The daily sentinel., 1912-02-02
Associated Press.

Washington. d. c.. Feb. Pres
ident Taft today sent to congress his
promised message on Alaska and the
public domain in general In urging
the construction of a government
railroad, commission form of gov
ernment and other needed legislation
for the far-away territory. President
Taft declared there was nothing in
the history of the United States
which afforded such just reason for
criticism as the failure Of tie federal
government to extend the benefit of
its fostering care to Alaska.
u am not in favor of government
ownership where the same certainty
and efficiency Of service can be had
by private enterprise" said the Pres
ident, but | think the conditions
presented in Alaska are of such a
character as to warrant the govern
ment. for the purpose OF encourage
ing the development OF that vast
and remarkable territory. to build
and own a trunk line railroad. which
it can lease on terms which may be
varied and changed to meet the grow
ing prosperity and development OF
the territory
President Taft said there was little
likelihood that the Morgan Guggen-
helm interests would open up a
railroad under the present conditions
in Alaska"
The President would have a COM
mission form of government for
Alaska. one-half of the commission
to be elected and the other half ap-
pointed by the President.
A leasing system was proposed by
the President for government coal
and phosphate lands in Alaska, as
well as in the United States
The reclamation laws of the United
States should be modified, in the
opinion of the President so that a
homesteader might be granted pat
ent at the end of five years of culti-
walton and three years of occupation.
The President also would relieve
homesteaders from the requirements
of occupation at a time when the
condition of the land would make it
burdensome and difficult.
Following a suggestion of Secreta-
ry of the Interior Fisher, President
Taft declared in his message that
the control OF water power sites
should remain in the national gov
ernment rather than be turned over
to the states. He would nave the
sites disposed of by direct lease from
the government. thGn rental to be
used in improvement of the stream
and for the benefit of the local com
munity where the power site was To-
( Gated The President would give
to the states the right to regulate
| the rates at which the converted pow
er was sold. The proper disposition
| of water power sites has been one
of the most serious subjects discussed
! by conversationalists President Taft
believes that the leasing system he
now suggests is the best solution
of the problem: that II would mean
/ honesty of administration and the
/ prevention of abuses which monop-
oily of absolute ownership In private
persons or companies would make
possible.
The President referred as follows
to the establishment of bureau of
national parks:
Il earnestly recommend the es-
| tablishment of a bureau of national
parks. Such legislation is essential
to the proper management of those
wondrous manifestations of nature
! so startling and SO beautiful that
everyone recognizes the obligations of
the government to preserve them for
! the edification and recreation of the
people The Yellowstone Park. the
Yosemite, the Grand Canvon of the
Colorado. the Glacier National Park.
| and the Mount Rainer National Park
and others furnish appropriate in
stances. In only one case have we