Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1914-05-29

e4sa.lan engineers or officers os +ha
enslnser corps Of the army Tha
p.eSiuent had been within hta rtg,,..
wnen ne named Mr.. Edas g ob.a,
snsineer at Mr.. Lanes request He
uau no more authority than a corner
sroceryman to name Lieutenant
nes' Tor the army appointments
$50 restricted specifically to the en-.
officer. - 'Asaiis
= currently reported In Washing
ION tnat Secretary Of War Garrison
"ent 70 Secretary of the Interior Lane
ana told him in effect he did not mind
us Durgiarizing the war department.
Dut when he did it he wished he
would wake up the watchman
PRESIDENT Wilson was informed be
nao appointed an army officer to work
"a Alaska whom he had no business
20 appoint. The law was as plain as
the shortest of the Ten Command.
inents. There was quick consulta-
tlon and great hustling about
new law was necessary and congress
was asked to pass a joint resolution
giving the president specific authority
% appoint any army officer he chose
his has been done and so it is that
the advance work is to be carried out
by civilian engineer and by q cav
airy onncer of the United States army.
AdVlsed by Colonel Goethals.
1t is pretty we'll known that Col.
George w. Cocktails, 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-
nmlnary survey, and that later, il
necessary, the work should be turned
over to the army engineers Colonel
Goetnals requested the appointment
OF the young cavalry officer Mears, to
the work in Alaska.
1t is mystery in Washington why
Colonel Goethals wished to have the
tlrst Alaska work done by civilians.
1T Is certain as things can be that If
the work had been given to the army
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
I lined his program of legislation anoth-
er program fathered by Secretary of
legislative field. It 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 a 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
/ =, oyad 70
mittees on public lands and is now on
| the calendar in both houses. 1t Is
complementary measure to the one au-
thorizing the building of the govern
ment-owned railroad in the territory.
It's intention is to dovetail with the
railroad bill and to help to open
| 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 to
$3.50 acres. In the fields Of Boring and
| Matanuska. whose values are known
and which lie near the coast, only
small tracts will be leased. In the low
Grade coal areas of the interior larger
| tracts. 1t is held by the secretary, can
be leased with safety and propriety.
Railroads are not to be allowed 10
take leases for commercial purposes
although they will be allowed to mine
coal for their own use. Two sections
Of the bill prevent lessees from inter
locking or owning an interest In other
leases Forfeitures are provided ano
penalties imposed. There is ten-acre
provision in one Of the bills sections
for the purpose of aiding small miners,
bomesteaders and some others in the
development of Alaska, but the per
mits are only temporary
The secretary of the interior Is au"
tborized to lease the coal deposits sep
arately. retaining the surface area FOR
agriculture when it is deemed advis-
able This is held by the bills pro-
ponents to be highly important pc
lon ont n