The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-09-20
ALASKA MUST WAIT.
Congressman Aldrich on the
Territory's Government.
rs DELEGATE IN CONGRESS.
n Chica9oan Thinks the Populasaon
= loo Widely scattered Yet tor
Congressional Representation.

Congressman Al1rich. who has fus. ve
! ,urned from SIX weeks irip 70 AIaska
sxys the Chicago Times Herald. brtnxs
fas neas that the people Of that distant
territory are uneasy at the n@1leet u--,h
/ xhsea the United States makes shift 70
cavern II. Alaska thinks IL ha. outxroyn
Fs sxadiling clothes. and wants 10 gov
eru itself Demand Ia made for q regular
territorial government = new set of W.
to-dase laws. and the privilege Of sending
delegate to congress. like Arizona, New
xsxlco and Oklahoma.
The restless Aiaskans have ALREADY
| caused to De introduced In the national
house OF representatives several hsi.s "a
h bring about taest proJecrs. on which they
have sei their heart. The failure OF con-
0ess 10 advance these bills has disguised
tie people Of Alaska They are beginning
70 think they are SO far away that Uncle
Gam has forgotten ali about them There
are n.any Americans IN Alaska who point
With unconcealed disgust to congress
neglect. and then to the Jealous care with
which the British are fostering the inter-
es.s OF their citizens OF the Canadian
boundary OF Alaska. This zeal Of the
British has been shown particularly with
tn the last few months. when the officials
o. Queen Victoria seized boldly and bodily
several miles OF territory containing
some Of the richest gold mines In the Yu-
kon river district
Congressman Aldrich says he sftnka n
Is not tine yet for Alaska TO have q del
sxase in congress. The population. though
containing some 1000 voters. Is scattered
ever such an immense area that he says
II would be simply impossible for the
votes 70 be counted and returned within
the time limit now provided by our e.eo-
ton laws
Bat he says 4 new set Of laws - ab-
solu.eiy necessary for Alaska. That coun-
try Is now run with the guidance Of OBJ
solsfe ard Hitting statutes. They are
largely such "a VS. as were in the Oregon
oo1s before 1854 No new statutes have
been added and while the civilization o.:
Alaska mas grown a. . tremendous and
.smarkahle rate within the last twelve
years and the population has more than
doubled, the avs under which the Alas
kans live have not advanced q step to-
ward keeping pace with the progress In
every other direction Alaska r. not gov
erned like other territories. II has no
legislature and but few officers. and even
those Il doesn't elect itself. They are
appointed by the president
The Alaskans set forth all Their cosn-
p,s.nts to Congressman Aldrtch when ne
Visited them last month. The Chicago
representative IA thu only member OF
either house Of congress who has taken
tbs trouble TO Wait Alaska this summer
and zee for himself the necessity Of the
measures which he and his colleagues
Alone have the power 10 bes;ow or deny
to Alassa Gov. Sheakiey. Of Alaska,
seemed particularly glad 10 see the Cal
eaxo congressman and escorted him per-
sonaIly In such trips over the territory
- few weeks stay permitted 70 Mr..
AErich.
Very few Of our people eeem 20 ap-
periats what a vast territory Ne ac-
c1ired thirty years ago when Seward
purchased tbs tract from Russia said
Mr. Aldr,ch yesterday. 1T covers, II my
memory serves me rightly. q region equal
n AREA TO thai Of the United States ees.
Of the Mississippi. river What the future
may have In store for this vast expanse of
mountainous region remains to be SEEN
II = we'll for us 10 control this extensive
ccas, line through 10 Bsring sea-
Salmon hshlng and the mining OF ores
are Of course. the principal Industries
But. a. far as the mines are concerned.
TIE operations thus far must have been
disappointment, for. as I learned from
ne governor. not 10 exceed 81 0o. no In
feh annually has thus far been taken out
o. the country. The best mines. perhaps.
are ~ Rerner's bay and Sumaum--that IL
70 say. the richest ores are found In these
Places The other mines yield only low
grade OF ore
There Is no agriculture In the terri
tory whatever. In Sitks. for instance, a
town 100 year. old. there are but about
twenty cows and hslf dozen horses Yet
al the hay and fodder for them has to be
Wrought from ;he state OF Washington.
Salmon fishing Is the greatest indus
~ OF Alaska There are about ss.oa, 200
invested In the canneries and there IL no
infication OF abatement IN the catcnes-
when you think OF 10000 OF these splen-
CD rsh being taken IN ore seine 80 was
recently done In the Csriook river. you
VIII ses Some idea Of the magnitude Of
this business
I say DOZEN salmon that would aver
age ter pounds eacn offered for sale 20
tss steward OF our steamer at Sitks for
. ceas spl~ce. and they we're beauties.
700. assure yoG There seems 10 be no
Prospect that they will ever give out. In
sas view the governor shared.
The lumber interests are not largo
They are hardly NOR. than nominal
I Sli NOT VISIT the Yukon river district
Tie FAR north but was told that there
we're scarcely zoe voters all told IN that
ssefion In Juneau there are about $40
"aHes. ~ wbpm perhaps ~ would he
entitled 70 vote. OF tho 500 whites In si'ks
ho' over ITO would he legal voters. There
sr- less than 30 whites AT Fort wTsngie.
secat loo AZ kaffsR <sv 13 az f-na =
Wen not over ico would be voters: al
thaisssa only TWENTY-FIVE voters and At
= Ntfheeis q Aouf ffGv whites snf - en-
V-hye voters - that there are probably
sess thar .NA voters who would re- err
u'ief legally 70 east ballots at terrific
sh election When yar consider that
tass~ settlements as hundreds % rsiies
spSrt. the proposition 20 Ao,t an election
s'f delegate TO congress would develop
inte farce
The Cn,ict states now maintains a
xa.~~
y customs and ~ internal revenue. who
ssN e have 70 z Hiculty In attending TO
:" ne Business sAere Is for them TO 80
- 'aF IS he 0eetfs % tie territory ~