Show A1AS A ITS MUCH REMAINS TO BE DONE FOR THAT COUNTRY Lack of Surveys Division of the Territory Military Courts Famine Problem and Relief The territory of Alaska requires the prompt and early attention of congress The conditions now existing demand material changes in the laws relating to the territory The great influx of population during the past summer and fall and the prospect of a still larger immigration in the spring will not permit per-mit us to longer neglect the extension of civil authority within the territory or postpone the establishment of a U thernrh rnvornment LACK OF SURVEYS A general system of public surveys has not yet been extended to Alaska and all entries thus far made in that district are upon special surveys The act of congress extending to Alaska I the mining laws of the United States contained the reservation that it should not be construed to put in force the general land laws of the country By an act approved March 3 1891 authority au-thority was given for entry of lands for townsite purposes and also for the purchase of not exceeding ISO acres then or thereafter occupied for purposes pur-poses of trade and manufacture The purpose of congress as thus far expressed ex-pressed has been that only such rights should apply to the territory as should be specifically named It will be seen how much remains to be done for that vast remote and yet promising portion of our country DIVIDE THE TERRITORY Special authority was given to the president by the act of congress approved ap-proved July 24 1897 to divide that territory ter-ritory into two land districts and to designate the boundaries thereof and to appoint registers and surveyors of I said land offices and the president was also authorized to appoint a surveyor general for the entire district Pursuant Pur-suant to this authority a surveyor general gen-eral and receiver have been appointed with offices at Sitka If in the ensuing year the conditions justify it the additional ad-ditional land district authorized by law will be established with an office at some point in the Yukon valley No appropriation ap-propriation however was made for this purpose and that is now necessary to be done for the two land districts into which the territory is to be divided MILITARY FORCE NECESSARY I concur with the secretary of war in his suggestions as to the necessity for a military force in the territory of Alaska for thev protection of persons and property Already a small force consisting of 25 men with two officers I under command of Lieutenant Colonel I Randall of the Eighth infantry has I been sent to St Michaels to establish i j i I a military post As it is to the interest of the government j i govern-ment to encourage the development and i settlement of the country and its duty Ito I-to follow up its citizens there with the j benefits of legal machinery 1 earnestly j I I urge upon congress the establishment of a system of government of such flexibility I flex-ibility as will enable it to adjust itself to the future areas of greatest population popula-tion REPORTS OF FAMINE The startling though possibly exaggerated exag-gerated reports from the Yukon River country of the probable shortage of food for the large number of people who are wintering there without the means of leaving the country are confirmed con-firmed in such measure as to justify I bringing the matter to the attention of I congress Access to that country this winter can be had only by the passes from Dyes and vicinity which is most difficult and perhaps an impossible task However should these reports of the suffering of our fellow citizens be further fur-ther verified every effort at any cost should be made to carry them relief |