davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1911-12-03

late both rates and service. But the fed
eral government should exact compensation
for it's grants not to produce revenues as
a substitute for taxation, but az an efec-
tive means Of protecting public interests II
the state agencies should happen TO be
lulled TO sleep (as not infrequently occurs).
For if this compensation is at first small
and is TO be readjusted at periodic inter
walls. the federal government can raise the
compensation if inordinate profits are being
made and can leave ii az 1t is II the state
or local authorities are securing good SER
vice at fair rates. II also enables the peo-
pie TO get some snare of the profits from
water powers. the product of which is not
sold directly TO the public as electric cur
rent, but is used i'm private manufacture
Most such water powers are protected or
improved by public expenditure upon the
streams or the watersheds of the streams
from which they are derived, and these are
less than the benefits directly conferred
upon the owners or lessees of the power
sites The just and wise policy appears
TO me TO be to charge fair compensation.
stream and it's watershed from which the
compensation is derived 1t goes without
saying that the rights OF the grantee must
he fairly protected and the terms OF the
grant he made sufficiently liberal to inter-
est capital and insure development
"In this way the conflict between state
and federal government. between local and
New-York tribune., 1911-12-03
Secretary of Interior Tells oi
Dire Waste, and Methods
Adopted and Planned
TO Prevent it.

,,-,.,-,gb, 1911. by William Atherton Du Puy)
-HE Congress which meets to-morro"
Is to be asked TO take denhl'e ac
Il ton upon legislation that makes IN
telligent conservation possible. Inc sec
rotary Of the Interior is the ofcial con-
.erva+,onist Of the nation Walter Lowrie
Fisher Is the Secretary of the Interior He
saws that he and the administration ana
the people OF the United states are rreV-
,cably Dledged 10 conservation. Then he
tolls what he means by conservation ana
then and there is much solace EXTENDED 10
those who had fathered the policy out
who were coming to fear that II was run
ming on the rocks. For the talk Of Fisher
has the ring of the words Of Roosevelt and
pinchot and he follows their leads in lay
ING down plans for final disposition of
those pIng-ponged problems that have so
vexed the present administration.
An parties concerned" began the Sec
retary in laying down his ground plan
might as well realize that the United
states has definitely and permanently
adopted the policy of conservation. There
arc few to-day who 10 not profess to be-
leyo in that policy. The real enemies are
those who profess adherence to conserva-
tion only TO make more effective their at
tacks on each effort TO conserve. The pol
icv will be discredited unless practical
measures for carrying it into effect are de-
vised and adopted The need Of the hour is
constructive statesmanshp. II is the time
for action. and especially for right legis-
lstioD. 10 he followed by vigorous admin
ietratiOn' 90
New-York tribune., 1911-12-03
TRANSPORTATION WOULD SUB
~ srITUTE A GOVERNMENT OWNED RAILROAD.

task the government itself should do 40.
'The Matanuska coal should be brought
TO Seward for the use OF our naval coaliDg
station and a mine for that purpose can
well be opened by the government on the
Matanuska, where II can be made 10 serve
as an example for private mining, where
it can furnish information and serve as
leased land. The Secretary Of the Navy
authorizes me TO state that he believes
there should be reserved a sufficient por-
ton OF high grade Alaskan coal, suitable
for use in the navy, to be mined hereafter
for this express purpose under the super
vision Of the Bureau of Mines. The Navy
Department has tested all the other Pacific
Coast coal and finds none of them suitable
for navy uses.
I'm undertaking railroad constructions
there is ample precedent at Panama that
In such work the government IS simply re-
suming one of Its own proper functions.
Unlike the government ownership of rail-
roads. public coal mining has never been
held by the courts to be function OF gov
ernment, but the true function of govern
ment is not merely the preservation OF pub
lie order or the regulation Of the conduct OF
enterprise which will promote the welfare
Of the community as a whole more erec-
lively II carried on by the organized COM
munity than If left to the voluntary action
of individual members of the community.
New-York tribune., 1911-12-03

leasing system and are operating success
fully under it. 1t relieves the coal oper-
ator OF the necessity of a large investment
in the purchase of coal lands and 1t in
sures development. The operator need
have only capital TO work his mine. but
he must work II. 1t is the plan now be-
ing followed by railroads with their coal
lands. Many private owners and estates
lease their lands on a royalty basis. The
original owner or his heirs or assignees
may not care TO operate themselves and
find It easier and more profitable TO lease.
The operator is enabled to carry on a
larger business with given capital when
he is not forced to the necessity of pur-
chasing land outright. The difference be-
tween public and private leasing IS that
the public always carries the burden OF
the private owners profit.
The government would not be faced
with the need of getting the greatest pos
sible royalty on it's lands nor the operator
10 paying all the traffic will stand In
this way the government would always
have control of the leasing proposition
and its lands would be in demand. So
would the government have a check on the
coal business of the nation that might
prove Of great value in time Of need. 1t
can insert provisions in leases which 1t
might have difficulty in enforcing by man
datory law.
The same principle should apply 10 the
other mineral lands Of the nation. Like
wise should it apply to all water power
New-York tribune., 1911-12-03
GOVERNMENT COAL WHICH WAS FILED UPON AS HOME


the reclamation projects are vastly more
desirable and 1t is difficult to get settlers
for them. OF course there may be iso-
lated examples where the policy does
harm, but these complaints are usually
made, not by people who want them cor
rected, but by people who want to dis
credit a whole policy by citing remote in
stances of its not working well.
Where there is land tied up I'm the West
he holds, II is because of one Of two
things. Either It is unclasslfied and there
is delay because OF an inadequate appro-
priation upon which TO complete the work
or it has been classified and the money is
not forthcoming for its purchase. The
first cause for complaint can be readily
cured If Congress but furnishes the
means. The second can be remedied by
provision for leasing the lands in ques-
ton. This latter is in reality the big thing
needed in connection with the administra-
ton OF tho public domain. The Secretary
eleves it is the solution that will ulti-
mately be reached. He maintains that the
matter IS now in the hands OF Congress.
Alaskan coal is Of great value" con-
tinued Secretary Fisher. but its extent
and character have been much eXagger-
ated. There are great quantities OF lig-
mite and low grade bituminous coal in
several parts of the territory, but there
are only two known fields OF high grade
coal I'm Alaska The better known OF
these is tho Bering River field. which is
near Controller Bay and I'm which the
Cunningham claims are located. 1t is the
field about which the Alaskan controversy
has been fercest and most bitter. The
Matanuska field is larger and may prove
TO be the more important Both Of these
fields contain anthracite and high grade
bituminous coal. The question is how
they shall be opened so as TO promote de-
yelopment and protect the public interest.
THE Matanuska coal field lies north OF
Prince William Sound, and from $50 10
200 miles from Seward on Resurrection
Bay 4 railroad TO develop this field and
open I'D the great interior valleys has been
started from Seward, which has a mag
nihcent harbor. land locked and free from
ice. and has already been selected by the
The railroad from Seward-the so-called
Alaskan Central Rairoad-at present ex-
tends only seventy miles inland, where
construction was stopped from lack Of
funds / believe this road could be con-
tinued on to the coal fields and beyond
them to the interior. and that IL private
interests do not care to undertake the
New-York tribune., 1911-12-03
A GOVERNMENT RAILROAD.

81 do not believe that the government
alone should pre-empt these fields or exclu-
sively control their development. and am
for this reason opposed to the policy 10
have the government alone own and mine
Alaskan coal The leasing system avoids
the controversies and difficulties of both ex-
tremes of public and private ownership.
believe that the leasing system should be
the method Of the disposal Of the mass OF
Alaskan coal lands. but that government
owned railroads might serve the purpose
of opening up the fields, and that govern
ment mined coal might set the example for
private enterprise"
1t has been said Of the consumers OF coal
that they are like unto the wasteful house.
wife who makes but one biscuit out or
barrel of -four. Certain II Is that every
time the Lustania crosses the Atlantic she
burns UP an acre OF our coal and that every
day the Pennsylvania Railroad Is consuin-
ing six acres of II. Nature is not replacing
that which is burned, and 1t Is evident thae
the acreage will eventually be exhausted.
In connection with this waste OF mineral re-
source I'm general Secretary Fisher Is ask
ing Congress for 100000 for investigation
In that connection he says:
MY attention has been called by the Bu-
reau OF Mines to the waste Of material
which is TO a considerable extent prevent
able IN the mining and extraction OF Varl-
ous metals, such as lead, zinc copper sold
and silver. and especially to the enormous
waste in coal mining, which is equivalent
TO about one-half of the total product
mined. The aggregate of all these products
Of mineral waste for the last year Is esu-
mated to approximate s4OoOco,Wo'
The seriousness OF this loss is more
clearly appreciated when 1t is remembered
that our production and consumption are
increasing much more rapidly than our
nopulation: that the mineral supplies LOT
future use are limited in quantity and are
non-reproducible; that is, there are no new
eunnIies being created 10 take the place OF
those which are being withdrawn from the
Garth and either used or wasted, and hence
that when once these supplies are exhaust
cd the exhaustion will be complete and per-
,nanent. and that at the increasing rate vi
coreunption which has characterized the
industry during the last few years the
ayailable supplies Of certain OF our more
ir,nortant resources, like the coal and iron'
u,iu no early in the next century so nearly
onnroaching exhaustion as 10 bring real
hardship to the nation
"Tbe great fundamental facts brought 10
.ho front as result OF this work so rar
New-York tribune., 1911-12-03

The incident made "Ras" Jones man OF
statewide prominence, and he IS to-day
about as well known in Texas history as
General Sam Houston. He was legis-
lator again four years ago. but for the rest
Ct that session he went no further than re-
moving his shoes I'm the House chamber.
Up To the timc when the law prohibit
Ing lobbying was enacted. four years ago.
any body and everybody were privileged 10
enter upon the floors Of the House and Sen
ate while the bodies were in session. II
was not an unusual sight Cor a dozen baby
carriages. each, perhaps, occupied by a
crying infant. to be seen upon the floors.
Frequently staid and digniied Senator'S and
Representatives wheeled their young off
srring up aud down the aisles while de-
bate by their colleagues RACED around
New-York tribune., 1911-12-03

: national interests. would be harmonized
and reconciled. and the federal govern
ment be enabled to perform its appropriate
function especially where Interstate
streams, as we'll as streams within the
! federal domain. are concerned.
ain the administration OF the affairs or
the Reclamation Service I would propose
some rather radical changes. The theory
| OF the reclamation act is that the govern
ment builds the irrigation works and that
the settler repays the cost, which is again
expended upon new projects. TO be repaid
and again expended indefinitely. The act
requires that The settler shall live upon his
land, and he has ten years in which 10 pay
| off the Indebtedness occasioned by getting
water for irrigation to him. The water
charge is divided into ten instalments, and
! title cannot be secured until all are paid.
"Ten years is long and discouraging
period. The settler is required to live on
/ the land I'm most cases before he can pos
sibly make it self-sustaning. He cannot
/ sell or mortgage 1t until the end Of the
period II he is a successful farmer he
will in all probability live on his home
stead for ten years. But the prospect
when reviewed by the man contemplating
settlement IS dlscouragng. Exigencies
might arise that would make him change
his plans. Five or six years OF endeavor
might thus be lost. This prospect Is max
ing it difficult to find settlers for the
/ reclamation farms. despite the attractive
possibilities that are offered.
II would propose making it vastly easier
for a settler to secure one Of these farms.
I would not for instance. require the set
tier TO move on his farm for two years
/ after. he had filed. / would, however. re-
oulre him to farm certain proportion OF
IL the first year, and added portions each
year thereafter | would require only three
wears residence upon the farm after the
first two wears: but I would require con-
tinuous cultivation and real residence. SO
at the end Of at least five years OF this
character I would issue title, subject to an
effective lien for the unpaid instalments,
and I would allow the settler 10 mortgage
his land sell IL or do whatever he chose.
There would be certain payments TO the
government still due. | would encourage
the banks 10 carry those payments instead
I of the government The government would
thus get its money back just so much
quicker and could take up other projects
/ all the sooner"
Tho Secretary states that many COM
plants are heard In the West about farm
New-York tribune., 1911-12-03
LAWS THAT WERE BROKEN

'lu addition 10 this there had been GER
tain statutes that, i'm The West. had been
more honored in the breaking than i'm the
Observance The people Of tho West had so
long been accustomed 10 got lands from the
government through eVasious that this is
The principal defence now urged for dummy
entries and false affidavits. Undoubtedly
tho laws were not adapted 30 the condition
but instead OF securing its amendment, men
who sought fortune through the cxplors-
,on Of the West made the inadequacy Of
tho law an excuse for its evasion. And
even those who sought ouly legitimate de-
yelopment were impatient of delay and
wiukod AZ evasion.
wow. the federal government has been
absolutely right u every withdrawal that
q hss made i'm thc West. The Withdrawals
have not all been right. Some have been
shown % contain none Of thc coal or oil
"r water power that were supposed 10 JUS
ury Withdrawal. Yet the government was
Justified iu taking them of the market until
IT knew. Msny Of these Withdrawals are
stn held beyond the reach OF the public.
lu places settlement and development are
being somewhat retarded. Individual COM
mmites arc suffering iniusuccs. There is.
however. bat one recourse. Additional
money must be- provided 20 hasten class.h-
cations and legislation must be enacted 10
dsposs of these lands in whatever manner
win best bcnent the public Tho critics in
tbc West viii serve their own interest bot
iO in demanding these things OF their
congressman than By fretung against SOW
c'nmeutal restraints.
"'oal lands Of the government in the
future will bc disposed Of a. coal lands.
OH lands ~ oil lands Mater power sitcs
are pot to be flod Oh as hoincsteads nor
forest lards a. deecrt cidims. The law is
~ boz Interpreted 49, 70 appear )n the stat
uic to1ls and if the statute Be- nrons the
New-York tribune., 1911-12-03
Comfort of Garb and Attitude
Is the Motto-Fond Fathers
Used to Wheel Babes
in Aisles.

y tho closing days Of the last special
session Of the Texas Legislature, when
II the Senate was kept "under CALI all
night because no quorum was present. the
locked-in solons made themselves comfort
able by stretching out upon the floor be-
tween their desks and upon the Speakers
stand and indulging In restful slurnber.
In the early hours OF the morning about
the only man awake was the doorkeeper.
one Of the Senators. Claude Hudspeth. OF
III Paso. who has spent most of his life
on ranches as cowboy. removed his
trousers and hung them over the top Of
his desk blocked his head upon copy Of
he Revised Statutes and was soon in
| dreamland. While he slept some unknown
person filched his trousers ard, after re-
moving So I'm currency from ono of the
pockets. threw the discarded apparel out
OF the window on 10 the Capitol campus
When Senator Hudspeth awOkc at early
dawn and reached for his trousers he
found them gone. Spectators were begin
ming TO gather TO witness the days pro
ceedings Of the Senate, and it was with no
little embarrassment that the FL Paso man
fed into a committee room and sent "A
hurry-up call by telephone for another pair
Of trousers
The free and easy spirit which pervades
the Texas Legislature calls TO mind the cX-
periencc which newspaper correspondent
in Austin went through several years ago
because he criticised and ridiculed some of
the members of the House Of Representa-
tives for not observing the proprietics Of
tine occasion and position.
"Ras' Jones. of Pamela County. made
practice Of removing his shoes and socks
soon as he took his scat at each daily
session. man who reported the pro-
ceedings OF the House for San Antonio
newspaper pointed out In a humorous ar
iiclc tho imDroprieties OF the homcly way
in which the Representative from Panola
tounty sought 10 make himself comior
ahle. This article WAS taken hy tho House
~. IN allAck munn the rLlhl- nl ono Of lie
New-York tribune., 1911-12-03

recourse is IN legislation. Withdrawals
will continue when the necessity arises.
Restorations to entry will be made wher
ever they are justified
This discussion naturally brings forth
the question of just what legislation is
needed, particularly with reference to the
use and disposition OF these great resources
which are still owned by the government.
In coal alone 1t is estimated that there is
west Of the Tooth meridian 10000. 900 900 tons
of anthracite and bituminous coal. 620.o10,-
000 tons of sub-bituminous and 10000, COO 900
tons of Ignite. This is a wealth that the
government should not devote to the en-
richment OF the few but to the benefit Of
the community. To benefit the community
il must be developed To secure develop
ment there must be the opportunity for
profit-adequate profit to constitute an in
centive for development-just that and not
more.
The leasing system seems to me TO be
the logical solution. At present we are
selling coal lands at prices based upon
the estimated tonnage. Australia, New
Zealand and Canada have worked out the
New-York tribune., 1911-12-03

champion of the common people when II
came 10 giving them the privileges OF the
floors Of the House and Senate. 1t is note
worthy that as long as he remained In poll
ties no law or rule was passed debarring
the general public from freely mixing with
the legislators at all times and places
In every Legislature of Texas there arc
a good many members fresh from the
ranches. These men are OF the free and
jovial kind whose fun and flow of spirits
viii not stand restraint. They indulge In
all kinds of pranks. 4 few years ago
while the House was considering a bill OF
Importance, b. L. Ware, Representative
from the Clarendon district In the Pan
hopdlc region, wan placed IN tho Speaker >
chair temporarily. Claude itudspeth' VINO
was then d mombor Of tho House and
New-York tribune., 1911-12-03
HAS STUDIED PROBLEMS

These declarations Of policy and pro-
Eramrnc were made after the return Of
secretary Fisher from a three months tour
of the West, during which time he Wis
tied a large part Of the country in which
the federal government still has large In
terests to administer. He went as far
north as Prince William Sound and the
coal fields Of Controller Bay and as far
south as the intensvely farmed lands under
the reclamation projects Of Arizona. He
visited the coal lands Of Wyoming. where
the government owns fields that vic in
value with those of fecund Pennsylvania
He viewed the rush Of torrents through
many a Western canyon, and figured the
theoretical water power that they con-
tained. He took note Of the manner In
which federal law and federal admnistra-
tion were operating in these remote re-
gions. and has returned with the theory
Of the conservationist strengthened by
knowledge Of the methods Of its practical
working out. And he is ready TO suggest
definite policies for the administration TO
follow
I'm this connection il should he remem-
rered that the position occupied by Sec
retary Fisher is most delicate. lie is the
successor of Richard a. Ballinger, the man
whose administration of the same office
brought one whole wing of the Republican
party clattering about the head Of the
President He was chosen for his present
post by Mr.. Taft the same day the Chief
Executive issued the most scathing docu-
ment Of his career, letter condemnng
those men who had harassed Ballinger out
Of the administration. Yet Fisher was an
associate Of Pinchot vice-president Of the
National Conservation Association and
leader in score Of kindred movements. He
was a man whose every connection made
him the diametrical opposite of Ballinger
rs BalHnger's critics believed Balinger to
New-York tribune., 1911-12-03
FREE REIN GIVEN BY TAFT

AS President Taft had given Balinger
fiec rein 10 work out a conservation policN,
So has he given the utmost freedom to Sec
rotary Fisher. He has regarded that Off
cial as a man OF great intelligence and wise
balance who was capable of selecting and
co-ordinatng the good points in the argu-
ments Of both factions 10 previous contro-
vcrsics. Mr. Fisher declined to make a
statement Of his position in any detail until
lie had seen the problems OF administra-
tion al first hand. lie now has the detail in
hand and spreads out a policy as one would
uuroll a map-leaving the concrete picture
OF the thing before the minds eye.
In conservation matters" continued Sec
rotary Fisher, there have been diametrical
differences of opinion because human ma
tWc lis in some cases so diametrically diff
foreut. The theorist IS the father Of con-
s.rNation. Tie theorst sees the big thing.
Iic is the salt of the earth-the evangel OF
progress But quite naturally his theories
run away with him. He forgets all else.
~. sees red when his theories arc opposed.
He attributes all manner Il villanv 10 the
man who opposes him. Frequently he is
right; bat not always. Sometimes his facts
sro wrong. sometimes his deductions. Too
often he imputCs wrong motives where
there is only honest differences of opinion.
Nevertheless. mo- is right 50 fundamentally
and so often that his usefulness cannot be
questioned. We love him for his natural
enemies-the men Of greed and selhshness.
This theorist Is quite naturally opposed
hr certain other class of man-the prac-
ii.al man OF affairs This practical man
gives infinite care to detail and is above all
efficient. So absorbed IS he In the minor
workings Of his own machine or business
or community that he fails to see the big
thing Iic could no more see a vision than
could the theorst comprehend the mechan-
ism Of a dynamo. Shakespeare is closed
book 10 some men and calculus is incOm-
New-York tribune., 1911-12-03

lands that are being withdrawn as parts
of national forests. Such tracts are, III
the very nature of things, In the wlidS
and far removed from civilization. There
is no demand for such lands on the part
of settlers Those irrigated lands under