The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-08-22

duty r II does not a. the coming Deeem-
Der session take immediate steps for the
creation OF civil government for Alaska
which is really a government ard which
has some governmental powers. TIE pres
ent government Is a farce. There Is =
governor. who has TO executive author
fly; a court. whose duties are confined
largely 70 the attempt 70 suppress the
nQuor traffic: commissioners with powers
akin 70 those o. a justice OF the peace;
customs officers. and beyond that nothing.
10 machinery for the collection O.. dis
bursement OF taxes: no one empowered 20
open a public read. and no manner OF
acquiring title 20 public rand, excepting
mines or townsitss
The conditions prevailing at Dyea and
Skaguay are a disgrace 70 the country.
There Is one OF the richest placer regions
ever discovered On earth which could be
made easily accessible by the building OF
a road not 20 exceed thirty miles IN
length. This road would lead from tide
water on the Pacific 10 navigable water
on the Yukon. An expenditure Of $500 coo
could be hauled as readily as over prdt-
nary mountain roads. There are not less
than 1900 tons Of provisions which the
miners are trying 70 get over the mount
ain passes. The amount Of actual outlay
70 them TO get these provisions over. If.
indeed they succeed In moving them at
all win be certainly not less than twenty
times as much as II would cost TO put In
a wagon road over which freight could be
hauled az an expense OF not to exceed
i've cents pound.
Yet there Is no provision OF law by
which this road can be built. even as a
toll road by private enterprise. The diff
oulties Of the trail, the impossibility OF
getting fun outfit over In time TO reach
the mines this season. has resulted In
many men abandoning a large share OF
their provisions and pushing on imper-
fectly provided, in the hope that they
may be enabled to buy provisions at the
trading posts in the mining regions. If
there are deaths from starvation in the
Yukon mining camps the coming winter
II viii be largely due to the fact that no
wagon roads have been built into the
country. and wagon roads have not been
built because Alaska has no government
which has power 10 build road. nor, in
deed. revenue to be expended for such a
purpose.
In American territory on the Yukon
next year there will certainly be not less
than f0,oo0 American citizens; the num-
Der may. indeed. reach ten times that If
further rich discoveries are reported in
the spring Yet these men viii be abso-
iately without any form of civil govern
ment over them. save courts held hun
dreds OF miles away; and a nominal gov
ernor. whose seat Of government can only
be reached by a steamboat trip OF $500
miles. or a toilsome journey COO miles up
stream, then across the mountain passes.
and a couple OF hundred miles of steam
boat haul after that.
II has been suggested that the Yukon
country be separated from the remainder
OF Alaska and made into separate ter
ritory by itself. The suggestion IS not
only a good one but it is most eminent
~ proper American citizens. going into
a new American territory. are entitled TO
take their institutions with them. they
should have some form Of representative
government, with power to make local
laws applicable TO their peculiar condl-
tIons. and with an executive TO enforce
those laws. And that government ought
TO be close at hand.
AS the matter stands, the only form OF
government which they can look forward
TO until congress acts In the matter Is
Lynch law. pure and simple. 4 so-called
miners meeting Is nothing more nor less
than a court Of judge Lynch. Yet some
form Of civil government is necessary.
Better a government by miners meetings.
held without warrant Of law. and with 70
authority TO enforce their DEGREES except
mob violence. than absolute anarchy.
u Is not TO thu manner in which these
miners meetings are conducted that ex-
ceptlons can be- taken They ara usually
orderly. grave azsemblases in which the
participants fully realize their response
biUues. aud the decisions had ara almost
uniformly equitable. The sole objection Is
that such assemhlaees are wIthou; the
protection O. the law; before the law
they are mobs. ana 20 carry the DEGREES
iuto eject the laws must - necessity Dee
broken. We, the neglect q congress 20
provide sui,shle civil government Tor
AlRska has Jeff THE miners resld.ns on the
Yukon with no resource except 20 create
a 'awless government 81 thel~ owo.
As temporary expedient it IS possible
that this Viii result IN uo harm hot tha
sooner that the vigilance committee IS
succeeded hy oreanlzsd civu government
~. het.rr 4 VII b. - no .,un.rt--