The Nome daily nugget., 1914-04-01

The rspDft of Mir Franklin K. Lane
 ss secretary pf the intsTt0T. for th'
 fs1at year that ended June 2s Last
 nax recently made public. IG iS d strsiYh'FnrWard readable brief, YathAi han the usual drT and formal depaF4 rnehtai dncumsnt The secretary ha' Tad ths r01d s%nss to concentrate hI' attention Up0n one Of ths groups 1i qgHs'inns now before his departnsnt .nd he has presented his recommend a,lnns and the argument for them Nn simply. as to increase greatly the otanrsa fnr securing favorable con- grsssnnal action. Many phases of the problem oF further disposition os the Dgb!y iAndA which Is WhA, chiefly 'rHesrrs the secretary, have been the ,isgs@ If al1gte and afTiA rnntrvYerHy
 : -smb@r are even now litter nKhi- .EY TyrsA1. and Tst t ia falr tJ say "a, already diaSTsness Of opinion are H.aapp%arfHE. and thsVe is undoubted .
 2 ssfacient aGTesn.ent as to policy warrant rnagTsas settling al lssA, few Hf 'h@ many vezs1 question We bela%Vs 'kAt NF Lane zbs3- IgfsF1 r1GEt ~hEu kA 4aya. and thE :'al..s are kis ."-Th@ West no longer .FTs@ 2 rs+9Tn to ,h@ hAz&r4s pf ,he '-sn1 fs la.T r1sle1. B9, R s1es ask s<1AAA We sinesFssy h1p@ thzi %rtn1Kh .F th4 spirit oT fair carnprr- m!s@ may nbtAla at Washington thia winter th permit d44sFminaiion pf a, least the rnors pressing nAttsTn
 Speaking In general terms the sec- rataT7 favors a leasing system for the cr1l lands. not only 0f Alaska but of the rest of the United States. and for he oil. phosphate. and potash lands. Further than that he does not go, and h thlS we believe him wise. What may be proper as to further diaposi- tion Of other mineral lands no one an certainly say at this time. but ns regards coal. oil. phosphate. and p"ii Eh lands. there is sufficient knowi- edge tO permit intelligent action. Our own Jews regarding this are too we'll known t0 require lengthy re-stAte- Fnsnt. While not prepared to endorse ''' cry detail of the secretAry'a pro- i.f E"h form of lease we heartily favor 'he general plan, and we have no fear ony blll which gets past congress will not be sufncisntly liberal. Tn later numbers we shall speak of particular proposals.
 Another of the recommendations made by the secretary ls that the various activities of the United States government in Alaska Do placed under the charge Of single board or com mission and that this board be given large freedom of action. AS he truly say. there can be no satisfactory ad of land laws. or any other laws. at distance of 5000 miles from the point of action. Tho eye that sees the need should be near the voice that gives the order" It will be re. that Mir. Taft, when presI- dent. favored commission form of government for Alaska and that his raised storm of dissent. Hincc then an elective government fhs been constituted for tho territory and to 1t has been delegated the local pt lnicGl power. As we understand Mir. TDanS's suggestion. what is now pi opposed Is fl board of directors to the property in Alaska that belongs tO the United States. There is m important difference and, while there would seem to be room for much friction between such board and the local legislature. the proposal merits careful consideration. Certainly there Is need for bringing the administra- ton closer to tho local needs of the people. and. without pretending any great sympathy for the black bear which is in the care of o,.e depart m'nt while tho brown bear is in an- other" wo arc quite prepared to agree that tho organization of admInistra- ton in Alaska could Do greatly im- proved.
 AS fl whole tho report Is 6 plea for iho west; demand that means be found without undue sacrifice of na,] tional interests to permit the contlh- uance of tho great work of building tfcre homes for the people of the nhtion. It Is written by man who honors md loves tho west. and 1t rings true.-Minins and scnentinc Press.
 The Cleveland Leader "disagrees