The Lamar register., 1914-12-02


Federal government to the western
states. The second, December 10th,
before the senate committee on pub
lie land. involves what is known as
the administrators policies regarding
the disposition of the natural re-
sources still belonging to the Federal
government.
Some time ago Federal officials in
the state of New Mexico took the po-
sition that the coal under the lands
that had been given to the state at
the time of it's admission into the I'm
ion, belonged to the Federal govern
ment. In other words, that the title
to the lands which were to be used
for school purposes only carried sur
/ face values and did not include the
mineral or coal values underneath.
The state of New Mexico naturally
fought the proposition before the To-
cal land commissioner but lost. The
state then appealed to the secretary of
the Interior and the hearing on this
appeal has been set for December 3rd.
The question at issue involves the
Ownership of every pound of coal un-
der school lands that were given the
states by the Federal government in
the west.
Colorado has 100000 acres of such
school lands that are underlaid with
coal in commercial quantities. In adj
dition, Colorado has a little over
, 62OO acres of land in the Fort Lewis
Reservation that are also underlaid
with coal. Govrnor Ammons is au-
thority for the statement that if the
position of the local New Mexico
land commissioner stands and is up
held by Secretary Lane and the Fed
eral courts, (for the case will be car
ried through the Federal courts if
the states lose), Colorado's school fund
will lose at least $15,O00,000 in the
next twenty-five years. Previous to
this there has never been any ques-
tion over the ownership Of the coal.
The state has assumed its ownership
and has made contracts with the coal
CoHipaihcS WhcAcDy q Aoyaty Vi teH
cents per ton has been piad into the
school fund for every ton Of coal min
ed from underneath school land. This
royalty is placed in our general school
fund and, for the most part, only the
interest that can be derived off of it
is used. The position of the Federal
government, as expressed by the New
Mexico commissioner, Is that when
the school lands were ceded to the
western states under the enabling act
of each state, the Federal government
retained title in the coal and mineral
values underneath the land. If the
position taken by the New Mexico
commissioner on the coal values is
upheld the same position will be TAX
en- on the mineral values and we will
lose our rights to the minerals that
are underneath the school lands deed
ed to the state at the time of its ad-
mission to the Union. Should Secre-
tary Lane uphold the claim Of the
New Mexico official one of the hardest
fought law suits over natural re-
sources will undoubtedly result. In
discussing this phase of the matter
the other day Senator Thomas said:
81 cannot conceive of the Secretary of
the Intrior or of any Federal court
upholding that position. Certainly we
have always felt that the coal and
mineral values were ceded to US when
we acquired the lands"
The hearing that will come up be-
fore the senate committee December
10th is of almost equal interest to
the western people with the hearing
before Secretary Lane December 3rd.
About a year the secretary of the
interior evidently acting under the CO.
operation of the entire administration,
drafted seven proposed laws which
were afterwards styled: "The admin
istration bills" These bills deal en-
tirely with the natural resources that
yet belong to the Federal government.
They apparently seek way of dispi
sition of these natural resources with
the one object in view of retaining the
value derived, to the Federal govern
ment. On the whole they might be
termed leasing bills. They provide