The Red Cloud chief., 1912-02-08
NEW LAWS NEEDED
PRESIDENT ASKS IMMEDIATE Az.
TENTioN TO WANTS OF
PUBLIC DOMAIN.
MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL
Legislation In Interest Of Alaska is
Imperative - Homestead Laws
Need Reviaing-leasing Law Rec.
onmended--Would Probe Cost Of
Living.


Washington, Feb 2.-Thc presidents
special message on the work Of the In
lerior department was read to congress
Today.
There is no branch Of the Federal
jurisdiction which calls more imperative
Iy for immediate legislation than that
which concerns the public domain. and
especially the part Of that domain which
Is In Alaska.
IN" progress under the reclamation act
has made clear the defects OF It's limita-
lions. which should be rcmedied The
tulcs governing the acquisition OF home
tteads. of land that Is not arid or semi
arid. arc not well adapted to the perfect
.ng OF title to land made arabic by gov
'rnmont reclamation work.
l concur with the secretary Of the In
lcrior In his recommendation that. after
'ntry Is made upon land being reclaimed.
tctual occupation as n homestead OF tho
tame be not required until two years aft
tr entry. but that cultivation of the same
thall he required. and that the present
provision under which the land is to be
paid for in ten annual ins,allmcnts shall
be so modified as to allow u patent Issue
Tor the land at the end OF Ave years
cultivation ana three years occupation.
with II reservation OF government lien
Tor the amount OF the unpaid purchase
non"y. This lcr!enCy to the reclamation
lomcstcader will relieve him from occupa-
ton at n time when the condition OF the
land makes II most burdensome ana diff
hcult. and at the end of five years will
furnish him with title upon which he
ran borrow money and continue the i'm
provcmcnt OF his holdings.
also concur In the recommendation
nf the secretary OF the interior that all
VI our public domain should be classified
IignnSpI
Of or administered In the manner most
appropriate to that particular class.
The chief change. however. which ought
70 be made. ard which | have already
recommended In previous messages and
communications to congress. is that by
which government coal land and phos-
phato and other mineral lands containing
hon- mctalliferous minerals. shall be
leased by the government. with rcstr,c-
lions as 70 size and time, resembling
those which now obtain throughout the
country between the owners In fee and
the lcssces who work the mines. and in
leases like those which have been most
bucco ssful in Australia, New Zealand and
Nova Scotia. The showing made by in
vestigations into the successful working
or the leasing system leaves no doubt as
to its wisdom and practical utility. Re
uuiremcnts as to the working OF the mine
puring the term may be so framed ns to
prevent any holding OF large mining prop
critics merely for speculation. while the
royalties may be made sufficiently low.
hot unduly to increase the cost OF the
coal mined. and at the same time suff-
Client TO furnish a reasonable income for
tho use OF the public In the community
where the mining goes on. In Alaska.
there Is no reason why a substantial in.
como should not thus be raised for such
public works as may be deemed neces.
sary or useful
There In no difference between the rea-
sors which call for the application Of the
leasing system to the coal lands still re-
tained by the government In the United
States proper and those which exist in
Alaska.
am not in favor OF government owner
ship where the same certainty and eff
cheney OF service can he had by private
enterprise, but think the conditions
presented In Alaska are OF such n char
acter as to warrant the government. for
the purpose OF encouraging the develop
ment OF that vast and remarkable terri
tory. to build and own a trunk line rail-
road. which II can lease on terms which
may be varied and changed TO meet the
growing prosperity and development of
tho territory.
For some years past the high and stead
lly increasing cost OF living has been a
matter OF such grave public concern that
International conference be proposed at
this time for the purpose of preparing
plans. to be submitted to the various gov
ernments. for an international inquiry In
20 the high cost OF living, it's extent.
cause. effects, and possible remedies.
therefore recommend that, to enable the
president to invite foreign governments
to SUCH a conference. to be held at WASH
lngtOn or elsewhere. the congress- provide
an appropriation. not to exceed 10000, to
defray the expenses OF preparation and
OF participation by the United States.
The magnitude and complsxity OF mod
ern industrial disputes have put upon
some OF our statutes and our present
mechanism for adjusting such differences
where We can be said to have any
mechanism at ALA strain they were
never intended to bear and for which
they are unsuited. What Is urgently need
ed today Is a re-examination OF our laws
bearing upon the relations Of employer
and cmplOye and careful and discrim-
mating scrutiny OF the various plans
which are being tried In several Of our
own states and In other countries. This
would seem to be the first natural step
in bringing about an adjustment Of these
relations better suited to the newer con-
,iitions OF industry.
My attention has been called to the in
Justice which IL done In this country by
the sale of articles In the trade purport-
Ing to be made I'm Ireland. when they are
not 20 made, and It Is suggested that the
justice of the enactment of law which.
so far as tho jurisdiction OF the federal
government can go. would prevent a
continuance of this misrepresentation 10
the public and fraud upon those who
are entitled to use the statement In the
sale OF their goods I think II to be
greatly in the interest Of fair dealing.
which ought always to be encouraged by
law, for congress to enact n hw making
II misdemeanor. punishable by fine or
Imprisonment, to use the malls or to put
into interstate commerce any articles OF
merchandise which bear upon their face
n statement that they have been manu-
factured in some particular country when
the fact Is otherwise.
Detained.