The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1911-04-08
STATEHOOD CASES
TO BE CONSIDERED
(From F. J. DYER.)
Especial to the Silver State.)

WASHINGTON, April S.-All of
the territories will be heard from
again this spring and summer. There
is every reason to expect that the coal
land cases in Alaska will be decided
soon. If one may be justified in max
ing forecast from the testimony in
troduced in the Ballinger case regard
ing the Cunningham claims, the land
Office will throw them all out As
there are some 900 other cases, practi-
cally all of which are on no better
footing, and some of them on palp-
ably fraudulent basis, the way should
be clear for congress to enact some
legislation whereby the coal Of Alaska
can be made available for thespeople
of that territory, and for the rest Of
the Pacific coast as well. If this be
not done, then the navy department
may ask for authority to get out coal
for its own use on the Pacific. This
Alaska coal is the only steaming coal
in the country, outside of Pennsyl-
vania and West Virginia fields, which
is entirely satisfactory for naval uses,
and the cost of shipping coal around
Sound is burdensome. 1t is denied here
that the president will pass on the coal
claims himself. This is the legal duty
of the commissioner Of the general
land office, who is honest and entirely
capable of reaching just decision.
As to the probability of any general
legislation for Alaska at this session,
it cannot be said to be good. 1t may
be taken up by committees, and some
thing may be reported out at the next
regular session.
Friends of statehood for Arizona
and New Mexico are expected to be
here in force to try to get the consent
of congress to the creation of those
territories into states. Everyone con-
ceded that they are entitled to state
hood. They have the necessary popu-
lation, wealth. resources and develop
ment, and it is now only question of
political expediency. With these stars
added to the flag, it probably will be
many years before any more states
will be admitted to the Union.
The Job Chasers.
Contrary to general expectation,
and also to some statements put forth
in various papers, there has not been
any great influx of "hungry Demo
crats' looking for jobs as result of
the passing of the house scepter into
Democratic hands. True, there are
some seekers after patronage. But
there are still beds to be had in the
hotels. The boarding house keepers
have not had to put up their rates.
The members of congress have not
been swamped with applications for
places.
More people want positions on the
pay roll than there are places to give
them but it was really believed by
many that the place-hungry Democrats
would descend on congress like a
swarm of locusts, ready to devour any
thing in sight The contrary is true.
The places available have all been
parceled out, and now it would not be
of any use to seek jobs under patron
age of the house even if willing
patriot should be discovered here and
there who would take one.
The Shadow Of T. r.
While former President Roosevelt
was swinging around the circle mighty
little news of his journey, his speeches
and his receptions came to Washing
ton. The eastern papers were almost
silent regarding his trip, but some
.politicians who made inquiries about
it learned that Mr.. Roosevelt is still a
popular idol throughout the west, and
that like Mr.. Bryan, he draws enthusi-
astic crowds wherever he goes. It
looks as if the former president would
be dangerous contender for the
nomination before the next national
convention, and he is the man, it
seems, that LaFollette fears viii
snatch from him the support of the
progressive element.
On Thursday Representative Burle-
son, of Texas, introduced in the house
budget of tariff bills providing that
many articles be placed on the free
list, including leather, hides, boots and
shoes, harness, wire nails, wrought or
steel; salt, cotton bagging, gunny
cloth and other articles.
There also were bills by Representa-.
tive Sisson increasing to 800 a month
the salaries of rural mail carriers, the
Sisson joint resolution directing the
attorney general to submit to the su-
preme court all available information
: bearing on the validity of the four
. teenth and fifteenth amendments to
the constitution, and the Foss bill,
providing for increasing the efficiency
of the naval militia, reintroduced
: The majority members of the ways
, and means committee will meet daily,
working on the legislative program
adopted at the Democratic caucus.
Consideration at present is on the
Canadian reciprocity BILL which will
be presented by Chairman Underwood.