The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-07-25


zion is virtually without laws OF courts.
Property rights exist BY mere suffrance.
judicial process is unknown, business Is
conducted without legal safeguards.
and there is no definite security for the
possessions Of the hardy men who have
built their homes in that rich but cnecp-
less region.
This condition Of affairs was danger
Gus enough before the recent develop
mcnts in the gold fields, but they have
made 1t doubly SO. With the enormous
influx Of population which Is sure to fol-
low these discoveries, the need for os-
tabished law and order will become
acute ana imperative. It is expected
that Within year there will be at
Circle CITY or Dawson City a settlement
Of 10000 persons, the majority Of whom
Will be prospectors ana miners. Dis
putes over land claims and property
rights III such a EeiShlornoud are incvi-
table, and the government at WaShnE-
ton has already been strongly urged to
extend the mineral land laws OF the
United States over the whole region
There is no reason why this should not
be promptly done. and ii Is aitoget thor
likely that Secretary l;iss vii, ask
Congress- for authority TO establish Il
territorial land Office III Alaska.
With the lund laws extended to the
Territory and competent officials np-
pointed to administer them. the founCia-
tons viii be laid for permanent msUtu-
tons OF justice. Other steps nave al
ready been taken in the same direction.
Tie President has appointed MIR.
Charles S. Johnson. an able ana uprigh,
jurist and u residen. OF the territory,
70 be District Judge Of Alaska; the ma
chiilcry fer regular courts is provided,
and all that is needed is @ body of law
that, when properly administered, shall
| afford adequate legal protection FOR the
important Interests OF the Territory.
The mineral and commercial resources
OF Alaska are just beginning to unfold
under the touch Of aggressive American
enterprise, Properly fos;ercd by need
ful lcgisla ton at the bands OF Congress
they are destined 10 aid incidentally %
or national wealth. Tie ,nmcllinte
need Of tho Territory IS for laws which
shall provide ample protection 70! prop
erty interests, ana as the government az
WashnGton IS now happily Inspired by
the same broad Craftsmanship that
made Alaska mn American possession.
there can be no doubt that this n&cu
w.!l hc promptly and fully supplied.
THF2 ALASKAN BOUNDARY Qi1ES-
TION ASSUMES NEW IMPORT
| ANCf!.
| I<iOndilic, n name week ago UnheArd
! Oh. out NOW on every It's ut, HISS ~ ne
! eastward OF The Hist parallel a. lonsi-
! tudc. ana therefore tho iicN III Dora DO
| is on British soil. But ii il close 10 the
! boundary line, and THE auriEcrDus iode5
! discovered NJ l<londilte undoubtedly eX-
tend into Alaskan soil
! This makes ii more important than
ever that the Senate should, before III;
! adjournment. adopt the treaty w!tgh
! has been fnvorahly reported by the
Committee Oh Foreign Affairs, providing
I Tor ;le actual dcmarcation, by fixed
| monuments, Of the line OF the Hist
/ mci!Gan, tgom the Arctic sea TO til.
/ ncak Of Mount 81. Elias. Ihat treaty
has been amended in committee so that
! il does not affect, directly, or by i'm
! niicAt ION. the Wcil-cstablished claim Of
| Tie United states % 10 the boundary
| line extending southwark from Mount
ST. ELIAS. With chat saving clause in
| Guided. the treaty is mutually salts
| factory to the tW0 governments and
necessary for the protection Of both.
I Especially now that rich mines have
been discovered on either side Of the
| meridian. the boundary should bc mark
| cd so that there can be no dispute rs
| 10 the location OF HE l4lSt meridian,
! The acknowledged boundary line be
/ tween the two tries, from Mount
st. ELIAS TO the Arctic Sea.
! The gold discoveries at the sources OF
| the Yukon should also stir up The Prcsi-
! dent and the Department OF State TO a
! prompt dismissal Of Great Britain's pre-
! nosterous claims as to The. boundary line
/ along the coast, from Mount ST Elias
| 10 the Suutheriy end Of Prince of Wales
| island. This line, deinented by the
Russo English treaty OF 1925 and de-
| scr!bed in Identical terms by tho Russo
American treaty Of CeSsioN in 1867 WAS
not questioned for Il half century. Brit.
| ish and Canadian maps. as well rs those
of Russia and the United States, al
| M!itcd the accuracy Of the historic
bounary But wncn It broke iipon I;ri-
| ram tnat Alaska was becoming q yalua-
| bic possession. some prctcXt was sought
10 grab Il slice Of ii. i was tho Nenc-
"uc!An programme exactly, TO make
| gradual encrOAchmcnt upon ncichbor-
! ing soil. delineatc upon British maps the
| extreme claim u:d then fight to sub
! stantiaie The map. IN tho case Of Vene-
"iic!a, Il W"ak nation. arbitration was
| denied, intii il was induced By inffu-
cnces outside of Venezuela In ALASKA.
! however the process Of grabbing was
! different. Britain there sought arDitra-
hon. iii the course or which, by a "cOn-
! cess!un' from some Of her most ridicu-
| l0us claims, she hopes to get some
timing GOOD IS counter c0nceSSion In
an evi! moment our Government adj
i United the .cHis tence Of q British claim
! ny appointing joint commissioners 10
rGDort thc Facts OF the dispute as to the
| hnHnl2ry along ne coast. This COM
mission should have concluded It's work
long ago, but 10 report has vet bean
nadc. Meantime Grcnt Rritain has. u,
enormous expense, kent force OF sur
Vcvors, ionO2raphers ana phot0!iraph.
nrs al work on the line they claim to he
the boundary, and set Il band OF Cane
dian police TO patrol H.
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