The Alaska citizen. (Fairbanks, Alaska) 1910-1917, 1911-07-31
MINING CONGRESS
ISSUES ITS
CALL

DENVER. Colo. July 2I-(Spec.
ial Dispatch The American Mining
Congress has issued its Official Gail
for its Fourteenth Annual Session,
which is to be held in Chicago
Sep'embcr - to 30 inclusive. this
fall
The meeting is called for the
purpose OF bringing together the
representatives OF the mining indus
tries of the United States the coal.
oil. metal and iron interes's for
the discussion of the problems of
mining Among the chief topics
mentione fer discussion are Con
servation the leasing of the miner,
al lands. The prevention of mine acct
dents. the revision of the mineral
land laws. and workmen's cpmpen-
sation.
President Taft has definitely prom
Used the officials of the Mining Con
gress that he will attend the con
vention, also Secretary of the In
terror Walter l.. Fisher.
The call devotes considerable al
tention to Alaska questions. the
following clauses relating to this
district being embodied therein
The coal fields of Alaska have
been the subject of much acrimon-
ious national discussion during the
last few years. All applications for
patents on Alaska coal lands have
been refused. and large Withdrawals
of the public domain from entry
and settlement have been made
Alaska. not being permitted 10 mine
her own coal. has been forced to
use Canadian coal for domestic pur-
poses. which has been so costly on
account of the tariff duties and the
great cost of transportation as to
seriously hamper her development.
The population of Alaska has de
creased during the past ten years,
Notwithstanding conditions which
should have accomplished very
great increase in population.
1t is claimed on one hand that
this acton has been necessary to
protect the rights of the people and
that by such action the government
has prevented the acquisition by
great corporate interests of monop-
that the footing" of Alaska was a
real danger which required strenu-
GUS action to prevent. and that
cheap fuel for the government and
for the Pacific coast states has been
made possible by the vigorous action
of the federal authorities.
1t is charged upon the other hand
that many of these acts have been
unlawful, that the purpose has been
to withhold these lands from settle
ment until through Congressional
action new system OF land tenures
could be made effective. and that
on account of these conditions, many
citizens who have invested their ef-
forts ard capital in the development of
Alaska'S resources have been denied
their rights under the law. and have.
as a consequence been driven some
into bankruptcy, all to despera-
tin.
That the pioneer who has here
tOfore been considered public
benefactor has been under cOntinu-
al suspicion, and in some instances.
subjected to Indictment and legal
persecution. and that all Of this
injustice has been done in the name
of Conservation.
The American Mining Congress
stands for the absolute enforcement
of the law under the constitution,
in the most expeditions manner CON
sistent with just determination. At
its last annual session it declared
its opposition 10 any system of fed
eral leasing of mineral lands"
A special Alaska committee. which
for several years has been investi-
eating Alaska questions under the
direction of the American Mining
Congress, will make a report to
the Chicago meeting. This Commit
tee is composed of Henry r. Har!i-
man Of Seattle. Maurice ID. Leehey
of Seattle. John l.. Steele of Land
lock. Alaska. and II. S. Taylor of
Seattle