The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-12-24

IhousLI' and my conclusion is that If
We are to bring Alaska into he early
ana ull realization Of her possibilities
we must create a new piece of govern
mental machinery for the purpose. We
should undertake the work in the
spirit and after the method of a great
corporation wishing to develop a
large territory. In my Judgment the
way to deal with the problem of
Alaskan resources is to establish a
board OF directors to have this work in
charge. Into the hands of this board
or commission 1 would give all the
national assets in that territory, to be
used primarily for her Improvement
her lands, fisheries, Indians. Eskjmos,
seals, forests, mines waterways, rail-
roads-all that the nation owns. cares
for' controls, or regulates. Congress
should determine In broad outline the
pollcles which this board in a. liberal
discretion should elaborate and ad-
minister, much as is done as to the
Philippines. This board would of
course have nothing whatever to do
with h internal affairs of the
organized territory Of Alaska. for it
would exercise no powers save such
as ngres granted over the property
OF the United States in Alaska"
In concluding his s for the
creation of such conservation machin-
cry for Alaska. Secretary Lane saws.
In short, I would construct the ad-
min~istrative machinery thai would
most surely lead to a prompt and con-
tlnuous development of Alaska as a
part Of the United States upon a
plane commensurate with her p~ossibiI-
tiles industrially, agriculturally, and
socially. ~
Alaska should not. in M 1udg-
ment, be regarded as a mere store
mouse or 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 ex-
extended commerce.
strongly as I would urge, this
method of management-for 1t offers
a rare opportunity to exhibit the EN-
cheney Of a republic would not have
Alaska wait for needed legislation UNI
Til the merits of UGH a plan could be
passed upon by congress. Those
things which appeal TO be as Of imme-
date necessity upon which indepen-
dent action may De taken are % the
construction of railroads in the terri
lands
Secretary Lane expressed the opin-
ion that privately owned railroads
would not be constructed in Alaska
for many years, except as adjuncts to
private enterprises. He regards II
wise, therefore. for the government to
undertake their building.
The rates and service of such rail-
roads should be fixed with reference
to Alaskan develupment-not with re.
gard to immediate returns. The
charges fixed should be lower for years
to come than would justify private
Investment" Alaskan railroads are 70
be built. he says, to create a COM
monwealth. If this is our task. il
should be done whole heartedly and
with a consciousness that the dollar
spent today 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 con-
structed by individuals as feeders or
tap ines of the government roads
should be under governmental super
vision, capitalized and operated under
the strictest regulation and be at. anv
time subject to purchase by the gov
eminent.
Discussing the coal of
Alaska, Secretary Lane declares the
fields should be opened not to specu-
iator5, but to operators. None should
be opened al a basis for a gamble in
future values" In his judgment they
may be turned over safely to the pub-
lie under a leasing and royalty system
similar to that under which the stat.
of Minnesota leases its ore lands and
the states of Montana and Colorado
their coal lands. TIs adds that the
money received might be used in the
development eff the count,y and that
n large BODY of coal land in eacn field
be reserved for the nayy in time Of
lnesd,
Vigorous suggestions looking to the
conservative development OF the coal
lands Of the west are made by Secre-
itary Lane. ut is certainly not for fine
public interest the report says, chat
our coal deposits shall be opened
rapidly and ruthlessly. can not
feel, however, that we should sacrifice
amy present need for fuel or willing
nv surrender ourselves to 4 demand for
exorhitant prices because of a fear
that some day the coal supply MAY be
exhausted. Already there has been
/! developed a substitute for coal in the