Omaha daily bee., 1912-01-08
FISHER FOR LEASING LAW
Secretary Says Present Policy is
Destroying the Range.
HOMESTEAD ACT NEEDS CHANGES
He Says Requirements rs 20 Resi-
dcnce for First Two Years should
he More LibcrBI-AIBsISR
Needs Railroads.


plication Of the leasing principle as ap-
| piled 70 tho public domain. especially a
! liberal leasing law for the development
| Of the mineral resources Of Alaska, par
/ tcularly its coal lands, and Immediate
consideration by congress Of the whole
subject OF water power development and
control, are the most important recon-
mendations contained I'm the annual re-
I port OF the Secretary OF the Interior
Fisher, made public today.
! general overhaulng OF conditions in
Alaska is needed the secretary says
/ lie favors law for the retirement Of
government employees placing IL on the
gruund OF good business policy. He
urges the creation of a bureau OF national
parks. each OF them at present being "a
separate and distinct unit for admins
trative purposes" There is also serious
need, he declares for the enlargement
Of the work OF the bureau OF mines.
The great public movement for the
conservation OF our national resources"
says Secretary Fisher us not in
any way opposed TO prompt and
wise development Of the public domain
The essential thing is 10 see that under
the guise of settlement. we do not per-
nit mere exploitation, which in the first
analysis retards both settlement and de-
velopment" He recommends therefore,
certain notifications Of existing laws re-
iating to the public domain so as to
permit It's proper development.
Srfti@rs should Not he Hampered.
Many OF the restrictive provisions
which now irritate and hamper the bona
| fide settler and Industrial pioneer
! should be removed, he says.
The man on the ground should be the
object OF our sollcitude, and we should
protect him against those who would
place upon his shoulders any unneces-
sary burden
In regard to agricultural land settlers
Secretary Fisher holds that the law
Should insist absolutely upon cultivation
but should permit the relaxation of the
rule requiring residence during the FIRST
two years In some cases on account of
conditions, there being mo reason what
ever for insisting upon the requirement
OF actual residence at the outset"
Some modification of the law In regard
to repayment of reclamation charges is
recommended and change in the law is
proposed to permit the settler at any
time after five years from the date OF
entry and after he has lived for three
years upon his land, to acquire title to
the property.
NO land should be open to homestead
entry" he declares. except that which
is really suitable for homes, and then
the home maker should be aided in every
proper way.
Repeal Timber Act.
The timber and stone act should be
immediately repealed, and also the act
authorizing the cutting of timber on min
eral lands. They hold out a constant in
Vitation to abuse and to mere exptolta-
ton rrr~' "
The public range cannot be properly
administered under the existing law. 1t
should be leased for grazing purposes
under the broad administrative discretion
Of the secretary OF the interior, so thai
the leases can be adapted to actual con-
aitons and the legitimate interests of the
sheep and cattiemen. AT present the range
itself is being destroyed and both sheep
and cattlemen are coming to the couvic-
tion that their own interests will be bet
Ter subserved by leasing law.
In fact, the enlarged application Of
The leasing principle TO the pubic domain
generally Will, in my Judgment more ef-
iectiNely promote development and pro-
tect the public interest than the present |
system Certainly coal, oil. gas, asphalt, /
nitrate and phosphate lands can be more |
appropriately developed by leasehold than
oy the present system. of classification |
and sale OF the fee which prevails with |
respect. 10 eoaLr.... OH. .. ... '...g |
In respect To- such leasing In Alaska the |
secretary recommends the passage of a |
liberal, but carefully guarded. leasing !
law''for the development of its mineral |
resources, and especially of it's coal lands. |
AIaskas greatest resources are its min |
erals, and in the development OF these |
The precious metals stin hold the pre-
dominant place Careful consideration of |
the provisions Of an appropriate leasing |
Jaw for the coal lands OF Alaska in being |
continued through the director Of the hu- |
reau OF mines, with a view to suggesting |
such changes in or substitute for bills |
on this subject which are now pending in |
congress, as may be desirable"
Alaska Needs Railroad.
The proper administration and devel- |
opment OF Alaska can not be accom- !
plished under existing laws. the secre- |
tary declares; wherefore he urges also \
the construction by the government OF a I
central trunk-lne OF railroad from tide /
water to the Tanana and Yukon; the /
reservation Of a sufficient amount OF /
the coal lands to provide for the future |
needs OF the navy, this coal to be mined /
by the government; more liberal ap- |
preparations for roads and trails; and the /
adoption OF form OF territorial gov !
eminent, commission form being sug
gested, better adapted TO its remote I
situation and peculiar local conditions.
The whole subject OF waterpower /
development and control should. in my /
Judgment. receive the immediate consid- /
GRAFTON OF congress" says the secretary, I
and constructive legislation should be I
adopted without further delay. 1 be- /
lieve the federal government has ade- /
quate constitutional power To control 4
waterpower development both in navi- |
gable streams and upon the public domain /
and to exact compensation and to impose I
proper conditions in either case. 1t Is |
apparent that the federal government |