Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-12-24
Resources Of Nation
Are Briefly Outlined
(Continned from Page one.

Continued from Page One.)
day to mnnfcipally-owned water:
works"
III the opening lines OF the report,
Secretary LaneStakes up q serious
situation which obtains in a great sec.
tion OF the country. There exists a
feeling in the west says he, shat
it's affairs and needs have not been
given that consideration at the hands
OF the national government which
they merit. This feeling "A not
confined to spectators or exploiters..
1t is the sentiment of many who are
without selfish motive and regard the
matter wholly from the standpoint Of
national growth ~.
More Consideration Needed.
There is h very simple explana.
ton for the existence Of this feeling.
We have adventnred upon a new pol
icy of administering Our affairs and
have not developed adequate machin-
cry. We have called a halt on meth
DDS OF spoliatt0n which existed. to
the great benefit Of many, hut we
have failed to. substitute methods,
sane, healthful and progressive, by
which the normal enterprise Of an
ambitious people can make fnll use
Of their own resOalrces. We abruptly
closed opportunities to the monopo.
list, but did not open them to the
developer"
The land policy put into force, he
says. caused dismay and discon.
tent" The congress had been most
generous in it's disposition of the pub.
lie lands. They were given to the
railroads and to the states. To elias.
tsify them was, too difficult a task.
"They would classify themselves
when they arrived in individual own.
ership. And SO the door was opened
for monopoly and for fraud"
-ts"If the government did not appre.
ciate the invaluable nature of its as.
sets there were men who did. The
nation wanted home makers, but
found its lands drifting into the
hands of corporations, which we're
Withdrawing them from the market.
A reaction was inevitable. If lands
were to be withdrawn from public
service. why might not the govern
ment do the withdrawing itself?"
A new policy was evolved, the sec
rotary pointed out--that of using the
land for the purpose to which it is
best fitted. ITO this policy" he says,
II believe the west is now reconciled.
The west no longer urged q return to
the hazards of the land is land pol
Icy. But it does ask action. Already
the congresa4 has recognized the
appositeness of this policy, but it is
for yourself and congress further to
extend this thought into our legisla-
ton.
Neglected Land In Alaska.
The slargest body of unused and
neglected land in the United States
IS Alaska" In the 46 years inter-
vening since it's purchase, Eve have
given it little more than the most
casual concern, yet its mines, fisher
les and furs alone have added to our
wealth the grand sun of 100000, 200.
For almost a generation it was the
rich harvest field of a single company.
Individual fortunes have been made
in that country larger than the price
paid to Russia for the whole terri
tory. 1t has been estimated that
there are 81 ,000,O0O acres Of this land
that will make homes for a people
as sturdy as those of New England.
!" neither this is so or not, 1t would
appear that Alaska can be made self
sustaining agriculture ly.
This vast and unsurpassed asset
lies almost u%ndeveloped. A territory
|One-fifth the size Of the United States
contains less than a thousand miles
Of anything that can be called a wag-
on road"
This unfortunate condition in
Secretary Lanes Judgment, not due
to "the inhospitality Of the Alaska
climate" because "some of southeast.
ern Alaska has a climare more tenn
|perate and more equable than that
of the city of Washington, while
much of the greater portion Of tie
north has a kindl.er climate than
Stockholm or st. Petersburg. There
is more railroad building 500 miles
north of the Canadian border than
there is for the same distance south
of it.
"Why has not this land been devcl-
Aoped? The frank answer is that we
did not realize Until within a few
years that it was worth developing.
AS soon as we discovered its value
as q national asset we became alarm.