Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-02

President Taft today sent 10 Congress
q composite message dealing with va
riety of subjects, described officially as
concerning The Work of the Interior
Department and Other Matters
The subjects of greatest public interest
touched upon concern the future OF
Alaska and the high cost Of living. For
Alaska the President urges the construc-
tion Of a government railroad, a commits
sion form of government and other need
He declares there Is nothing in the his
tory Of the United States which affords
such just reason for criticism as the fail
ure OF the federal government to extend
its fostering care to Alaska.
In the matter of the high cost Of hv-
ing, the President urges an international
inquiry and asks Congress for authority
to invite the nations Of the world to a
conference in Washington or elsewhere
to make plans for the inquiry of SUBJ
ject that has SO distressed the peoples
of the world. "
Other Subjects Discussed.
Among other subjects discussed in the
message are the prevention of floods on
the lower Colorado river, the conserva-
tion of water-power sites, the creation of
a bureau of national parks. commission
to- inquire into Industrial conditions and
the relations between employers and en-
ployes, the misbranding of imported
goods and the need of building In
Washington for the safeguarding of the
public archives.
That the President regards conditions
in Alaska acute is evidenced by the
fact that he is willing to depart from
what he considers ordinarily sound pub
lie policy. This applies especially to
Alaska's need of railroad facilities.
Il am not I'm favor of government own
ership where the same certainty and ef-
fciency of service can be had by private
enterprise" he says. But think the
conditions presented in Alaska are OF
such character as to warrant the gov
ernment, for the purpose of encouraging
the development of that vast and re-
markable territory. to build and own a
trunk line railroad, which 1t can lease
on terms which may be varied and
changed to meet the growing prosperity
and development of the territory"
President Taft says there is little like
lihood that the Morgan-Gusgenheim in.
terests win open up . railroad under the
present conditions in Alaska.
The President would have a commits.
sion form OF government for Alaska,
one-half of the commission to be elected
and the other half appointed by the
President.
Demand for Legislation.
There is no branch of the federal juris.
diction which calls more imperatively 70,
immediate legislation than that which
concerns the public domain, and especial.
ly the part Of that domain which is in
Alaska" says the President In beginnins
his discussion Of the Alaskan question
The report Of the Secretary of the In.
terror. which is transmitted herewith, anG
the report to him of the Governor OF
Alaska set out the public need In this
regard with great force and I'm satisfac
tory detail.
The progress under the reclamation
act has made clear the defects of its linn.
itations. which should be remedied. The
rules governing the acquisition of home.
steads. of land that is not arid or semi
arid. are not well adapted to- the per.
fecting OF title to land made arabic by
government reclamation work.
Il concur with the Secretary of the
Interior in his recommendation that
after entry is made upon land being re-
claimed. actual occupation as Il home
stead of the same be not required unit
two years after entry. but that cuitiva
ton of the same shall be required, anG
that the present provision under which
the land is to be paid for in ten annua
installments shall be so modified as t.
allow patent to issue for the land q
the end of five years cultivation ant
three years occupation, with a reserva
tion of a government lien for the amour
OF the unpaid purchase money. Thi.
Ieniency to the reclamation homesteadel
will relieve him from Occupation at 4
time when the condition of j the laut
makes 1t most burdensome and difficult
and at the end of five years will furnish
him with a. title upon which he can Dor
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