Morning journal and courier., 1880-03-23
A RE0T.

I
 1 Alaska is again dragged before the public,
 and this time in an even mora ridiculous way
 than usual The office -sosker has fixed his glittering and greedy eye upon 1t, and the
 possibilities of offices and fat salaries it con.
 taIns are set down in 6 bill which has been
 prepared by the Senate Committee on Terri l tories for the consideration of Congress. | This bill provides for territorial government l in Alaska of an elaborate sort. The exeou- 1 is to occupy part of his spare time in con-
 manding the Alaska militia. experimenting
 Indian affairs, and appointing and commits l sioning all officers not otherwise provided for
 or established by law. His term of office is to be for four years, and his salary is to be $4 900 year. There Is 50 be Secretary paid $2, 500 year, who will be Governor
 when the $4, 900 man is away, and will also
 be treasurer and receive all moneys collected
 from taxes, licenses, fines, or In any other
 way, and disburse the same in the necessary
 expenses of the territorial government" The
 treasurer IS to give bonds in the sum of
 $50, 900, but as it is not expected he will col
 lect much for the State treasury, the salaries
 of the territorial officers are to be paid out of
 the United States treasury. The judicial
 power is vested by the bill in Supreme Court
 and five inferior courts. Each Justice Is em
 powered to appoint clerk and interpreters,
 there being no limit to the number of tho
 latter, who are to hold office ''at the pleasure
 of the court..'' Tho Judges gro also to have
 the power of Justices of the Peace, and the
 jurisdic.icn of the Supreme and inferior
 courts is made very comprehensive. Writs of error and appeals from the final decisions of said Supreme Court are to be allowed, and may be taken to the Supreme Court of the Uaited States in the same manner as from the United States Circuit Courts, even in civil cases Involving property valued at $1 1000. The President iB to appoint marshal and an attorney for the territory, and these officers are to receive the same salaries as the marshal and attorney of California, and double fees. The marshall is to appoint five deputies. There ia nlso to bs q Surveyor General who is to act as Rsgister and Receiver of the Land Office, and whose salary Is to be $2 ,000 and the usual fees of registers and receivers. The Governor, Chief Justice, (whoss salaryi is SO veyor General, Marshal aad Collector of Gus toms arc to oonstituts Legislative Council, and are to meet "as such times as ths Cover nor may designate" aad provide lsgislation to put the Government in operation. Provision for other ''nscezsasy officers" Ia also made.
 It is zos expected that there will bs any diff fculty in filling the offices provided for by this bill, though there are only about 250 white residents in Aleska, for there, as in other parts of this Nation, the opportunity for holding office and the man for the eppsrsuni- ty will ind each other without trouble Nor is it expected that this elaborate system of government can fail to give great pleasure and benefit to the 250 whites, the 2,O00 half breeds, the 2,5o0 A,euts and the 4,3OO h. dians who form tho population of Alaska and whose treatme nt jn the matter of gov ernmsnt is described by ,ae Collector of Gus toms in Alaska as ''A bot upon the Nations hoaor," and who ara evidsntiy hungry for a government commensurate with their needs.
 The Secretary of the Treasury, by whose department Alaska has thus far been gov arned, has exhibited a strange indiffere to the blot he and his minions have assisted in putting upon the Nations honor, and has strangely failed to be moved by public ssnti- mert among the half breeds and savages of Alaska. He is. also, himself running for office, aad might, not unrsasonebly, be expected to appreciate the feelings of effios- seekers. But no. h his opinion, embodied in bill now before Congress, all that Alaska needs In the way of government at the present time is four justices of the peace and four constables, aud the right of appeal to the courts of Oregon. He Is not certain, however, that 1t would not be better to make ths justice courts courts of record and allow them to exercise probate functions. Tho Secretary has evil 5ently no perception of the blot or no dssire to remove 1t. It is, moreover, probable that Congress, busy as 1t is with Prssidant-mzking. will hardly find time to erase It.