Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1914-05-29

~A6AASSA SOIpS Oh the aTAny AO
president had been within his rights
when he named Mr.. Edes as chief
engineer at Mr.. Lanes request. He
had no more authority than a corner
groceryman to name Lieutenant
Mears, for the army appointments
We're restricted specifically to the en-
gineer corps, and Mears is cavalry
officer.
1t is currently reported in Washing
ton that Secretary of War Garrison
went to Secretary Of the Interior Lane
and told him in effect he did not mind
his burglarizing the war department.
but when he did 1t he wished he
would wake up the Waterman.
President Wilson was informed he
had appointed an army officer to work
In Alaska whom he had no business
to appoint. The law was as plain as
the shortest of the Ten Command
ments. There was a quick consulta-
ton and a great hustling about. A
new law was necessary and congress
was asked to pass a joint resolution
giving the president specific authority
to appoint any army officer he chose.
This has been done and so it is that
the advance work is to be carried out
by civilian engineer and by cav
airy officer of the United States army.
Advised by Colonel COCKTAILS
1t is pretty we'll known taat Col.
George w. Goethals. governor of the
Panama canal zone, was Mr.. Lanes
adviser in the matter of appointments
to the work in Alaska. Colonel Goeth-
ais seemed to think that it would be
wise to have a civilian make the pre-
lminary survey, and that later, IL
necessary, the work should be turned
over to the army engineers. Colonel
Cocktails requested the appointment
of the young cavalry officer. Mears. to
the work in Alaska.
i 1t is a mystery in Washington why
| Colonel Goethals wished to have the
first Alaska work done by civilians.
the work had been given to the army
engineers at once they would have
been kept on the job until the railroad
was completed. Is it possible that
when the governor of the Panama
canal zone retires from that office he
would like to take up the work OF
railroad construction in Alaska in be
half of the government?
Lanes Conservation Program.
After President Wilson had out
lined his program of legislation anoth
er program fathered by Secretary OF
the Interior Lane appeared in the
legislative field. 1t did not clash in
any way with that of the president
and it can be taken for granted that
| it has Mr. Wilson's sanction. Mr.
Lanes scheme is as comprehensive
as that of his chief. and to the local.
ties and parties concerned is perhaps
much more important and pressing.
The legislative program of the secre
tary of the interior is conservation
program and its items are as follows:
Bill affecting water power on public
lands, Alaskan coal leasing bill, gen
eral leasing bill for oil, coal and phos
pilates in the United States, extension
of time on irrigation projects, radium
bill
The bill authorizing the leasing Of
Alaskan coal lands is farther advanced
than any of the others and seemingly
stands an excellent chance of passage
at this session. 1t has been favorably
reported by the house and senate com
mittees on public lands and is now or
the calendar in both houses. 1t is a
complementary measure to the one au
thorizing the building of the govern
ment-owned railroad in the territory
Its intention is to doyetail with the
railroad bill and to help to oper
Alaska
Alaska Coal Lands Bill.
Under this bill the secretary of the
interior is authorized to lease in areas
of 40 acres or multiples thereof up tc
| 9 Se0 onrao In tho fields 0f poT-in0 a 4