The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1914-06-06
rison, so it is reported. said: THAT
will do for today"
overstepoed His Authority.


overstepped His Authority.
The army officer walked out or the
office, and then Mr.. Garrison took up
the law governing the appointments
to the work Of railroad construction.
He found that 1t gave the president
authority to designate for the work
civilian engineers or officers OF the
engineer corps Of the army. Inc
president had been within his r1ghts
when he named Mr.. Edes as chlei
engineer at Mr.. Lanes request. he
had no more authority than a corner
groceryman to name Lieutenant
Mears, for the army appointments
were restricted specifically to the en-
gineer corps. and Mears is a 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 mlnd
his burglarizing the war department
but when he did It he wished ne
would wake I'D the Waterman.
President Wilson was informed ne
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 abo&t. 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 a civilian engineer and by cav
airy officer of the United States army
Advised by Colonel Cocktails.
1t is pretty we'll known that COL
George w. Cocktails. governor OF the
Panama canal zone, was MIR. 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-.
liminary survey. and that later IL
necessary. the work should be turned
over to the army engineers. Coionei
Goethals requested the appointment
of the young cavalry officer. Mears' u
: the work in Alaska.
1t is a mystery In Washington why
Colonel Goethals wished to have the
first Alaska work done by civilians
It is certain as things can be that II
, the work had been given to the army
: engineers at once they would nave
been kept on the job until the railroad
: was completed. Is 1t possible tna
q when the governor Of the Panama
2 canal zone retires from that office ~
. | would like to take up the work o
n railroad construction In Alaska In be
r half Of the government?
9 Lanes Conservation Program.
Il After President Wilson had out
lined his program Of legislation anotf
y er program fathered by Secretary Q
the Interior Lane appeared in tn
: legislative field. 1t did not clash !
. any way with that Of the preslden
- and It can be taken for granted tina
1t has Mr.. Wilson's sanction. M
|
as that Of his chief. and to the local
a. ties and parties concerned Is perhaI
much more important and pressing
- The legislative program OF the seer
tary of the interior Is a conservatlo
program and its items are as follows
m Bill affecting water power on publ
40 lands. Alaskan coal leasing bill, ge
No eral leasing bill for oil. coal and pho
phates in the United States, extensic
.. of time on irrigation projects. radiu
IN bill.
N. The bill authorizing the leasing
at Alaskan coal lands Is farther advance
ru than any Of the others and seeming
he stands an excellent chance OF passa
he at this session. 1t has been favorap
i'm reported by the house and senate CO..
,ly mittees on public lands and Is now
In the calendar in both houses.
Alaska Coal Lands Bill.
Under this bill the secretary OF
ur- interior is authorized to lease In are
Is Of 40 acres or multiples thereof up
MT. $50 acres. In the fields Of Boring a
er, Matanuska. whose values are kno'
av- and which lie near the coast, OF
ny. small tracts will be leased. In the j
grade coal areas OF the interior lart
&C. tracts. 1t is held by the secretary. c
en- be leased with safety and propriety
&c Railroads are not to be allowed
I'M take leases for commercial purpos
as although they will be allowed to m
o'h coal for their own use. Two sectit
ny of the bill prevent lessees from I'M
locking or owning an interest In OF
leases.
.on The secretary Of the interior ie
n' thorized to lease the coal deposits
arately, retaining the surface area
agriculture when 1t Is deemed ad
On able.
The house committee on pu
lands has ordered a favorable rel
o.. on the general leasing bill for OIL C
gas, phosphate. potassium or sod
.- deposits. This measure Is still un
tha consideration in the senate com
der tee.
The bill allowing the extension
or. time on irrigation projects has b
nv favorably reported to the senate an
q, now under consideration In the he