, 1880-04-08

was the proposed bill, as the best
possible solution of the difficult
problem how to give the people of
Alaska the government they are en-
titled to at the least possible eX-
pense. And the fact that the reaS.
ons for every provision of this bill
were SO plainly good and sufficient,
when set forth to the Committee on
Territories by the chairman Of the
sub committee, that they and the
bill were at once agreed to, consti
tutes the only fact that justlhes the
assertion that it "received 20 con.
sileration" from the committee,
Now as to those reasons: 1t is
impossible TO give those people =
government sufficient for their needs
without courts of justice; hence they
have a judge--and marshal and
attorney follow, as necessary ad-
juncts. at very small expense. OF
course there must be an Executive,
and there is present and urgent need
Of surveyor and land commissioner
which offices are combined. and with
them that of freceiver, thereby saving
great expense. In the same spirit
the secretary is made ex otficio treas
urer and clerk of the legislative
council. The council is as proposed
for the same reason. But it is en-
tirely incorrect 10 say that they have
power "to do as they please" Their
power is expressly limited to provid
ing the necessary legislation for set
ting the machinery of the courts in
motion, and districting the Territory
into counties, and listing voters, and
holding an election for a delegate.
And they are required to report their
action to the President and to Con-
gress every session. AS ferther
safeguard, no act is law unless
voted for and signed by three Of them
one of which three shall be the gov
ernor. The provision for places of
members to be taken, in their absence
by others OF the officials, is to pre-
vent the possibility of want of quor
um in some important criss-not
that the "ukases of this oligarchy
may not cease to flow on the happy
Aleuts," but that accident may not
prevent the flow when necessary.
Lastly, the writer msconstrues
the provision that "any of said Of
6cers or the Collector of Customs
may visit any part OF said Territory
iD the discharge of the duties OF
their Offices, and may avail them
selves Of the means of transporta,
ton afforded by any United States
vessel to make such visits" This
provision was inserted simply to al
ford whatever facilities might be
possible and proper to the officials to
visit the remote corners of their Ter
ritory in their line of duty. and for
the reason that the authority to leave
Sitka is now denied under the law
to the Collector (from which damage
is known to have resulted through
heretofore), and that there
might be no doubt as to it hereafter.
But surely no lawyer can be found
wno would construe the sentence
quoted to grant any authority to
press vessels into service, "whether
under orders elsewhere from the
Government Of the United Sta;es,"
or "whether fitted or not for the
service in view," and to subject the
commanders of vessels to this ''pock'
ct edition of government" 1t
conveys simply the authority to the
commander of a vessel to take these
officials where he may be going un
der his proper orders, in the Terri
tory, and does not provide for any"
thing else, even for rations, and the
officer who would act otherwise un
der it would justly forfeit his posi-
tion.
These are briefly the reasons for
this bill. And let me tell you, Mr..
Editor, that they are just aud fair,
and that the poo,, abused, misrepre.
sented people Of Alaska want this
bill, and nothing less than this Ger
tainly. 1t seems rather a reflection
on our country's credit that the pitt.
full question of the expense of a gov
ernment should so long and still
weigh in soms quarters against the
solemuly guaranteed rights OF 5000
civilized people, especially since the
Territory pays an annual income ol
$3l7, $40 into the Treasury, and all
taxes and licenses that might greatly
add to it omitted. But The cry of
economy "takes," and Legislators