The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1912-02-08


States owes 1t, therefore, to Alaska, !
and to the people who have gone |
there, to take an exceptional step and |
to build a railroad that shall open the |
treasures Of Alaska to the Pacific |
and to the people who live along that |
ocean on our western coast. The |
construction of a railroad and owner |
ship of the fee do not necessitate gov
eminent operation. Pursuant, how
ever, to the Recommendation Of the
Secretary of the Interior, suggest to
Congress the wisdom Of providing that
the President may appoint commits
sion of competent persons, including
two army engineers, to examine and
report upon the available routes for
a railroad from Seward to the Mata-
nuska coal fields and into the Tanana
and Yukon valleys, with an estimate
of the value of the existing partially
constructed railroad and of the cost
OF continuing the railroad to the prop
er points in the valleys named. This
| proposal is further justified by the
need that the navy Of the United
States has for a secure coaling base
in the North Pacific The commission
ought to make a full report also as to
| the character Of the coal fields at
Matatnuska, and the problem Of fur
nishing coal from that source for mer-
camille purposes after reserving for
government mining sufficient guam
'tity for the navy.
oil m
! Congress the establishment Of form
| of commission government for Alas
ka The territory is too extended. its
needs are too varied, and It's distance
from Washington too remote to en-
able Congress to keep up with It's
necessities in the matter Of legisla-
ton of a local character.
The governor of Alaska in his re-
port points out certain laws that
ought to be adopted, and emphasizes
| what I have said as to the immediate
| need for a government of much wider
powers than now exists there, II It
can be said to have any government
at ALL
Lower Colorado River.
There is transmitted herewith a
letter from the Secretary Of the In
terror setting out the work done I'M
der joint resolution approved June %,
1910, authorizing the expenditure Of
81 100000, or SO much thereof as
might be necessary, to be expended
by the President for the purpose Of
protecting lands and property in the
Imperial valley and elsewhere along
the Colorado river in Arizona. The
money was expended and the protec-
tive works erected, but the disturb
ances in Mexico so delayed the work,
and the floods In the Colorado river
were so extensive that a part Of the
works have been carried away, and
the need for further action and eX-
penditure of money exists. l do not
present, for the reason that the plan
to be adopted for the betterment OF
conditions near the mouth of the
Colorado river proves to be so de.
pendent on a free and full agreement
between the government of Mexico
and the government Of the United
States as to joint expenditure and
joint use that 1t is unwise to move
until we can obtain some agreement
with that government which will en-,
able us to submit to Congress larger
plan, better adapted to the exigencies
presented than the one adopted. 1t
Is essential that we act promptly,
and through the State department the
matter is being pressed upon the at.
tention Of the Mexican government.
Water-Power Sites.
In previous communications to Con
gress 7 have pointed out two methods
by which the water-power sites on
non.navigable streams may be con.
trolled as between the state and the
national government. 1t has seemed
wise that the control should be con-
centrated In one government or the
other as the active participant in
supervising it's use by private enter
prise. In most cases where the gov.
eminent owns what are called water
power sites along non-navigable
streams, which are really riparian
lots, without which the power in the
stream can not be used, we have a
situation as to ownership that may be
described IS follows: The Federal
government has land without which
the power in the stream can not be
transmitted into electricity and ap
piled at a distance. while 1t is claimed
that the state, under the law of wa
ters as II prevails in many OF our
western states, controls the use OF
the water and gives the beneficial
use to the first and continuous user
In order to secure proper care by the
state governments over these sources
OF power, 1t has been proposed that
the government shall deed the water
power site to the state on condition
that the site and all the plant upon
1t shall revert to the government UNI
less the state parts with the site only
by lease, the terms of which 1t en-
forces and which requires a re
valuation Of the rental every ten
years. the full term to last not more
than fifty years. A failure of the
state to make and enforce such leases
would enable the government by IN
action OF forfeiture TO recover the
| mower sites and all Dlants that might