The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-02-21
POSSIBILITIES OF An EXTRA SESSION.
Alaska, It's Inhabitants and
Resources.
EASY WAY OF CONTROLLING THE NATIVES.
The Florida Contested Election
Case Settled.
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.

FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.
WASHINGTON Feb. 90 1879
THE FEDERAL ELECTION IAws-How AN EXTRA
SESSION MAY BE RENDERED NECESSARY.
Some Of the republicans pretend to fear that an
extra session will be caused by the failure Of the
Legislative Appropriation bill. There is. however,
no need Of it. Tho democrats in the House are de-
termined to put themselves on the record IN
favor Of repeating the federal election laws. but
1t we'll understood that when they have carried the
measure through the House they expect to it de-
feated in the Senate by democratic votes and elim
mated from tho Legislative bill by the Confer
ence Committee which will follow If the
republicans should commit the blunder Of pre-
venting the passage Of the bill through the
House by protracted flibustering that might make
extra session necessary but it is not probable that
they will do this. Southern conservative democrats
here say that in States such Louisiana their
people not in favor Of repeal of the federal
election laws, they believe themselves to have
been wronged by the straightout democrats in
ways which these laws theoretically executed will
prevent. But the same say that they desire the
repeal Of the test oaths, because these limit the
choice Of jurymen and tho formation Of intelligent
and upright juries.
THE FLORIDA CONTESTED ELEcTIoN-oNE OF
THE SCANDALS OF THE HOUSE.
The House to-day. to the disgust OF Mr. Atkins.
chairman of tho Appropriations Committee, dropped
the Legislative bill and took up the contested
election Of Finley against Bisbeo from Florida
There two OF these contested election
to be settled yet and 1t is one Of the
scandals of the House that such cases are
left so often to be settled in the closing
days Of the Congress after hanging nearly two
years. In 1875 the House, then strongly republican,
decided two contested elections on the very last
night Of the session. seating the republicans and
giving them the pay OF two sessions for three four
hours Of duty. just the democrats to-day seated
Finley to until the 4th of March.
THE ALASKA NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. AND LocA-
TON OF THE INDIAN TRIBES AND THE BEST
MEANS OF GOVERNING THEM.
In regard to the so-caed Indian troubles in Alaska
gentleman who is thoroughly familiar with the re-
gion and the Indian population. by visit and resi-
dence in Alaska. gives your correspondent the follow
ing dctails:-
In the first place it should be understood that
nearly ninetenths of oil the Indian population OF
Alaska living the islands Of the Alexander Arch
pcngo and the line of the thirty milo strip
between Cross Sound and Lynn Canal on the north
md Dixon Sound and Fort Simpson on the south. In
this region they all essentially alike in appear
and habit, but they are divided into twelve or
fifteen clans settlements. as, for instance, the Sit
kos ut Stka where the is said to exist
kan1eganS
Of Wales Island. &C.. The entire aggregate number
scattered thus this region will not include
than seven or eight thousand The remainder OF the
exceed three or four thousand ut liberal estimate
Then we have between four and five thousand Aleu-
tans and Kodiak natives, who all Christians, liv
ing with and supporting churches In every one OF
their villages; and finally. the EsYuimaux. existing
on the Alaska coast from Bristol Bay around north
and cast to the mouth of the Mackenzie River--not
over eight or ten thousand souls.
With the Alcutians and the Esqumaux We never
hay had he leaRt an1 10
account Of the inhospitable character Of tho
country in which they live aud their peaceable inof-
fensive dispositon but with the Indians have
need OF the show and use Of power-s great deal OF
showing and very little action.
glance ut the map will satisfy any one instantly
that tho only of travel throughout the Alex
snder Archipelago is by water; that there is. owing
60 the excessively rugged, mountainous character OF
the coast and islands. absolutely travel by land;
and furthermore. that all these Indians are obliged
sctement ANYWHERE there that is not located AZ the
edge Of tide water. This they compelled to do In
order that they may procure food, such as FISH, she'll
nsh aud marine animals without which they would
miscrably starvc. In this way every Indian settle
ment-tor they have to settle, they cannot in
small revenue steamer and her crew and armament
form the most effcctual agent that the government
can employ in reducing these savages at any and all
points to tho most abicct submission. Such vessel
II necessary. shell out and destroy the entire
Indian population of Alaska in single season. and
what Is even more important, the Indians fully
understand It, and they will never invite the consc
quences.
sand soldiers at Sitka would be absolutely protcc
ton to the vast area elsewhere in the Alexander
Archipelago wherein our people are constantly rang
ing on small trading schooners and in canoes pros
pecting. &C. But the cruising of q small revenue
steamer with bright twentyfour FOUNDER on her
deck In these waters will not fail to Keep the Indians
under perfect control, and il the officers cf this
sci could be clothed with such judicial powers
vested In the Office OF justice of the peace then all
minor offences would DO settled ut wherever
they are detected by converting court tho deck
OF the cutter
This is all the government Alaska needs to-day.
Her climate forbids the successful planting Of
single staple crop and prohibits stock raising. Her
best foressthat IL, those of tho Alexander Archpcl-
eQo-are much inferior to those cf the British Column
bian and of no value whatever when contrascd
with those of Puget Sound and the Cascade Range
Of Oregon and Washington Territory, and her much
Wanted cod fishing banks simply insignificant
when compared with those of Newfoundland and
Labrador. plump reminder of the infcriority Of
tho Alaskan banks for cod fishing own people
give us this year in the shape OF tabuatcd state
ncnt Of the 1.is0,0OO Goldfish brought into
tho port of Sau Francisco for the year 1878 by
taken in Asiatc waters, 1000 miles further on than
Alaska. What the future may develop In Alaska as
Tar ~ mines and salmon canning are concerned IL
m open question There is q hope for the former
snd certainty of success in the latter, but neither
d these industries will be promoted hairs breadth
by sending soldiers TO Alaska OF attempting to en-
graft Territorial form of government upon IL when
no population sufficient TO suit or appreciate such
movement can be found within its borders.
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