New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-29

|
Senator la Toilette. are enjoying INC iiu-'
OF victory. They fondly imagine thH' .n'
President will be seriously injured py '"o
necessity of having 10 pass on Demo
cratic wool bill and loudly proclaim tneir
conviction that he cannot escape poi'cai
| injury whether he approves or VetoeS 'he
measure. There is one fly In their omit
ment, however, and that Is that the Presi-
dent refuses TO be in the slightest degree
disturbed. AS has been stated frequently
| in these dispatches. Mr.. Taft VIII veto any
wool bill which may come TO him at this
time with tho utmost complacency. lie
Is firmly convinced that 1t would be the
height Of folly 10 approve such measure
at this time. when the Tariff Board VIII be
able to make a comprehensive report next
December, a report which will unquestion-
ably indicate the necessity or many
changes from the haf-baked measure
which may result from the insurgent-
Democratic coalition. and he does not be-
lieve that business should he subjected 10
the disturbance Of triennial tariff revlsions
His persistent optimism is the occasion Of
serious irritation 10 the insurgents, who,
however firmly they may be convinced
tudt tneN nave put tne fresluenl III ~
hole" cannot by any possibility prove their
contention for more than year. Senator
La Toilette is about as happy as Mrs. Shell
ley's Frankensten. He can find no JOY
whatever in the hermaphrodite tariff meas
ure to which he has given birth and which
now threatens like that literary monster,
to override him. This Is due to the fact
that he must serve az conferree on the
bill. The House conferrees Will insist on
such reduction Of the duties as will make
the measure practically conform to the
House bill. and the Democrats will, Of
course. agree with their party colleagues
from the House. On Senator La Toilette,
therefore, will devove the responsibility
either OF asserting to a wool bill contain
ing rates so low that II will ALLEVIATE all
his protectionist supporters, or else OF
maintaining such resistance as will make
isation thus not only stultifyng his tariff
revision avowals but defeating his fond
ambition to put the President IN a hole"
SO thoroughly convinced is the Wisconsin
patriot that whatever course he pursues his
explanation department will be worked
overtime. and quite possibly to no purpose.
that the irritation OF the proverbial bear
with sore head is Insignificant by COM
parison with his.
DEVELOPING ALASKA.-If the recent
agitation in connection with Controller
Bay shall have served to emphasize the
necessity of proper legislation for the
benefit and development of Alaska It will,
In the opinion Of the administration, have
served some useful purpose. Two impor-
tant steps have been urged by President
Taft in this direction. In his first annual
message he urged Congress TO create an
executive council with sufficient power TO
enable IL ito give TO the territory local
! laws adapted 10 its present growth" the
members of such council TO he appointed
by the Executive, as is the governor. Mr..
Taft pointed out that because OF the
sparsely settled condition OF the territory
and the transient character Of its popu-
latlon, composed in large part of advent
urous pioneers, who have no purpose to
make Alaska their permanent home, the
territory is wholly unsuited to that terri
torial form Of government. including a
territorial Legislature, which has worked
fairly well in territories less remote. Fx-
tended experience. both as Governor Cen
oral OF the Philippines and as Secretary of
War had convinced Mr.. Taft Of the Ct
nciency Of the type Of government he pro-
posed, and tho continued prosperity OF the
Philippines has served the more firmly TO
convince him that his policy Is correct.
The remoteness Of the territory and It's
vast area combine TO make impracticable
intelligent legislation by Congress. except
along the broadcast lines. and contribute TO
the facility with which false information
IS disseminated by interested persons.
President Taft's suggestion naturally en-
countered the bitter opposition of Dele
gate Wickersham and all others who hoped
10 profit by their control Of Alaska poll
| tics The easiest method Of combating
| the Presidents recommendation was by
| beciouding the issue with loud cries OF
fraud" for which there was sufficient
| basis 10 prevent their being wholly dis
| credited Those who appreciated that the
most effective check TO such fraud would
be accomplished by the Presidents policy
were not represented In Congress, the av-
erage member Of Congress knew little Of
! Alaska's needs and cared less, and TO the
| average citizen OF the United States It was
! merely remote area covered with fee
/ and snow. the very geography of which
was p sealed book. And then. unfortu-
uately those from whom tho President
| had most right 10 expect support found
! that IT served their personal interests or
| their personal pique to take up the cry Of
| fraud and thus proper Legislation for the
development Of Alaska was prevented for
period in which the end is not yet.
| THE COAL LANDS-In his last annual
message President Taft urged a specific
measure which would obviously promote
the conservation Of Alaskas natural re-
sources and forestsll the monopoly Of her
coal fields. lie urged a general coal land
leasing law, by which areas Of probably
$500 acres might he leased 10 a single IN
dividual or corporation for a term OF fifty
years at minimum rental and a royalty.
tho latter 10 be readjusted every ten or
twelve years. This recommendation was,
of course, wholly IN accord with the policy
Of conservation. It had been emphatlcally
applauded at the conservation congress of
the previous September. and It's enact
ment would, by removing one Of the chief
bones Of contention. have gone far 10 mako
possible adequate general legislation for
Alaska. But none Of the avowed conser-
vatonists has rendered President Taft any
assistance IN his efforts 10 secure this leg
islaton. They have been ell too busy
seeking TO discredit HIS administration.
Aside from academic commendation OF the
proposal even the National Conservation
Association has devoted It's energies to at
tacks on the administration and 10 efforts