Show WASHINGTON t V lO IlSC XICO MI-XICO STUDY SAM'S SAMS Ul URL By Dr lH Ni NH NiSen Sen Sel ier Ice Writer WASHINGTON April 1 The ThC The issues I sues of retroactivity and loll lion which have caused the trou trou- trouble troubie ble bie In connection conn with Ith the tho Mexican an can oil laws are not exactly new with this government Some of or the timers old who re recall re- re recall recall call tho the reclamation of ot tho the Bering river rier coal coni fields in Alaska are arc now nov pointing to a deadly parallel based on tho the admission that tho the Mexican laws Involve confiscation especial especially ly h the timers old who had hod interests In those coal fields fl It may bo that Mexico will yet drag dral out that old case and review it for official and public consumption consumption tion If I she Is called calleJ upon to defend d tend hi before a t court of or then tion tI n. n In accordance with the he rec recommendation of ot our ou senate T. CLAIMS DIS n. Federal law Jaw provided Cr many man clas that coat coal lands In western states should be sold at private sale for 10 fit an acre when mote more than 20 ti o miles from front a a. railroad and S 20 0 O Oan an acre when within that distance Only surveyed d lands thus were sold and no claim chains of more than acres was allowed to an Individual The law was extended to Alaska in 1900 and the BerIng Dering river fields were discovered about 1901 but the law was wis ineffective c as none of these there lands was surveyed and in 1804 I congress pawed passed pa ed a law per per- permitting sale of ot coal lands in Alaska It provided pro that thai the applicant must mark the lo In cation and the lands at his own expense Some fome acres were located In the Bering river rl field and small- small smaller cr or tracts tra ts elsewhere Surveys were begun trails trail and roads built wharves and other structures were railroad surveys sUI made and two Independent lId pendent s actually hc un to the th coal coat fields which lay from 20 to 90 10 miles from omit ler ter It was estimated that several millions of dollars were spent In preparation for tOI mining mining- A town ton ot at persons person grew S up at whIt wilh h the nearest near st market a lI thou thou- acrid miles away 1 n HI ITS irs POLICY In Iii 1906 1106 during during- tho the second administration the thc gov derided decided de on a II new land lam policy and proposed to leaSe cou coal Ii lands 1 I of selling s them then Ex Ex- cull e orders Were issued with drawing nil cli coal lands from Crom salt saI and a message was sent to con- con congress gross gress s advocating repeal of ot the tho ex cx exIsting Isling law law- lawand and substitution sub of ot a 1 I law In i The withdrawal order IHo I that holders holden of bona tide fide rights al already I aI-I al- al ready rady n Initiated should be entitled to perfect p their claims and secure titles tI lie t But Dut the Interior was opposed to all titles and ond the nt of or Justice joined jollIed in the movement mn by bringing charges against the locators More than OO persons p were ere Indicted for conspiracy con piracy to defraud the tho govern govern- i inc nt The rhe criminal cases were brought brough broughto to Detroit tt trial ft in 1 but tSe Seattle all We the Chicago defendants f and I were we-re acquitted I MILLIONS S LOT LOisT Loh i II It was eight ei ht years before con con- SH RP-SH S. S passed the leasing leading con I law Meanwhile tho the coal lands hands stood Idle and coal was c-as imported forIn 1 ht of oC V Alaska Buildings 8 find end Improvements tell loll into decay a 1 a total loss loas It Is said ot or several severa se crall million dollars Many claimants bankrupted t omo tommie are arc said sak to have committed suicide or gone Insane Oro Ore English Eng company headed by b Charles F F. Munday of ot Seattle Seattie was WM interested In acres of lo located lo- lo located led c lands British investors hau beet been Interested and amid spent more morl tl tI an a million In Irs development work worl All this was wiped out al al- al Munday was wo acquitted o of oC arty any crime In lit 1 I congress passed th th leasing law for the Alaska Ataska coa coal lands lan s which provided for certain refunds and prevented any claim claim- claimant claimant ant from rome bringing suits culls This Titis law hate the th same lands that had hai been b 11 sold Today roday those th Alaskan lands land arm are open Oili Ol 1 for lease least but are not being developed The Tho Mexican Is al almost nl-I nl nI- nI most unbelievably timid as regards confiscation when compared our own record stays Bays a prominent Seattle lawyer lawer who ho was st-as interested In the Alaska cases |