| Show PROBLEMS OF ALASKA By Frederic J. J Haskin H kin The The l last t census returns from from Alaska fight ht out the tho rather startling infer infer- tion ti n that the pO population of the great reat t territory is IS almost at a stand stand- Ell J 11 the increase for ten years falling With a a. laud land area of care auire miles or nearly one fifth the size I all til of continental United States the it t peninsula which has been a pos pos ion ion of this this' country for nearl nearly l half century has a population of less less than WO including both natives es and tes Pc interested in In this tern territory tor bitt 11 it untold wealth of oC mineral a agri agri- nral n. n nril ral rat and forest re resources arc are grow grow- more more and anel more insistent 10 in demand domand- dem nd mation about the conditions thare h holding back development de r the first fint time sinco sinco 1567 lS i when tho the I tf i. ind nd stripes were were hoisted to Jc rethe re- re the flag of ot Russia from which Seward negotiated tb the tho Alaska jd M for there is 15 a a. real foment cement to get et something done dono to asin as as- 1 in In tho development o of Alaska Con Conk i M ii t fairly aWlIk awakened to its duty to to- the Americans of the thc far north north- and various measures S 'S have ha been beena a ro ed to improve conditions in the Q i f ka Ita is IS richer h er in resources tb than In Countries which arc world powers i f f. f It Jt is in lathe inthe the samo amo latitude as the tries of the SCan Scandinavian ian ina peninsula tt t Nor Norway and l Finland wh which ch cha te e a tot total l pop population lation of moro more than I It has a 8 much better climate in a 11 these thuc countries moro more arable land d hat has a Much greater area than the ifs countries combined Tho territory be been n developed Hk like f a any n one of SM ego eM countries in spite of its great re re- rees DIMS and Ind natural ad advantages cs Blow Slow to Act For Cuba Cub the tho Philippines Porto If Hico leo ad d the Hawaiian islands tho United fates has has J given cn careful attention to pro proving proD D conditions condition in ovary every line liue but luka laska this country's s 's oldest posses posses- on n 11 outside of or the continental United fates file has bas been blen De neglected to a greater r low less dt degree ree ever e since binco the day daj- of It tt purchase Little consideration has hasen wen en given In either cither to tho government o t BI t or to adequate lc legislation to t late the development de of or its iU great reat lural tura resources The indifference of he be United towards Alaska aut and he be failure of or con congress on ress to Ic legislate for be territory's fors improvement and dove devel- III Dt o opened the way for tho the contro- contro o of or the last few years over o the of natural resources of this rn country The Th movement to do something for fore e welfare of Alaska is iR not contro vr i at the present time however for foray fory i ay y there here l is a a. a clear understanding of principal thlU things tI to be done dono to pro pro- the people with an adequate gov gov- I meat m Dt and to open the way for tho the of or resources in n a manner prevent ent monopoly At All men tIlen intern inter inter- J n It Jr jn in tho ho development of Alaska are aro ff x tailing calling to Uncle Sam to do some some- Z to get et some kind of action which relieve 11 pre present conditions and anel andi athe i the va ray tv-ay for the future develop clop at o of the land which is PO so rich in m l tural ural r 1 re resources that it has bas been called worlds world's treasure house bete are it U in is 3 agreed recd three steps step ch CJ tr this 9 government o take to W ter I conditions namely to give o the plc pic Pe some somo measure of local ocal self g gov- gov ov t to better th the theli transportation li IM es liU a ant to Provide No some system management nt for tho the coal fields nelds ich e a ar are amon tho the rid rl among richest in t tB the tho he Which of fi these theca three projects B n rat t 15 ie a matter of opinion hut but t t must be some seine action lct ion on nU ll r ell eat at an early arly date dato is contended by J people tal 11 al Riches Immense I h. h has hall produced produced enough gold and andor andt Ter t to pay for or its itA purchase price tat 3 v five ve Jo t times over At the thc time was takes taken over by tho the United States Seward waR ws s critic criticised In it Its hi t for fOT neI necal ne ne- dt purchase and the time country I cal cage r ll e d Cowards reward s folly for many n Ibe c territory is estimated 18 to re if as much uch coal oal AS as all tho United an more in used i copper than thau i is c con on In the tho r l copper country of f both bath bothona veld ell and Arizona Anzona ona combined r The eD eI Y of at the ic mineral lands is ison atlon on adequate trans trans- facilities and and t de d transportation cadent II 1 elan el elt o on n the opening of ot the theto and the tho adoption of deli deti te to po 1 a on the tho nt at 0 Better er part of tho the g govern govern- ill give ve jr tran transportation facilities p coal Alaska a cheap p native coal and much will jiJI low make it possible to doore do do- o at ed b Ow grade grado ore oro which is fa now fIt et It because eca 6 Ue it is 5 not possible to r th J of the plan Ian J p generally r- r ra a an d a finding favor fa with the tenon for forces e with congress th rv lt e offic officers rs of the National eo association provides provide for forr r 1 1 of a government owned interior int FL r of th the Department if If of f And ni Gifford Pinchot on the atio slip n Va N National t Conservation ani an- an i have I na c proposed a L government u owned railroad to run from the coast to the hc coal fields and thence to the tho rich richa a agricultural valleys and nd stock tock ran ranges es beyond With ith th adequate transportation and a system for the tho develop ment meat and amid conservation of ot the natural 1 resources Alaska will have a chan chance o to grow row as ra idly as an any other country coun coun- try where cop are similar Want It Done Quickly And in tho the provision for both the thc development of resources and improvement improvement improve improve- ment of transportation facilities there is is a Aen general ral demand f for r Qui quick k a action tion more lore insistent than at any time tuno since ince November No 25 5 1878 1875 ten years Jears after tho the purchase from Ru Russia sia when William Gouverneur Morris Morri special a agent ent of the tho treasury department wrote his famous report outlining tho the needs of the great Ireat northwest country An idea of how little little lit lit- tle tie has been done dono for Alaska is c gained inc in iii tho time reading of that report for the government agent then outlined to John Sherman secretary of the treasury treasury treas treas- lIr ury a condition of or affairs which ia is almost almost al al- al most mot as bad toda today thirty four years later In Tn proposing improvement in the railroad railroad rail rail- road facilities of the tho territory the tho administration administration ad all ministration fOl forces es and officers of the National Conservation as association a agree on both a system of lea leasing in the r right ht to to mine tho the coal field and for a goy goV O owned railroad Practically all persons interested in the welfare of Alaska also agree that the territory must bo be given some Bomo kind of limited self government similar to the tho territorial terri tern tonal toria government which tho the continental continental conti conti- United States had bad before admission admission sion ion into tho the union There is 1 slight ht difference of opinion on somo some of the tho legislation proposed as for whether the tho new railroads shall be operated as well as 3 built by hy the gov IOV There is much support for foJ fora a plan for fOT a government Jo owned and built railroad which will be bli leased for private uto operation Alaskans are aro favorable fa fa- to any plan which will provide fair frei freight ht rates and encourage devel dovel- Wealth In Farming Too Whilo the immediate value of or Alaskan Alaskan Alas Alas- kan coal and gold old far overshadows the present nt agricultural possibilities of the tho territory time tho permanent prosperity of time the countr country depends lar largely el on the tho development de de- development of arms and on a a. greater interest in the tho stock raising industry There are now rich valleys alleys where the tho climate permits farmin farming and a agricultural agricultural tural experts estimate that the a agricultural agricultural agri agri- ri cultural resources alone alono will support I a population of more than 1000 people peo pee plc pIc Tho territory now has ou only y in all aJl industries Development of or the rich mineral resources re re- resources sources in in linn line with a public policy to encourage thoroll thorough h utilization will brin bring thousands of settlers into Alaska each year par and with a contented population lation lotion living under sonic some Kind of self Jover government ment it is predicted that the country Countr will attend the place it deserves de dc- I the places governed o by bythe bytho bytho serves P among mon tho the United States Alaska has haB a climate which surprises I the R pra average o person especially if of he hails from the east or tho the south who visits time the territory for the time fir first t time timo Many lany think of Uncle Sams Sam's northernmost northernmost northern northern- most possession ion as a land of perennial snow with glaciers on every evory hand band and icebergs t in hi all the tho waters along the tha coast The territory does dols hayo o cold weather all the tho Y year f 1 through h in some sections but in iu tho the southern part pat of tho time peninsula on the coast the climate compares favorably with t that at of many part arts of the United States Until tho the gist few years there thero not been a full r aPI appreciation of the agricultural pos possibilities of the land but when the varied products of the farms of this far far northwest were ere shown at the Yukon Alaska exposition three years ago arzo tho the hundreds of thousands of Seattle Seattle Se Se- attle attl visitors who had never no been in Alaska were given Ji a different idea of the country countr a arc and d its climate I |
