Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-03
Confers With Cabinet and
Meets Many Callers.
CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS END
Senator Nelson Discusses Conserve
ton With Executive.
MAY LEASE ALASKA COAL LAND
Judge Vandevanter, Justice Lurton,
Senator Borah and Minister
Bryn Visit White House.

Inc holidays over, PreSldent tart
kept his regular hours at the White
House today. beginning before 10
o'clock and running until luncheon. near
o'clock. In that time he Joined his
advisers i'm a regular cabinet session
and consulted with members of Con-
gress and other callers.
Senator Knute Nelson, who has been
freely consulted by President Taft re-
garding conservation matters and pro-
jected legislation on that subject, was
with the President twenty minutes. He
was asked if he was preparing a bill
dealing with the leasing of Alaska coal
lands. He said he would have such q
bill ready within a short time He had
not consulted with House leaders as to
an identical bill in that body and had
no idea what the prospects would be
Of getting through this legislation. He
did know. however, that such legisla-
ton was necessary.
Alaska people. he said. with millions Of
tons of coal at their elbows. are COM
PEELED to buy coal from thousands of
miles away to carry on their enterprises.
He cited the case of one Alaskan rail-
road. running right through the coal
fields. compelled to operate upon coal
shipped from the states.
President Taft also favors .leg1slation
for leasing of Alaska coal lands under
proper restrictions.
Would Aid Idahoans.
Senator Borah conferred with the Pres
ident abouts homesteaders in the Idaho
forest reserves which were burned over
in the recent forest fires. Senator Borah
said these men had suffered heavily in
the fires, were in a bad plight. and he
favored giving them clear titles to their
entries. The President will take the mat
ter up with Secretary Ballinger and the
forest service.
Judge Willis Vandevanter. before taking
the oath Of ONCE as justice Of the Su-
preme Court, called on President Taft.
Justice Vandevanter said he would lease
the former home of Justice Brewer. 1923
18th street. and move there In q short
time. Justice Lurton of the Supreme
Court also called on the President.
Juan Barrios, minister of foreign at
fairs for Guatemala, called on the Presi-
dent with Francisco Sanchez Latour.
charge d'affaires of the Guatemalan lega-
ton. Mr.. Barrios is on his way to Ber-
lin on a special mission and desired to
extend President Taft the New Year
greetings Of Guatemala.
H. H. Bryn, minister from Norway, in
troduced to the President Olaf Selmer-
Andersen. librarian of the Nobel Insti-
Juto at CnT1Stla0l0, NORWAY.
Norton Returns Tomorrow.
Secretary Norton. who has been taking
brief holiday in the Adirondacks, will
resume his duties at the White House to-
morrow.
Col. T. w. Symons, former superinten-
dent Of public buildings and grounds, who
IL in Washington said at the White
House tOda,- that he did not know what
the new administration in New York will
do about changing the personnel of the
advisory board Of consulting engineers
of the Erie barge canal. which will give
navigable woter from Lake Erie to the
Hudson river.
II haven't the remotest idea whether
anything will be DONE" said Col Sypons.
who Is q member Of the board. II have
heard number of suggestions, but moth
ing Official. The supposition Is that the
board is nonpolitical and subject
to change only for sufficient cause.
1.-THE work on the canal is proceeding
OF course during the win
ter little can be done. Fully 80 per cent
Of the work on the Erie canal has been
let to contract. The contracts. too, are
well within the original estimates. It
is the belief Of the advisory board that
the canal will be completed within the
original estimate of $1O1, 100000. In fact.
the actual completion will be far less
than that, but q few million will be
necessary to meet contingencies. It Ia
our idea that the canal will be ready by
the fall Of 1914, about the time the
Panama canal il completed
There Is an intimation here that Gov.
Dix may make one or two changes on
the board. his object being to rid 1t Of
at least one man who Is credited with
In politics to some extent.