Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-12-25

establish a board Of directors to have
this work in charge. Into the hands of
this board or commission / would give all
the national assets in that territory, to
be used primarily for her Improvement,
her lands, fisheries Indians, Eskimos,
seals, forests, mines, waterways, rail
roads, all that the nation owns, cares for.
controls, or regulates Congress should
determine in broad outline the policies
which this board In a liberal discretion
should elaborate and administer, much
as is done as to the Philippines. This
board would Of course have nothing what
soever to do with the internal affairs of
the organized Territory Of Alaska, for Il
would exercise no powers save such as
Congress granted over the property of
the United States in Alaska"
In conclusion his reasons for the crea-
ton of such conservation machinery for
Alaska, Secretary Lane says:
In short, I would construct the admin
istratve machinery that would most
surely lead to prompt and continuous
development of Alaska as n part of the
/ =
rate with her possibilities industrially.
agr1culturally. and socially.
Alaska should not in my Judgment. be
regarded as mere storehouse Of resour-
ces upon which the people OF the States
may draw. She has the potentialities OF
a state. And whatever policy may be
adopted should look toward an Alaska
Of homes, of industries and Of an extend
ed commerce
strongly as ! would urge this method
of management-for it offers rare op-
portunity to exhibit the efficiency of n
republic, I would not have Alaska wait
for needed Legislation until the merits
of such a plan could be passed upon by
Congress Those things which appeal to
me as of immediate necessity upon which
| independent action may be taken are
% the construction of railroads in the
Territory and 2) the opening Of her coal
lands"
GOVERNMENT RAILROADS WISE
Secretary Lane expresses the opinion
that privately owned railroads would not
be constructed in Alaska for many years
except as adjuncts to private enter
prises He regards II wise, therefore. for
the government to undertake their build
ing.
The rates and service of such rail-
roads should be fixed with reference to
Alaskan development. not with regard
to immediate returns. The charges fixed
should be lower for years to come than
would justify private investment"
Alaskan railroads are to be built. he
says, to create a commonwealth. II
this is our task, 1t should be done whole
heartedly and with a consciousness that
the dollar spent to-day on an Alaskan
| railroad will yield no more immediate
return on the investment than the dollar
spent on the Panama canal"
Such railroads as may be constructed
by individuals as feeders or tap lines
Of the government roads should be 'un-
der governmental supervision. capitalized
and operated under the strictest regula-
ton and be at any time subject to pur-
chase by the government"
Discussing the coal resources of Ala ska,
Secretary Lane declares the fields should
be opened not to spectators, but to oper-
ators. Those should have these lands who
will use them. None should be opened as
basis for n gamble in future values"
III lHtN HEty DE tuIHeu over
safely to the public under a leasing and
royalty system similar to that under
which the Stateof Minnesota leases its ore
lands and the States of Montana and Col
orado their coal lands. He adds that the
money received might be used in the
development of the country and that a
large body of coal land in each field he
reserved for the navy in time Of need
Vigorous suggestions looking to the con-
servative development of the coal lands
OF the West are made by Secretary Lane.
1T is certainly not for the public inter-
est" the report says. that our coal de-
posts shall be opened rapidly and ruth
lessly. I can not feel, however. that we
should sacrifice any present need for fuel
or willingly surrender ourselves to de-
mand for exorbtant prices because of a
fear that some day the coal supply may
be exhausted.
WATER GREAT CONSERvATOR
Already there has been developed a SUI
stitute for coal in the flowing stream. The
turbine converts melted snow into heat
and light, which can be distributed over
a constantly widening area, l think We
have now arrived at that point in scien-
'ilIc dtilieN cNieilt winch JustlneS the De-
lief that the wheels OF industry will not
cease. Lor our houses go unlighted or
uheated, so long as dams may be built
upon our streams. Water will be- indeed
already is, the greatest conservator OF
coal
we must seek to make use Of our
coal. the fullest use that society requires.
This principle seems a trusm. But here
hes the difficulty. We wish cheap coal
and at the same time minimum of
waste, We wish society to take the
lions share of the profit and Yield no
more to the operator than will make his
work sufficiently attractive TO keeI him
at 1t. In short we desire competition
without waste a frank impossibility.
"Other countries have wrested with
this problem. Some have gone into gov
eminent operation. But those who are
nearest to us in institutions and
tendencies have found that In a new
country where there must be large de-
velopment and higher rewards for on
teiprise the safest practicable methods
il to lease the land, the government ;ak-
ing a modest royalty and retaining some
measure of control over operation"
Similar suggestions are offered as To
the development of petroleum. phosphate
such deposits ought to be developed UNI
der the leasing system, as in the case
OF coal the government rescrving neces-
sary supplies.
ENCOURAGE SEARCH FOR OIL.