The Washington times., 1914-10-06
DON'T MAKE THIS MIS-
TAKE!

A few weeks ago The Times voiced
its first protest against the waste
and the folly of the river and harbor
grab. 1t seemed hopeless, but the
event has proved that the present
Congress is willing to respond to ap-
peals which are justified and sup,
ported by facts.
Today The Times appeals to the
Congress to stop, look, and listen,
before it passes the Alaska bill now
pending before it.
The Times doesn't care whether
the passage or the defeat of this
measure may make political capital
for one party or the other.
1t does wish that Alaska may be
saved. 1t devoutly hopes that this
Congress may be saved from a mis-
take that would sadly mar its record
Of accomplishment.
There are very large number of
men in Congress today who do not
know the Alaska question.
They were not there when Alaska
was the issue that split the old Re-
Publican party and opened the way
for Democracy to come into power.
They have need TO understand just
what they are voting on before they
commit themselves, their party, their
country, to a program that will undo
much of what has been gained in the
fight between the looters and the
people.
All The Times asks of Congress-
men and Senators is that they take
The trouble to KNOW JUST WHAT
THIS MEASURE MEANS.
After that, if they vote to COM
plete the work of the Ballinger
regime i'll the Interior Department:
if they vote to restore the Cunning
ham claims to claimants who have
been overruled; if tLey legislate
Alaska's great natural wealth into
the possession of the grabbers---then
it will be time to talk about political
consequences.
No man in Congress knows this
Alaska question better than Mr.. Len
root of Wisconsin. Lenroot has the
facts, and he has the confidence of
the country. lie Is one of tine House
conferees on the pending bill. Here
is what he says:
The main purpose of the Senate in
passing this bill seems TO have been. not
to develop Alaska, but to give the Gug
genhcim-CunninShaln claimants another
chance to grab 1t.
The bill providcs that all leases shall
be subject to valid existing rights" and
then throws open the doors of the dis
trict count of Alaska Cor suits against
the United States TO determine their
rights after it has leased the coal The
result would be no coal lands would
lie leased at all except to these various
claimants. for anyone else. instead of
securing a lease. would be buying a law
suit.
But the effort to relieve the Cum
ninghanI and other claimants does not
stop here. The bill authorizes the Sec
retary to compromise with them, pay
the mbacl- the money thay have paid
in. snd issue to them leases, without
competitive bidding. IN preference to
any ether applicants.
Finally. to insure the giving away Of
Alaska. the bill fixes 4 maximum roy
ally upon the coal mined of 8 cents per
ton. When it Is remembered that the
GugSenheim syndicate actually made
contract with the Cunningham claim
ants for a royalty equal to 80 cents per
ton, VIC see how little rer.-G .hn Demo
cratic Senate has for t,Iz nuhlic interest
The Democratic cam0aign book boasts
OF tho Alaska bill as 4 Democratic tri-
runph. and as great conservation
measure. AS it passed the House 1t was
a measure in the public interest, due
in no small measure to the active part
that Republican and Progressive mem
hers took in making IT So As the bill
cratic product and reveals what the
Democrats in the Senate will do when
ever they get the opportunity.
The Times regrets that Mr.. Len
root should lie quoted as making po-
litical capital of this situation. He
is not fair when he says the bill as
it passed the Senate is purely a
Democratic product" 1t is in some
important parts, at least, the work
Of Senator Reed Smoot, who comes
as near to being the Republican
leader as any man there, despite
that he doesn't wear the title.
But that is beside the que estion. The
Times doesn't care whether reac-
tionary Republicans or reactiorary
Democrats are responsible for the
bad in this bill. 1t does know that
there are vicious features, and that
they should he taken out before the
bill is allowed to pass.
1t is very certain tha5 this meas
ure would not be allowed to pass if
Congress fully understood these fea-
tJres.
All The Times asks is that every
body who will have 70 vote on any
conference report on this Alaska coal
leasing measure shall inform himself
in detail about the bill, and be ready
to take the consequences.
The bill is bad; it is full cf jok-
ers; it is not a bill WORTHY of the