The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1912-02-08
URGES NEEDS OF
PUBLIC DOMAIN
Immediate Legislation Is I'm,
perative, Gays the Presi-
dent.
ASKS new LAWS FOR ALASKA

Rules Governing Acquisition Of Arid
or semi-Arid Lands Should Be
,Modified-commission on
'5a,s Cost Of Living.
Washington, Feb. "A special mes
ege- on the work of the interior de-
Atment and other matters was read
to Congress today.
To the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives: Eeg4 Sc
There is no branch of the Federal
Jurisdiction which calls more impera-
lively for immediate legislation than
that which concerns the public do
main, aud especially the part of that
domain which is in Alaska. &
The progress under the reclamation
act has made clear the defects of it's
limitations, which should be remedied.
The rules governing the acquisition
of: hOmesteads, of land that is not arid
or semi-arid. are not we'll adapted to
the perfecting of title to land made
arabic by government reclamation
work. L-a. t .ft
4 oncur with the Secretary of the
Interior in his recommendation that,
after entry is made upon land being
reclaimed, actual occupation as a
homestead of the same be not re-
CURED until two years after entry,
but that cultivation of the same shall
be required, and that the present pro-
vision under which the land is to be
paid for in ten annual installments
shall be SO modified as to allow a pat
ent issue for the land at the end of
fve years cultivation and three
years occupation, with a reservation
Of a government lien for the amount
of the unpaid purchase money. This
1eniency to the reclamation home
steader will relieve him from occupa-
ton at a time when the condition of
the, land makes it most burdensome
and difficult, and at the end of five
years will furnish him with a title
upon which he can borrow money and
continue the Improvement of his hold
ing.
also concur in the recommended
ton of the Secretary of the Interior
that all of our public domain should
be classified and that each class
should be disposed of or administered
in the manner most appropriate to
that. particular class.
Leasing of Government Lands.
The chief change, however, which
ought to he made, and which ! have
already recommended in previous
messages, and communications to con-
gress. is that by which government
coal land and phosphate and other
mineral lands containing non-metal-
liferous minerals, shall be leased by
the government, with restrictions as
to size and time, resembling those
which now obtain throughout the
country between the owners in fee
and the lessees who work the mines,
and in leases like those which have
been most successful in Australia,
New Zealand, and Nova Scotia. The
showing made by Investigations into
b successful WORKING of the leasing
system leaves no doubt as to it's wis.
dom and practical utility. REQUIRE.
ments as to the working of the mine
during the term may be so framed
as to prevent any holding of large
mining properties merely for specula.
ton. while the royalties may be made
sufficiently low, not unduly to in.
crease the cost of the coal mined, and
at the same time sufficient to furnish
a reasonable income for the use OF
the public in the community where
the mining goes on. In Alaska, there
Is no reason why a substantial income
should not thus be raised for such
public works as may be deemed
necessary or useful.
Would Build Trunk Line Railroad.
! am not in favor of government
ownership where the same certainty
m efficiency Of service car be had
by private enterprise, but l think the
conditions presented in Alaska are O
such. a character as to warrant the
government. for the purpose of en-
c%ouraging the development of tina,
vast and remarkable territory, tc
build and own a trunk line railroad
which it "a lease on terms which
may be varied and changed to meet
the growing prosperity and develop
ment Of the territory.
have already recommended tc
Congress the establishment of a form
4 of commission government for Alas
'ka. The territory is too extended, it,
needs are too varied, and its distance
from Washington too remote to en-
able Congress to keep up with it.
necessities in the matter of legisla
ton of a local character.
The governor of Alaska in his re
port points out certain laws tina
ought to be adopted, and emphasizes