Show Neglect of Alaska IT 1 ITis is fifty three years since the United States acquired the territory of Alaska There are arc said to be fewer in inhabitants th there re now than there were then The population pop POp 1 today is estimated at of which arc are and md Indians Tho The resources as er e everyone one k knows s are arc enormous the opportunities unlimited yet t tIc the e population is dwindling d At iU various times the population has increased because be be- cause of gold discoveries and the the- excitement inci incident ent to the exploitation n of the mines but for some reason or another people who go 0 there do not no remain perina- perina The rhe Oakland Tribune c ls attention to tho the fact that the amount paid the Russian Hussian government for Alaska I vas was but less than t the e sum now needed to toU buy U a battleship and find that it has hns been a great and aDlI abused barg bargain It s says ys further Perhaps the answer anser to the tho Alaskan question lies with the manner In which the government has handled its Us af af- af fairs There are arc five departments and fifteen bureaus to tray nothing of tho the titular government g In Alaska and all except the tha governor arc are tending to its business from In Sn Washington Governor Riggs Rig who Is Ss given a salary alar of a year has to spend It all to maintain his house and so so In a way Is lucky that there there Is nothing for him to do that might involve railroad or traveling traveling- ex exp expenses ex- ex p There Thero are coal an and oil In the ho country but it im imports imports ira ira- ports both Some of ot Its best harbors are arc open the tho year around but the world believes the they aro are tied up b by Ice in the winter Its reindeer herds have Increased from less than 1500 in 1892 1392 to over and amI could afford an answer to the meat melt problem at home and on cn n the lower Pacific coast Caribou and mountain sheep roam b by tho the thousands and even een the coyote coote unmolested Is at hand to attack and destro destroy An extreme conservation policy foisted upon Alaska by radi radical al but p perhaps well Avell meaning men in authority in 1 Washington n is is largely responsible for its retardation tion Uon lOn and neglect Development Dc of that vast ast and promising promising promising promis promis- ing field if private capital were encouraged would result re rc- re- re suIt sult in a very brief period and where now all is bleak an and desolate there w would uld be thriving towns and villages thrifty communities and children swinging their baskets bas has on the way to school I |