The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-02-19
who Owns Alaska

Ten years ago the United States bought
Alaska of the Russian Government paying
seven millions for the vast territory ac-
quircd Three years later, when the foolish
RICHARDSON was Acting Secretary Of the
Treasury. Ring of spectators styling
themselves the Alaska Commercial Com
pany obtained lease of the seal fisheries.
the only part of the purchase which prom
iscd return for our outlay. The result Of
this transaction ought 10 bo instructive.
Since 1870 the spectators have made one
hundred per cent. every year on the capital
which they put into the enterprise. while
the United States Government has received
only four per cent. on its investment.
With the exception Of Gen. BRlsTow. who
was not friendly to the Ring, every Secrc-
tary of the Treasury since the lease was
concluded appears to have fallen under the
direct influence Of this powerful and impu-
dent monopoly. 1t has been openly charged,
and never denied. that President GRAST.
Secretaries boutwell,, RICHARDSON. and
SHERMAN, and Senators MORTON and Zach
CHANDLER have all been Interested in the
company. At the time of the passage of the
Act of 1870, enabling the company to kill
100000 seals every year. when the limit inn
posed by the Russian Government had been
220c0, SHERMAN was very active in pressing
the measure and in shutting Off all debate
on the extraordinary clause that extended
The term Of the monopoly TO twenty years.
At the present rate Of killing il is probable
that at the end Of these twenty years there
will be no seals left to kill. and that the
rompany's one hundred per cent dividends
Ia 20 sll l.4.i Ian n "a. In
golden eggs.
By SHERMAN's aid since HAYES made him
Secretary OF the Treasury, the Alaska Conn
mcrcial Company has been enabled Is ac-
qulre a practical sovereignty over a ter
ritory nearly as large as all the States east
Of the Mississippi river. There were for
mcrly two Government agents at ST. Paul
and two at st. George, stationed there to
protect the Treasury against possible frauds
on the part Of the n."nopolsts. Ring inllu-
encc at Washington has secured the reno, al
Of one agent from each island. leaving the
Interests of the Government in the hands Of
two men. both of them dependent upon the
company for the very food they cat. The
presence Of honest and intelligent army
officers In Alaska constituted the only effcc-
tual check to fraudulent operations on the
part Of the company. AT SHERMANs re-
quest the troops were withdrawn from
Sitka, where they We're needed. and sta
toned on an island in san Francisco bay
where they We're not needed. The story Of
SHERMAN's undisguiscd efforts to suppress
even the Custom House at Sitka 10 told in
another column.
The policy Of the Alaska Ring has been TO
dcpreclate the value and resources Of that
Territory, to discourage its settlement and
development by agrcultursts and miners
and to shut out all enterprise that did not
swell its own dividends Special agents
sent out by the Government t. investigate
the actual resources Of the Territory have
been bribcd by the Ring TO make unfayor-
able reports. These reports differ widely
from those Of disintcrested travellers, 1t ia
about time for Congress to inquire whether
Alaska belongs to the nation. which paid for
It, on to the dozen and half adventurers
who are reaping all the advantages Of the
nations purchase.