Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-12-25
SECRETARY LANE
MAKES HIS REPORT
OUTLINES BROAD POLICY FOR
CONSERVATION OF THE
U. S. RESOURCES
DOCUMENT is UNIQUE
Suggestions for Actions Are Given
But Official Makes No Flat
Recommendations
in the List

Washington, D. c., Dec. 24.-Witt
bold strokes Franklin x. Lane, secre
tary of the interior, yesterday outlined
in his annual report to the president
a broad policy in the conservation OF
the vast natural resources of the
United States which yet lie within the
regulatory powers of the government
and pointed to the important results
that may be achieved through the de-
velopment of these resources under
proper supervision:
Comparatively, the report is brief. It
likewise, is wholly unique, in that 1t
contains not single recommendation.
Suggestions for action, which Secre-
tary Lane observes emphatically is
what the country desires and needs,
are numerous; but he prefers to pro-
pose general policies to the making OF
fiat recommendations
Two notable and interesting predic-
tons are indicated rather than made
in the report One is that the time is
not far distant when coal Of too low
a grade Ito stand storage or transpor-
tation will be converted into electric
ly distributed for lighting, heat and
power; the other, that the gigantic
force now wasting itself in the rivers
dams as to provide heat, light and
generation l believe the people will
be as alive to the value of public own
ership of hydro-electric power plants
! 70 ri w.
ed waterworks."
In the opening lines of the report.
Secretary Lane takes up a serious sit
uation which obtains in a great sec
ton of the country. There exists a
feeling in the west" says he. that it's
affairs and needs have not been given
that consideration at the hands of the
national government which they merit
This feeling is not confined to specula-
tors or exploiters 1t is the sentiment
Of many who are without selfish mo-
tives and regard the matter wholly
from the standpoint of national
growth.
There is one very simple explana-
ton for the existence of this feeling.
We have adventured upon new pol
| icy of administering our affairs and
!
cry. We have called halt on meth
DDS of spoliation which existed, to the
great benefit of many, but we have fail
full, and progressive by which the nor
NAL enterprise of an ambitious people
can make full use of their own re-
sources. We abruptly closed oppor-
tunities to the monopolist, but did not
tn no
The land policy put into force, he
says. caused dismay and discomfort"
The congress had been most generous
/ in it's disposition of the public lands.
They were given to the railroads and
to the states. To classify them was
too difficult task. They would clas-
SHY themselves when they arrived in
individual ownership. And so the
| door AS opened for monopoly and for
fraud"
ii the government did not apprec-
late the invaluable nature Of it's as
sets there were men who did. The
nation wanted home makers, but found
it's lands drifting into the hands of
corporations, which were withdrawing
them from the market. A reaction was
Inevitable. If lands were to be with
drawn from public service, why might
rot the government do the withdraw
ing itself?'
Have New Policy.
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,
Il believe the west is now reconciled.
II tn
the hazards of the land is land policy
But 1t does ask action. Already the
congress has recognized the opposite
ness of this policy, hut it is for your
self and congress further to extend
this thought into our legislation.
"The largest body of unused and
neglected land in the United States is
Alaska. In the forty-six years inter-
vening since it's purchase we have CIV
en- it little more than the most casual
concern, yet it's mines, fisheries and
furs alone have added to our wealth
the grand sum of $5OO,O00,OOO. For al
most a generation it was the rich har-
vest field of a single company. Ind
vidual fortunes have been made in
that country larger than the price paid
to Russia for the whole territory. 1t
100000 acres of this land that will
make homes for a people as sturdy as
those of New England. Wether this
Is so or not, it would appear that
Alaska can be made self-sustaining
agriculturally.
This vast and unsurpassed asset
lies almost undeveloped. A territory
one-fifth the size of the United States
contains less than a thousand miles of
anything that can be called a wagon
road
This unfortunate condition." in
Secretary Lanes Judgment, is not due
to 1.-The inhospitality of the Alaska
climate" because some Of south
eastern Alaska has a climate more
temperate and more euuable than that
of the city Of Washington, while much
of the greater portion of the north has
kindlier climate than Stockholm or
ST. Petersburg. There is more rail
road building 500 miles north of the
Canadian border than there is for the /
same distance south of it.