The Washington herald., 1914-03-16
BILL MAKES uncle SAM
. BENEFICENT COAL MAN
Government Would Strike Blow at
Living Cost in Representative
Taylor's Measure.
WOULD TAME THE MoNoPoLIEs

Uncle Sam may start In cracking mo-
nopoly and the cost Of living by assist
ing municipal ownership Of natural re-
sources II a bill reported favorably by
the Public Lands Committee Of the House
becomes law. Tne bill authorizes vir-
tuaily the gift OF go acres of government
coal lands to the city Of Grand Junction,
Colo. for mines to be operated by the
city for the benefit OF the residents Of the
city and county.
The measure was introduced first two
years ago by Representative Taylor, Of
Colorado. Its favorable report virtually
commits the Public Lands Committee to
the policy 1t involves. Taylor has an
ether measure authorizing the grant OF
similar lands to all Western cities where
The coal can be mined and distributed at
n saving to the citizens.
The bill provides that the Secretary Of
the Interior may sell to the city of Grand
Junction for the nominal cost of N-25 an
acre. $40 acres Of coal land within six
months from the passage Of the act upon
the following conditions:
That said city shall. within two years
from the approval OF this act. open a
workable vein of coal upon said land.
anu shdh oeNciOp
and operate practical coal mine thereon
for the purpose aforesaid; shall not as
sign or transfer said land or any interest
therein; shall comply with such rules and
regulations as may from time to time be
prescribed by the United States Bureau
of Mines and approved by the Secretary
OF the Interior for safeguarding the
health and safety Of the employees en-
gagged In mining or handling coal therein:
To- he
eral resources thereof; for securing full
reports from the city to the Secretary OF
the Interior as to the mining and disposal
of coal mined in said lands. including con-
struction, maintenance. and operation
costs. amounts used for municipal pur-
poses. amounts sold, purchasers and
amounts of receipts from sales: Pro-
vided. That IL said city shall at any time
neglect or fail to perform any of the con-
ditions aforesaid or any part thereof. and
shall continue such neglect or failure
after reasonable notice by the Secretary
of the Interior. the said land hereby
granted shall revert clear of all incum-
brances TO the government OF the United
States
Mr.. Taylor has been known as an anti
conservatiOnist. He has objected strenu-
cusly and publicly to the withdrawal Of
coal lands in his State from entry, max
hldCItSSlbit puEpOcto
State taxation. According to his esti-
mates. more than 50 per cent of the land
in Colorado is government owned. free
from taxation. In advocating this
measure. however. while II still keeps the
land in question from the tax rolls. he
urges il as a blow to the coal monopoly.
Three large corporations own virtually
all the privately owned coal lands in
Colorado" he said. AS a result of this
monopoly, residents of Grand Junction
now are paying more than S. ton for
coal which three years ago cost them a
little more than s.. Coal from the land
specified in my bill can be mined for
% cents a ton and transported for another
- cents. The citizens themselves will
see to il that they are not charged too
much for the coal.
Besides the direct effect the municipal
coal mine will have on their coal bills,
II will have a most salutary moral effect
upon the coal monopoly. The possibility
that every city in the State may have
its own coal mine should bring the pri-
vate corporations to a point where they
will be willing to accept only a fair MAJ
gin of profit. Inis is as much as could
be expected for the simple reason that
private concerns. particularly those with
large holdings, always will be able to
mine and distribute more cheaply than
individual municipalities.