Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-28
LIMITED SCALE ONLY
Government Ownership of Coal
and Railways in Alaska.
SECRETARY FISHERS VIEW
Controller Bay Rights Discussed in
Chicago Speech.
DEPARTMENT STILL IN CONTROL
Interior Department Chief Gives Re-
suits of Personal Observations.
Position Approved by Taft.
SECRETARY FISHERS VIEW
DEPARTMENT STILL IN CONTROL


his contention that in undertaking raj
road construction the government is in
effect simply resuming one of its OF n
proper functions and not invading the
legitimate domain of private enterprise.
Secretary Walter l.. Fisher in an ad
dress before the American Mining Con-
gress here yesterday suggested govern
ment ownership and operation of mines
and transportation facilities in Alaska on
Il limited scale. He declared however
that direct government operation. includ-
ing the mining and sellinc of coal. involv-
ed such deep and far-reaching changes.
both of policy and administration. that
there is no likelihood at the present time
OF its adoption to the exclusion of prl-
vate operation and that while much can
be said in favor of the government enter
ing experimentally into these fields. he
did not believe in the policy of having the
government alone own and mine Alaskan
coal.
The Secretary expressed opposition to
the policy of selling coal land outright.
saying he believed that the leasing sys-
TEN avoids the controversies of both eX-
tremes of public and private ownership
Therefore he suggested government own
ership and operat on of limited number
of properties as an example to private
owners. and TO regulate the latter by
competition. and the leasing of other
fields under fair government regulation
Approved by Taft.
Secretary Fisher. in opening his ad-
dress. said that he spoke officially. with
the consent of the President and that
while he had had no opportunities to sub
m what he had prepared, the general
Alaskan poll outlined in the address
had been discussed with the President,
met his al prevail and would receive his
support He sad no one was more ear
nest than President Taft in the desire to
see policy of prompt and wise develop
ment inaugurated in Alaska.
Telling of his recent TT. to Alaska. Mr..
Fisher said he had made a careful ex-
animation of all the harbor and town
sites which had attracted any consider
able public attention. assisted by Geolo-
gist Alfred III. Brooks, and that Director
Holmes of the bureau of mines had ex-
ahmed the mines. He expressed his high
op Mon of the people who have become
permanent residents of Alaska, saying
that there is a substantial percentage of
viz orous, laval iding law-respectin- men
and women of the highest type of Amer
lean citizenship.
These people, the Secretary said are
entitled to territorial government bet
ter adapted to their peculiar local cond.-
tions and needs
Controller Bay Controversy.
Mr.. Fisher dwelt at length upon the
much-discussed controversy over Control
Ter bay. He said that to develop the site
secured by r. S. Ryan and his associates
II would be necessary to construct piers
or roadways for distance of two or
three miles over shallow flats to a chan
mel. He thought the operation of Ryan
and his associates should not be inter-
fered with, because all the rest of the
shore along Controller bay rema ms free
from entry. thus disposlng of the Cam
that railroad monopoly has acquired the
bay frontage. and whatever may be
the merits or demerits of the harbor 1t
has not passed out of control of the gov
eminent. Moreover, he said. il the Ryan
railroad should be built and the govern
ment desired its acquisition the oppor-
tunity for the government to blu Id a
competitive road should be effective in
preventing an exorbitant price.
Matanuska Coal.
MY visit to Alaska" said the Secre-
tary, has led me to take a far greater
interest in the future of the Matanuska
coal field, which is larger in extent, hav
ing an area of seventy-four square miles,
better in coal. better in physical condi-
ton and freer from the competition of
private claims than is true at Boring
river, the Controller bay field.
1.-THE Matanuska coal should be brought
to Seward for the use of our naval coal
ing station, and a mine for that purpose
can well be opened by the government on
the Matanuska, where 1t can be made to
serve as an example for private mines, to
furnish information and to serve as a
check upon the profits of the lessees I'M
der government leases The Secretary of
the Navy authorizes me to state that he
believes there should be reserved a suf-
fciency of high-grade Alaska coal suit
a BILE for the use of the navy. to be mined
hereafter for this expressed purpose I'M
der the bureau of mines
Explains Leasing Plans.
Explaining in detail his plan for leas-
ing Alaska coal properties. the Secre-
tary said the prime requisites for leas-
ing system are that only sufficient lands
should be leased to meet the existing
market and encourage development; that
the quantity leased to any one lessee
should be limited to the amount that can
be profitably mined. and that the lessee
shall pay his royalty as he mines his
coal a minimum being fixed to prevent
holding without production.