporation. firm, or individual got his
mine open under lease. so that he would
be able to get back some of his money
spent IN developments. there would be
Il swarm of blacLmailcrs settled round
about him, who would constantly report
TO the department the immense profits
he was making These blackmailcrs
would take no account of the amounts
Of money that the lessor had to cxpcnd
in opening his mine before he could get
any returns at all. They would take
account only of the immediate money
that he was receiving. and would want
some of it for hush money. Government
officials would have to be bribcd con-
stantly by the lessons in order to keep
them from making adverse reports, no
matter how honestly the lessor might be
performing his contract with the gov
ernment. For it is a wcll-kuowu fact
that constant and reiterated adverse re-
ports on any matter of public business
VIII blacken any one S character, no
matter how faithfully and Justly that
person may be dealing with the gov
eminent and performing in full his con
tract,
The proposition to lease the coal
lands is Objectionable also. in that
would necessarily involve the eXnendi-
ture of large sums Of money by those
opening the coal mines. without any le-
gal protection TO those persons against
the arbitrary acts of government Of
licials \ Secretary Of the Interior
could. according TO his own wbim or
notion, suspend any lease which he
might conclude was not being properly
very likely be disastrous to the opcr-
ator, lust as the arbitrary ruling Of
Secretary Whitney against the Cramp
ship yard was fatal 10 that concern aud
drove ii into bankruptcy. 1t developed
afterwards that the Cramps had fully
performed their service to the govern
mcnt, had lived mp TO their contract iu
every way. and that the ship over which
the controversy arose was well built,
|serviceable, and, in fact. was used as
a preference ship by government of
fcials for good many wears because 1T
was better equipped, better built, and
spccdicr than any other shin at their
service. Just so the Secretary OF the
Interior, for political, personal reasons,
or on an cx parte showing. could at any
time interfere and suspend the opera.
tion of a mine under lease, to the ruin
OF the lessor
1t is idle to claim that British Co.
lumbia and Australia lease mines sue.
cessiully, both to the operator aud to
the government The conditions in
those countries arc so entirely differ