Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-02-20

The project Is OF more interest
than even the expenditure of the $780,.
OOO, 900 proposed could ordinarily
create. Coming SO soon after the
completion Of the Panama canal, it is
attracting attention as another great
engineering project under the direc.
tion of the American government In
a. sense, too, 1t compares with the
governments undertaking in the SOS
to push the Pacific railways across
the unbrOken prafries and mountains
of the west and thus link together
the west and the east. Moreover,
the new project Is to be the first
test In this country of government
ownership of a public utility; it Is
expected to open to the commerce
Of the world great and rich resources
that until now have been for the
most part lying idle; it will afford
employment to a large army of men,
both In It's construction and in Its
maintenance; 1T Will develop Alas.
ka agricnlturally, as well as in other
ways, BY attracting hOmesteaders, and
it will cheaper greatly various com
modities Of commerce. notably coal.
At least, these are all things which
the friends Of the measure claim for
1t.
The bill places great power in the
hands of the president, and was Op.
posed by some on this ground, not
that they expressed any fear in re-
gard to President Wilson's judgment.
and integrity, but that they though
It was too much power to put in the
hands of any one man, and directs
him to locate and acquire; by pur-
chase OF construction. or by both
#emans, a line or lines of railroad
from tidewater into the interior Of
Alaska and to navigation on the Yn.
kon, Tanana, or Kuskowim rivers.
In choosing the route he Is to S
his Judgment as to what will best
promote the settlement, OF Alaska, de.
yolep its resources. and provide ade-
Quate transportation for coal for the
army and navy, for troops and NUM-
lions of war, and for the mails. The
limitation as to price in case of pur-
chase, there being a few miles of
railroad already constructed, is that
it must not exceed the physical value
of the railroad property.
The total of all railroads bought or
constructed is not to exceed one
thousand miles and the appropriation
for the purpose of $40, 600, 900, so
that. he is limited to an expense Of
$4,000 mile.
E rho ruon;jopt r. o,ytnnrioo1 80 he
sees fit, to permit the government
railroad to be operated by contract
or lease, or it may be operated by
the anama Railroad company. This
latter company has been referred to
In the debates on the Alaska rail-
road bill as an example of successful
government ownership, but 1t has
been pointed out in reply that it is
not an example Of government own
ership in the n the phrase is gen.
orally used, because it is not a CON.
mercial railroad, its purpose being to
transport men and supplies being
used up and down the route of the
Panama canal.
In constructing and operating the
Alaskan railroad the president IS au-
thorized to employ in its cOnstruc-
ton and operation any number OF
men he may think necessary, choos-
Ing them as he pleases, only that
those chosen from civil life shall be
Under the supervision, in the work
Of construction, of the engineers TAX
en- from the army. The appointment
of any engineer from civil life whose
salary exceeds $4,000 a year must be
confirmed by the senate.
The president is authorized, and
the Alaskan Railroad commission
Recommends that it be done, to util-
ize in Alaska all the machinery and
equipment used in the construction
of. the Panama canal as rapidly as it
is not needed in Panama and can be
used in Alaska, the president to fix
the price to be paid for it to the
Isthmian Canal commission.
The interstate commerce commits.
sion. subject to the approval of the
president, is empowered to regulate
passenger and freight rates on the
new railroad. an dthe rates are to be
uniform, with no discrimination in
favor Of agents of the government ex-
cent the usual provision for employees
and their families.
If the railroad line connects with
a steamship line for the joint trans
portation Of freight and passengers,
or with any other railroad now or
hereafter constructed in Alaska, the
lines so connected must be Operated
as a through route with through rates
on a fair and reasonable apportion-
ment Of revenue and expense.
The bonds from the sale OF which
the $40, 200, 900 is to be obtained are
to be so sold that any citizen may
have opportunity to subscribe.
The bill creates the ALASKA Rail
ways Redemption Fund" into which
is to. be paid IS per cent Of all money
received from the sale or lease OF
public lands in Alaska; from the sale
Of coal or mineral or timber on pub.
lie lands; and from the net earnings
of the railroad above maintenance
charges and operating expenses. The
redemption fund is to be drawn on
by order of the president to pay in
terest on the bonds or to retire them.
The hope of the friends of the bill is
that the bonds will be successfully
so that the government, so
to speak. will simply have made a
loan to Alaska.
! The debates in. congress on this
-.-H. w. FE lL ~ 40 LIZ. e. G.. a==H