The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-10-24
HER EYE on THE GOLD
Motive of England's Desire to
Grab Alaska.
WARTS ENTRANCE TO THE YUKON
Two Alaskan Editors Agree That She
would Yield All for Dyea Inlet
A boundary Club.

srot In from Sitks where ne publishes the
Alaskan. and is also a mine owner hat
article" he went on. fairly represents
the feeling OF our people on the boundary
question We fail 10 see why. after
auarter % q century ~ undisputed pos
scFsson OF ALASKA. ne should now ne
called upon 70 arbitrafe whether x De
longs to US or TO somebody else. Simply
because Ii has become valuable 10 some
ere else That IS all there Is TO the
boundary dispute.
.s%ov England as you know. - pretty
ehrewd We never yet, with one excep-
ton, gained anything By arbitration with
England IN this case she does not really
expect what she claims. She simply, for
81 pretense makes claim 10 A lot Of land
on the southern boundary. on the alleged
ground that Benin channel and not Port
land channel vas meant IA the treaty.
She does not really expect 10 get this.
She does not want II. In fact. All she
wants Is a seaport at the entrance 10 the
Yukon country. and she raised this pre-
tended claim on the southern boundary
that sho may figure Ia the eyes OF the
world as maguaaimous. She VIII forego
this claim. maeEanimously give up this
territory she Will claim as her own. II
the United States will admit the claims
she is setting up IN the Chilkat territory
and let her have seaport giving access
10 the Yukon.
Nothing to Arbitrafc.
we do not see why We should submit
anything 70 arbitration. II England wants
& piece OF Washington or California or
Alaska. and the United States government
wants to give 10 to her. all well and good.
But let u be n gift When England comes
and demands a piece OF Alaska and says
Il does not belong TO us. that IS a different
matter. She might as well claim piece
of San Francisco or New Hampshire, so
far as we can see.
Il am glad that the CHAMBER OF Com
rnerce OF this city has taken up this mat
ter vigorously. England as / say. IS
claiming much more than she expects 10
get. she must have something to 20 be-
Tere board of arbitration with The fact
- that the riches of Alaska have tempted
her cupidHy.
II am often asked--some people asked
me today-if the Yukon excitement was
overfone. I answer that tho mining in
terests or Alaska are only beginning to Toe
known. In twenty years there Will be
hundreds of miners on the Yukon. and
even then the mining interests there VIII
only be in their development People for
get what vast country IL is"
Mr smith struck three lodges OF free
EoId during the past year He is on his
way 10 his old home. Providence, r. l..
ana hopes 20 bring hack Eastern capltal
10 help in developing his nnds.
Another Editors Views.
Another Alaskan editor having pointcd
views on the boundary question l. q. ~
swinshart, Of the Alaska Mining Record
published at Juneau. He il now In this
city. ana VIII probably leave for San Fran
cisco before the end OF the week lie said.
III England only can effect an entrance
10 the fukon country, she viii be satia-
fed, and she hopes 10 accomplish that
object g~f.
OF entry. In the controversy a. q now
stands. there are In reality only two points
10 be considered. the one / have lust in
uicated. and The other Is the possession
Of Annette island. England wishes 10 con-
tFoi HE rich mines Of the northern coun-
Try, and her object when once the con
troNersy Is thrown before an arbitration
hoard viii be 10 make every concession
IN order 10 gain tho end in view She
would undoubtedly offer 10 reIngaish an
other claims TO the disputed territory II
thereby she could effect an entrance AT
pyea Inlet aud could secure Annette is
land. and she would even cast aside the
latter In order 10 establish her right 20
fhe former
AT first such concession would an
pear entirely reasonable but the paople
81 Alaska understand the situation per
lectiN. ana they are afraid an arbitration
hoard might be inclined 70 grant hat En-
demonstrated over. and over again by
prospectois. that the section OF country
covered hy a concession of that Kind
would 20 absolutely worthless II rs a
slatN fornaiton-the tops 81 mountains. ia
d9ct~and contains 40 minerals.
Question of Mountain Range.
The dispute seems 20 have narrowed
down 70 A question of mountain range or
no mountain range. ana tho fact ~ that
- ffsrn trsAf g.
mountains. Within the limits of only a
Few miles are small water courses. and
the water from ono goes directly toward
the ocean on 'he west. while water rron fh.,
other nnds its Way into thc Yukon ana -
discharged thousands Of miles away ~
England can establish her claim &c .fn en-
trance ~ Dyea inlet she will secure prar-
ticaliy the only tovnsite iu the Alaskan
country. ara worse than that viii con
trol the Yukon with all les wcelth OF
mines r. the United states comedies chat
point. We might as well give up an Alas
kn, for there VIII Pc nothing leff
Il have no doUbt on the question az I'm
glands designs; In .act. The position
have spoken or was suggested 10 me hv
cSilNie, the head of the british surveyors
OF the boundary hac \ short tiutc aeo
I came down tho coast hE boat with hf1l.
and We were together Tor several davs.
lie was 10Th 80 talN about she alsr,ited
conversation that England would hv pr~-
fcctiv satisfied with Annette island and
pore ~ entry at pyca inlet rIc dis
cusHed somewhat thc southern end III tbe
old boundary lime ana ~att he Thought -
peculiarly directed. particularly the uiru
to the east. AMI he also referred to the
~lsht England hsd To an entrance IA loysa
inlet
Americas kid Glove Engineers
''-rhe chice ~ engineers IS Thoroughly
familiar wlth the situation. Te knows
y the British government VIII stand un-
On his recommendation. He Is active ant
vigorous and on an occasions goes into
tho 3Tli himself. and while thr Americans
have slumhcrrd az the foot ~ the noun
tsins che British have stood anon the
mountain tops taking ln thc eituAti1a.
rcuaewbsr eEilvie speaking 81 an Aneri-
can surveyor. whose name 10 rot n1gv
recall. and referring ta hira As a ~kt8-
glove ular. Why N, satI. 4 ..,tS h3,,
with me- cne Hav. bHt he vaHld not stand
the work Bna was forced On withdrew cv-
fausted. auf tNefrafter he ws~ rlt# -
sccrnt vorieS ~ nev ne,t notes as bis
cvn
by slca 1eth1rkv the American e-v-
eminent ia really in ha1 shane Is a0nes-
before an arbitYstiou hosrt Ne are Wtsa-
olt ihe data necessary - make 4 proper
presentation ~ our case "a nIa ear al
Versarv ls fal1N prepared TIE people %
Juneau ave awake 20 th5s situation. ar'
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