Evening star., 1911-08-21
FOR j. S. OWNERSHIP
Senator La Toilette Would
Curb Trusts in Alaska.
RESOURCES ARE IN PERIL
Says Government Should Operate
Railroads and Terminals.
STTRMITS A VTGOROUS DEMAND
RESOURCES ARE IN PERIL
SUBMITS A VIGOROUS DEMAND
Wisconsin Member Declares Trans
portation Is Key to Situation in
Resolution for Federal Control.

| a vigorous demand that the United
States should prevent the control of the
vast resources OF Alaska by menopo-
lies was made in the Senate today by
Senator La Toilette of Wisconsin. Mr..
| La Toilette was addressing himself to a
resolution he introduced Saturday. de-
claring 1t to be the sense of the Senate
| that the government should own and
| operate the railroads, docks and termi-
nails in Alaska, and should make provi-
SION for operating and leasing mines now
owned by the government at reasonable
rates. lie said in part:
| Every day makes it more evident that
the American people are waging losing
| fight in Alaska. On the one hand are
the 5000 pioneers, who are rsking their
lives and fortunes in the exploration and
prospecting OF it's undiscovered resources.
On the other hand are the millions of
American people to whom this great
storehouse of natural resources belong.
| Between them Is the enormous power of
| the greatest concentration of capital that
/ the world has ever known.
| 1.-The contest now on has reached the
point where a constructive plan must be
adopted that will solve this great prop
lem. a problem more confusing and per-
picking than any other confronting the
American people
Transportation Key to Control.
Whatever evidence or lack of evidence
there may be as to the present intentions
and maneuvers OF corporate power In
Alaska, our experience with the same
forces nearer home teaches us that mo-
nopoly under these conditions is in
evitable. Any one who examines these
documents must see that the foundations
are being laid in Wall street for the up
building Of a monopoly In Alaska equal
to that which controls the great anthra-
cite coal fields Of Pennsylvania. Here We
have the same work of pioneers and
prospectors. the same investors and min
ing companies securing foothold and en-
deavoring to reach the market, but un-
able to induce capital to assume the risks
OF a contest with special interests. denied
all hope of transportation and reasonable
freight rates to reach markets The same
situation, IL unchecked in Alaska. will de-
velop In a very few years to the point of
monopoly control which it required thirty
years to reach in Pennsylvania
"Mr. President. the key to the whole
situation Is the control of the means Of
transportation.
can people in dealing with Alaska with
what the same people are doing on the
IIsthmus OF Panama. Here is the greatest
piece of construction work known to his
tory, population as great as that OF
Alaska has been brought together OH the
borders of the Torrid Zone. in a climate
tunspeakably dangerous. and peaceful.
healthy and effective development of a
great transportation route is carried for
ward.
This is what the American people have
learned TO do when called upon to meet a
great emergency. requiring direct govern
ment control in the public interest.
I'VE are now required to decide which
OF these two methods shall the American
people adopt in Alaska. Up to the pres
ent time we have been going biindly
binatton. but it is possible for us to ac-
complish permanently in Alaska all that
is being accomplished temporarily in
| Panama.
Should Be Given Home Rule.
There is. however, one great Inference.
The people of Alaska must be permitted
TO develop in the highest degree their
lown social and political conditions and
individual enterprise. They should have
the largest amount OF home rule that
can be given them. with its representa-
tive assemblies responsible to the people.
Cur obligation to the Alaskans is TO give
to them and to all newcomers lib raj and
equal opportunities to make what their
brains and character entitle them to. But
the American people are the owners of
the resources of Alaska. These have been
preserved up to the present time by with
tdrawing them from occupation and use.
The people now clamor for their use and
for the development which is essential
To their use They are entitled to get
the benefit OF the reduction in the cost
Of living which will come from utilzs-
ton of Alaska's treasures. The who.
Pacific coast demands access to the
enormous coal deposits. The people east
of the Rocky mountains will gain by their
development. Even The Navy Depart
nent of the federal government is COM
pelled TO pay 80 to 81 for coal on the
Pacific coast which costs SO TO 81 on the
Atlantic coast The tests which have bsen
made show that samples of coal from
veins as thick as thirty-th feet in the
Controller bay region have higher heat
ing value than coal secured by the Navy
Department on the eastern tidewater
Il believe that our future naval power
on the Pacific ocean depends upon the
utilization of the coal OF Alaska.
IF a private corporation now owned
the coal fields OF Alaska what would be
the first step undertaken by the manage
ment of such corporation in their de-
velopnlento Would the management look
to some etner corporation TO build rail
roads connecting such coal fields with
TIC sea while having ample capital of its
own to build such "a lroads? The very
suggestion shows the absurdity of 1t.
Fortunately, private corporations owr
but very small portion of the coal fields
. OF Alaska Their ownership still rests in
the people of the United States. and un-
der our form of government the manage
ment and control is vested by the people
in the Congress and President of the
| United States. In the consideration 0i
this question we ought to regard our.