Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-02-03

AL JUUhNAL, bALEM, OHE6ON, MO
attempt to estimate 1t has been lin
tied to single item. Professor
Brooks Of the United States Geologl-
cal Survey places value of seventeen
billions Of dollars upon the mineral
resources of the country alone, Of
which he sets down $15,5OO, 900, 900 to
the account Of coal deposits,
The coal land controversy has now
been running six years, and it stands
precisely where it did when it began
In 1906, President Roosevelt, acting
according to the theories of Mr.. Gift
ford Pinchot, and by arbitrary act,
withdrew all Alaskan coal lands from
entry, on the belief that privileges of
entry had been abused This order
had the effect of sealing up the Alas
kan coal fields, involving practical
qualification for the time being of one
OF the greatest resources with which
nature has endowed the country. But
for this order the Alaska syndicate
(Morgan-Guggenheim) long before
now, would have been operating the
coal field upon a large scale.
President Roosevelts act undoubt-
edly thwarted q large business pro-
ject on, the part Of men of colossal
wealth; likewise it thwarted and de-
layed the development of the country.
Those who hold extreme views, be-
lieving 1t to be better to hold great
resources in disuse rather than to
permit capital to make large profits
by their exploitation, approve this pol
ICY Those who hold that the utiliza-
tion Of natural resources-the devel-
opment Of the country-is the all
important consideration, regard this
policy as illogical, whimsical, and
stupid.
In direct conflict with the Roose-
velt policy stand the views of ex-
Secretary Ballinger, a much criticized
man, none the less man of high
intelligence and positive integrity. In
1909, Mr.. Ballinger urged that "the
most advantageous method for dis
position of the coal lands will be
found in a measure to authorize the
sale of the deposits in the lands. "
This in brief, is the traditional Amer
lean policy.
In 1910, Mr. Jacob schiff, not, I be-
lieve, a member of the Alaska Syndi-
cate, but a typical master of "Big
Business, after visit to Alaska, sur
prised the country with a suggestion
that Alaska's coal could be developed
under control Of United States COM
mission, something like the Interstate
Commerce Commission, body which
should determine how fast coal may
be taken out and timber cut what
royalty should be paid to the Govern
ment, and perhaps what per cent of
profits should be permitted to be made
by the promoters and corporations
who desire to work these resources. "
( A suggestion so radical from a source
so authoritative in the business world
has had a marked effect upon public
thought outside Alaska. It has in
dicated to many minds the practic-
ability of scheme Of government
ownership, with 4 actual exploitation
in private hands. The fact appears to
have been overlooked that Mr.. Schiffs
plan simply substitutes lease rights
for ownership rights, no great change
except in theory
The latest suggestion with respect
to the development of Alaskan coal
fields comes from Secretary Fisher,
having in it elements novel and dis
tinctly progressive" In an official
report Of 1911, Mr.. Fisher presents
as tentative suggestion a plan for
governmental construction of rail
roads connecting the coal fields with
tide water, leaving the development
OF individual mining properties to in
diyidual private capital, the whole to
be under the leasing system. Whether
or not this idea could be worked out
In effective practice is matter of
opinion. Frankly, I doubt It. | hold
to the old and tried theory that the
lbest results in any business calling