The Nome daily nugget., 1914-04-01

| 08kHu PVesVJs
 The report of Gr. Franklin K. Lane. as secretary of the interior. for the fiscal year that ended June 70 Iast' ! was recently made public. It is
 straightforward readable brief. rather than the usual dry and formal depart mental document. The secretary has lad the good sense to concentrate his attention upon one of the groups or questions now before his department cnd he has presented his recommend ations and the argument for them 70 simply. as to increase greatly the chances for securing favorable con- gressional action. Many phases of the problem of further disposition of the public lands which is what chiefiy cencerns the secretary. have been the cause of acute and acrid controversy. A number are even now titter light ing ground. and yet 1t is fair to say that already differences of opinion are disappearing, and there is undoubted- Iv a sufficient agreement as to policy tc warrant congress settling at least a few of the many vexed question. We believe that Mir. Lane . abso- luteiy right when he says. and the italics are his ."The West no longer urges q return to the hazards of the
 land is ianG policy. But 1t does ask action" We sincerely hope that enough of the spirit of fair compro- misc may obtain at Washington this winter to permit determination of at least the more pressing matters.
 Speaking in general terms the sec- rttary favors . leasing system for the ccaI lands. not only of Alaska but of the rest of the United States. and for the oil, phosphate. and potash lands. Further than that he does not 90. and in this we believe him wise. What may be proper ss to further disposi- ticn of other mineral lands no one can certainly say at this time. but as regards coal. oil. phosphate. and pot, sh lands. there is sufficient knowl- edge to permit intelligent action. Our own Jews regarding this arc too well known to require lengthy re-stAte- ment. While not prepared to endorse every detail of the secretary's pro- rcsed form of lease we heartily favor the general plan. and ws have no fear any bill which gets past congress vii not be sufficiently liberal. In later numbers we shall speak of particular proposals.
 Another of the recommendations made by the secretary is that the various activities of. the United States government in Alasla be 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- ministration of land hws. or any other laws. at a distance of 5000 miles from tho point of action. The eye that sees the need should be near the voice that gives the order" It will bc re- membered that Mir. Taft, when presl- dent. favored a commission form of government for Alaska and that his proposal raised storm of dissent. Since then an elective government las been constituted for the territory and to it has been delegated the local political power. AS VIC understand Mfr. Lanes suggestion. what is now proposed Is 6 board of directors to manage the property in Alaska that belongs to the United States. There is an 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 the local needs of the people. and. without pretending any great sympathy for the black bear which is in the care of ono depart mtnt while the brown bear is in an- other" we are quite prepared to agree that the organization of administra- tion in Alaska could be greatly im- proved.
 AS 8 whole. tho report is . plea for the west: a demand that means be found without undue sacrifice of ma. tional interests to permit tho contin-