The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-10
WHAT ALASKA NEEDS.
recommendations i'm Governor
knapp's Annual Report.
MISSION AND STATE SCHOOLS.
The Former Do Better Than the Lat
ter-Hospitals . Crying Necessity
Delegate Wanted In Congress.

1iou the annual report OF Gov. Lyman F..
Knapp, of Alaska, some interesting information
is gathered. Most of the Iawnessness in that
country he attributes to the sale and use of
liquors, and he vigorously arraigns the United
states district attorney and the grand iuries for
tneir indi teTeuce in inforcirg the prohi bitory
law. only sixiy-three cases were tried for sell
Ing liquor, all of which were prosecuted by in.
formation, and none were for selling liquor to
white men. Grand juries refuse to hear tgsti-
mony against offenders of this class. He refers
10 several infamous ouirages upon the natives
oy white men whom the administration had no
means OF appreheuding because of a lack of
transportation facilities, and says:
The number of cases illustrative o! this need
when might be recited is i!limitabie. Those
gwen are only samples. In behalf of the peo-
PIE, IN the name OF justice and obligation, in
tne interest OF civilization and humanity. for
the honor OF our nation, appeal to congress
Tor relief in this espect
tie says that a serious defect in the judicial
system OF the territory is the lack of inferior
courts. Several very large and important dis
tficts are from 400 TO 800 miles removed from
commissioners courts: that it is next to impos-
s,oie 10 afford protection against minor crimes.
Inc salaries OF commissioners and deputy mar
snai are also inadequate for men suitable for
these positions
y! mining the governor says:
Ihere has been no abatement Of placer min
ing. In fact, more gold was taken out in ls9i
nan curing any previous year. About 80
miners were in the Yukon region last wear and
III is known that they had the best season ever ex-
pefienced IN tnat region. Some fifty of them came
Out last tall and it was reported that they had
cleaned up about 5000 each. The number of
men returning into the interior this season was
greater than those coming out in the fall. VILE
lam {. Greenfield states that two new gu!ches
struck last fall and one discovered this fall al
iord the richest d!ggings yet found in that rich
soia region: On the whole, however, il il not
possible to become enthusiastic over what has
oeen accomplished in the way of development
nf footyo -
past year.
On the subject OF education, the governor
says:
Unfortunately for the educational interests of
Alaska, during the past two years the govern
sadly neglected. Twelve schools have had an
average attendance OF 2sS pupils. The educa-
tIonal interests of Alaska demand that the
management OF its schools should be at closer
range than 1900 miles distance. With the two
chief officers OF the school department entirely
teachers except by letter, and the local superin-
tendent and committees without authority it
IS impossible to have the best results. Whoever
10 called to admin lister, the school administra-
ton OF Alaska should be free from other iucou-
sistent duties which locate them ilnmovably or
send them out of communication with the
woriu into the frozen ocean or fix their resi-
dence on the other size of the continent. While
still approve most heartily the general prnci-
pie which demands complete separat on of
churcn ana state, my observation OF educational
WORK and results in Alaska has led me- to mod
ify the extreme views formerly held and 90
not hesitate to assert that the best educational
WORK which has yet been done in Alaska has
been done through the mission agencies.
AS to the condition OF the natives the gov
ernor says:
The Athabascans and Esquimos have come
less under the Influences of contact with
white people than the other tribes, and
therefore retain more of their original customs
and pecu!iarities. They occupy the interior
and the coast of the Arctic ocean and Boring
"a n offyaf v aud
offensive people Physically they strong
and comparatively healthy: mentally they lack
vlgor; morally they substitute expediency for
right They are honest because it is the best
policy to be SO. A few mission stations along
the coast aud on the Yukon river have had a
little influence upon a very small number OF the
people. The mining camps on the upper Yukon
have also come in contact with the natives to
some extent in the way of trade, but they have
agencies. 1t is said that the natives of the
upper Yukon region have been very little de-
moraiized by the use OF liquor, perhaps on &C.
count OF the difficulty OF packing it across the
divide. The Aleuts have become thoroughly
RussianiZed. They talk Russian. belong to the
Knssian orthodox church, shade off into Russian
blood features and complexion and. affect Rus
sian ideas. They are rapidly fading away.
Their physical condition is lar from being salts
factory, and their moral condition il worse.
They are an easy going, gentle aud kindly dis
posed people, somewhat lacking in force OF
character. The ThlinEkets, Tsimpseans and
Hydas live in southeastern Alaska and are very
singular i'll character and habits. Their contact
with white people has very much modified them
In many respects. They are large and power
fulIy built, have great endurance and should be
long-ived, but scrofula rheumatism and heredi-
tary tendencies to lung diseases with the ex-
posture and neglect of hygienic conditions 90
their work In bringing them to premature old
age and early death. Morally there has been
great Improvement among those coming under
the influence OF the missions, aud outside of
that influence 1t Is to be feared there has been
decentralization
Concerning needed legislation he says:
am profoundly impressed with the idea that
as a nation we owe il to ourselves and to the
port hospitals in various parts of the territory
tor the of the sick and chemically dis
eased. Humanity demands it, treaty obiiga-
tons require II, and self-interest ought TO
prompt II. These hospitals should be the cen.
ter OF hygienic information TO these people, who
are as ignorant rs newborn babes upon the
subject They should afford relief TO suffering
which can be relieved iii no other way. they
should be the most potent agencies of ciyiiiZa-
ton in the land. They should teach proper
ways OF living. principles of ventilation, habits
OF Cleanliness. care of the young and the DID,
true relations with one another and various
ideas OF life belonging with our American civil
ization. Leave alone all our ex pensive explora-
tons and scientific Investigations if you must
omit ali appropriations for schools if our great
and rich nation cannot afford to educate its
wards, Withdraw missions and other civiizing in
duences fit becomes Il necessary alternative but
do not fail TO afford relief 10 suffering humanity
To whom relief Is i'm possible except through
these agencies. Power should be conferred
upon the governor of the territory to appoint
Justices OF the peace and coustables and assign
them their jurisdictions. There ought to be a
government road across the divide 10 the upper
waters Of the Yukon. small steam vessel
should be placed at the disposal OF the locs
civil government for use in the discharge of
their duties The legal aud political status of
the natives ought TO be defiEet or recognized
] recommend most earnestly the establishment
OF II council or commission com posed of from
three to We men, tn be selected by the presi-
dent, whose duty it shall be to recommend
fpFZ f1F l,.r
sign boundaries for civil aud political
divisions 10 constitute a board of public
instruction, who shall have local direction of
ali school matters and the expenditure of the
schoo! FUND. to make regulations for the pre-
servation OF the public health, and any other
duties assigned 10 thcn by congress or the pres
iIent; gad they should re yested with power to
make reeua atoms IN minor matters which sub
jecI TO the approval of the president, shall have
the force and authority o. law until action dis
approving the same shall b. taken by congress
III the ordinary forms o. legislation and last
but not least TIE territory ought 70 te allowed
a delegate IN congress ike other territories In
the absence o! such delegate there ought TO be
special committee ia each house II have
charge of AIassa's interests and legislation al
ieCtiug the territory.
Guaranteed Passengers Released.
The steamer UmatiIia, which arrived from
san Francisco yesterday, brought up its old
crew, which was laid of on former trip and