Omaha daily bee., 1911-01-04
LATEST PLAY TO THE GALLERIES
Congressman HItchcOck's Resolution
ON Alaskan Coal Lands,
Washington Correspondence to the Tacoma

Congressman HItchcOck's Resolution
ON Alaskan Coal Lands,
Washington Correspondence to the Tacoma
Ledger.
The utter lnsincerity Of the men who
have been fighting Secretary Ballinger is
shown by resolution introduced in the
house of representatives, just before ad-
journment, by Representative Hitchcock of
Nebraska, stipulating certain restrictions
to be placed upon Alaska coal lands, This
resolution requests the president 10 direct
that all department action looking to the
transfer OF coal lands in Alaska and to the
issuance OF patents for the same, be sus-
pended until congress may have opportunity
to consider and act on the presidents
recommendation for change in the laws
relating to the said coal lands. and that
meanwhile the local land offices be in
structed to accept no new filings or per-
NIT any other action whereby new rights
or claims to said Alaska coal lands might
be acquired"
Such a resolution as this Is pure bun
combe. The things which It directs done
have long since been gone.
The Alaska coal lands are today tied up
80 effectively that not an acre can pass
patent not an acre is open to entry; not
q ton of coal can be taken from any of the
coal deposits Of Alaska, and title TO every
acre Of coal land in Alaska is sim in the
government. And all this is done by this
and the previous administration and the
situation Is we'll understood.
In the first place no steps can be taken
looking TO the transfer of coal lands in
Alaska, for thoy are all Withdrawn from
entry, and the only entries OF record are
suspended by order of the president All
filings are also suspended pending inves-
tIgaton as to their merits Under these
circumstances these lands can not be
transferred. President Taft moreover, has
given congress Assurance that the coal
lands of Alaska vim remain in statu quo
until congress specifically legislates and
provides some specific manner for open
ing them 20 development Therefore the
first part OF Mr.. HItchoock's resolution is
without Justification and without reason.
AS TO the latter portion, intended 20
prevent the acceptance OF any new filings
on Alaska coal lands, that is ridiculous,
inasmuoh as every acre OF known coal
land Of Alaska is Withdrawn from entry
and therefore can not be filed upon.
Representative Hitchcock, author OF this
resolution will move into the senate after
the 4th of March. He is a sensationalist
he is a bitter partisan, and by his attitude
in the Ballinger controversy has caused
many to look upon him as very much of q
faker. He has cried aloud against the
outrages alleged to have been perpetuated
by Secretary Ballinger and his subordi-
mates; he has pretended to discover all
manner Of corruption in the Interior de-
partment and general land office; he made
more or less sensational charges against
the administration Of the land office, re-
sulting in an inquiry which failed to sus-
tain the charges, and all to manufacture
campaign material on which TO base his
fight for the senatorship.
The people OF Nebraska took Mr.. Hitch
cock seriously, for they Endorsed him for
senator and unquestonahly he will be
elected. But for oil that, his chief stock
In trade has been his sensatlOnalism. all
OF It on a par with his most recent resolu-
ton which makes him ridiculous in the
eyes OF intelligent men, but which mani
testify holsters him up as a great defender
OF the rights OF the people in the minds
Of the gullible and unsuspecting public that
does not think or does not know.
IL Hitchcock's resolution should pass it
would not change the status OF Alaska coal
lands one iota.