New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-26

nrtirlcs hut its location is Mt present unknown;
Fur animals abound. especially those iVlns ~ The
thc land Fort st. Michael was formerly ouu ~ thc
chief trading posts of the Russians, ana many Sill
fox and beaver skins now stnt from W !G,Icr ia
Pacific are trapped upon the YUKON toon hnt II
also found in many portions OF the dlNiSlol III
l. not so accessible nor valuable for Shlp-puiWs
as that about Stka Fish of all KINDS esp oionr
cod. are very abundant at Cooks Inlet anu "''"e
Tbr Islands which are included in the third ni,
vision are the most valuable portion 0t our hV tIo
purchase The island of Kodiak ana thosu va The
bInufion oroun contain very good arabic land lno
cattle distributed by the Russian C"nnieIrs' thnr
pany succeeded here lar better lhan III " land.
part Of the Territory There Is gooh paa9t,nn If tbc
and hnv can be made with greater ease lihh ~ az
mouth of the Columbia River mere 70 atto
encouraging report that goo taT cr are said TO he
small" There Is not much timber OF good 'l',,ry ,
upon these islands. but the fisheries are oi ty
great value. The Aleuts, who are the ehiti -; Tho
Tace are by nature the most honest people IN "
world On the islands where there are ll" ~ fueI
drftwOod furnishes the principal supply. 81 f.
and il is said that the unwrtten law MIL Mat
enco TO the rights OF property Is 50 s'io irh II
should III Indian discover log OF Woou VIZ, he
is not then convenient for HIM TO carry aM gI? ond
may by carving it above hlgh-wateT mar al"
placing il at right angles to the llnc Oh WV t Ii
leave il with full assurance thai IL VIII nv ,.oi
turhed until his convenience warrants tlc itiilu' w.
The chief sources of our revenue from AlasN'p I,i
in what is known as the Priblyoh Islands: o. aJ ~
and st; George, two Of the group; now Vii These
Islands abonnd with seal, and being the properly
of the United States leased y the GoVedtaeIi Ills
tiIIn1 earb wear is limited by law TO one hundred
thousand, and for these royalty oil WV Tar Of
each is paid. If the law restricting th@ n III in
sr,is annually killed is strictly enforced ts III
dustry will for many years furnish tne ciIcI -
of the revenue from Alaska, and constitute INC il
valuable product of the Territory
A TERRITORY PRACTICALLY WITHOUT oo' INN
MENr.
The third article of the treaty with Russia pro-
vidcs that the period of three years shall Oe gwen
to the Russian inhabitants for election as 10
whether they will remain in the coded territory OF
return to Russia. Should they choose to remain
they shall be admitted to all the privileges oil GU
zens of the United States and :" maintained anu
nrotectdn the free endowment of their liberty prop
erty and religion" This article is III honor Dlhu
ing unon orr Government. 1t IS promise gwen
Inv n sovereign nation to lanOther sovereign nation
and NAV be regarded as part of the consideration
paid for the Territory. 1t would be In ordinary
transactions condition subsequent, and the Cmted
States is bound by the strongest of obgatonsto Cd
serve It. With reference to the General Govern
mcnt. Alaska is, in the language OF the Constltu-
tion territory belonging to the United States"
and Congress has power to make all needful rules
and regulations respecting it," 1t Is Therefore
matter of some interest and Importance to inquire
what action Congress has taken with regard to tins
vast region Ii is most surprising fact that there
are to-day only two laws In force in Alaska one the
| revenue laws for the collection of customs dues
and the prevention of smuggling, and the second
prohibiting the importation of liquor into the Terri
tory There is no law in the Territory by which
debt may be collected, property attached, thief
arrested murderer punished, a warrant issued.
There is not n soldier sailor law officer of the
| Government within the territorial borders Enter
| prise stagnates In country where there are no
| leOal enforcing y,
and no lawful method for redressing wrongs to per
son or property. The Government guarantees to lts
citizens free enjoyment of liberty and property, and
leaves the guaranteed security to depend upon the
peaceabe disposition of Indian tribes, and the hon
esty of the civilized INHABITANTS; me law as 10
the importation of liquor Is very dlncult TO enforce
and if strictly complied WITH does not by any
means adequately meet the difficulties OF the stua-
| ton. MOlasses IL imported, ana IRON IL inc III
| dians distil a wretChed, bran-Inaddenlng rum
| known az ho0chnOo. An old Oil-can for "a retort,
a niece of kelp for worm. and jug of mOlasses are
ndtent factors in an inter-ribal war The Indians.
while our troops were in possession, were never al
lowed within the stockade Of Sitka save in the day
| time They now roam unrestricted through the
| town by night and day. At Stka there are between
| three and four hundred white inhabitants, and IN
the adjoining Indian village from hye hundred 70
one thousand savages. AT Wrangell, two or three
hundred white inhabitants have for their nelghb0rs
from eight TO fifteen hundred Indians. These In
dams are by nature cOwardy and from sclfT terest
disposed to peace but they all well-armed and
as there is no military force in Alaska and the mail
steamers only make monthly trips the citizens are
A raid upon the liquor stills OF an Indian village,
the murder of Indian by some drunken white
man, may bring on war winch VIII utterly ami
hilate the white population OF Sitka or Wrangel.
Nor will the war be confined to one OF these places
These Indians are IN Communication with one an
other The news of Joseph's battle with our troops
| was known by the Indians in Sitka before the mail
steamer reached the port, or white man was aware
of the fact There may be general uprising OF all
the Indians inithe Territory and, unless protection
be afforded general massacre OF the white popu-
| lation. , -,
Nor are the Indians protected from the whites.
There are to-day in Alaska more Indian mistIesses
than white wives. In the streets OF w rangel not
three years ago, Indian women were sold for blan-
kets TO white miners in the same town In the
month of July, 1875, woman, the recognized
though illegitimate daughter of white merchant,
was barbarously murdered for witchcraft, and a
itteboy brutally tortured thatthe devilsmight de-
part from him. white cross erected over the Gene
terry by the missionaries, who have now departed,
philanthropy of Christian civilization and token
of the wisdom of our foreign missions The
steamers passengers who saw this at 'Wrangell
were awakened from their sleep at Sitka ny the
wells and groans of two natives murdered In the In
dian village by drunken Indians in search OF a
white man. who was luckily thav night absent
absolutely irredeemabe. At Metlah Catlah, neal
Fort Simpson, in British COlum bia there are living
| nearly one thousand Indians who carry on trades
establish laws and police regulations ard form!
under the direction of All EnRlishman, civilized
and Christian society Their houses are good
! now being displaced by larger twO-story structures
Their church. which stands on a high hill, and Il
seen from great distance, would do no discredt e
| q New England town. Every child within tho vii
lage has the benefit of an English educatiOn-caI
read his Bible and write his name-and it is the uni
| yersal testimony that a society Of purer manner
and better laws of greater industry and larger hap
piness does not exist this Continent.
!, | The government Of Alaska by the United States
has from the beginning been characterized by ex
travagance and marked by poor Judgment. Mill
tary Notifications which cost thousands of dolar
were built at places remarkable only Tor their dis
advantageous location and were, of course, quickly
| abandoned. Unframed regulations, which it wa
impossible to carry into effect. were daily promul
| gated and the citizens were veXed with the wOrs
evils Of bureaucratic government, and the Indian
cursed with protectors who We're only corruI tor
of virtue and instructors III vice. The manufactur
frnnns and the soldiers dahancheh tho women an