The Washington times., 1911-04-28

Legislation to provide for Govern
ment construction. ownership. and
operation Of railroads in Alaska, will
shortly be introduced in Congress.
The bill will be presented in the
Senate, and a vigorous effort will be
made to force a report in favor of it
from the Committee on Territories.
At the same time. the Wickersham-
Jones bill to establish an elective
territorial legislature in Alaska
probably will be passed by the House,
and will be pushed in the Senate.
There is a strong belief that this
measure can be forced into the laws
before the end of the present Con-
gress.
A remarkable recrudescence of in
terest in Alaska affairs has followed
the sensational discovery that the
Administration employed very un-
usual methods to provide a harbor
and terminal for the system of rail-
roads which the Alaska syndicate is
opening. and with which 1t intends to
dominate the great coal fields of AL
aska, including the Cunningham
claims.
The question is being studied in
both houses with the most acute in
terest. Democrats see in it a chance
to make some political capital. In
surgent Republicans have not over
looked the same possibilities Dele
gate Wickersham of Alaska, who has
been persona non grata-very non in
fact-at the White House since he at
tackled the Presidents Alaska govern
men bill year ago sees a chance to
Kill the Admin CT tinn'S nf IN
Alaska government that would make
the Territory a sort of royal duChv,
completely under control of the Presi-
dent.
Time for Action.
And meanwhile people who want
Alaska saved to the people instead Of
being turned over to the Guggenheim
interests. think it is getting important
to do something soon.
Secretary of the Interior Fisher, re-
plying to the La Toilette inquiry about
the entries of lands along Controller
bay, gave such limited information as
has reached his office. He was not able
to report on transactions recorded at
the Katalla land office, where it is pre-
sumed most of the entries have been
reported, because il will take a month
or more to communicate with that re-
mote office. q.
The report thus far received from Mr.
Fisher indicates that four entries have
been made. all by associates of Ryan.
the man who induced the Administra-
ton, while Ballinger was still in the
Cabinet, 10 throw open the Strategic
forest lands for entry. Delegate Wick
ersham. however, says it is common
information in Alaska that all these
lands have hppn entered and ha
railroad right-Of-way has been plated
and filed upon.
A new sensation was caused when
detailed examination was made of an
act passed March 4, 1911, and now law.
1t seems largely to repeal the safe
guards against monopoly of harbor and
terminal privileges which were con-
tained in the law of 1895.
Under the act of 1895 there was pro-
vision for an interval of eighty rods of
water frontage. nnavigable waters.
between claims that might be taken
privately. This was pointed out by
Administration supporters as the guar
antee that by giving go acres to the
Ryan railroad no monopoly was al
lowed.
Says 1t Repeats Safeguard.
But Judge Wickcrsham now produces
the act of March 1. 1911, and on careful
analysis is confident that its effect is
to repeal, in the case of Controller
Bay and the Ryan railroads holdings
there. this one safeguard; it permits
the Secretary of War to permit the in
terval lands to be taken. used and en-
joyed by the entrants to the other lands.
This, Judge Wickersham declares. in
validates the defense that no monopoly
has been granted.
1t seems that this was not the only
obscure bill which the land-seeking in
terests tried to enact, without much