The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-02
ALASKA'S FUTURE Is AT STAKE.
Gloomy Outlook Unless q Change of Policy
Is Had.

Is Had.
Under the present conditions when
the seal offers are destroyed, the fur
seal herd eXterminated, the native
tribes starved to death, the salmon riv-
ers depopulated, the timber cut, and the
placer gold fields worked out. Alaska
is to be thrown way like a sucked
orange. There is no other possible erd.
IL we continue as we nave begun. We
are mot in Alaska for our health and
when We can no longer exploit II we
may as well abandon ii.
But IL may be argued that IL will be
a very costly thing to foster all Alas
ka's widespread u and to give
good government to all her scattered
villages and posts. Furthermore. all
this outlay is repaid only by the enrich
ment Of private corporations. who. with
exception of the fur seal ~lessees. pay TO
tribute to the government.
Doubtless this is true. Government
Is a costly thing and it's benefits are
unequally distributed. But the cost
would be less IL we should treat other
resources as we have treated the fur
seal. To lease the salmon rivers and to
protect the lessees in their rights would
be to insure a steady and large income
to the government, with greater profit
to the salmon canneries than m
$3.50 tN ehN hAeeo
trial war.
No singer person or bureau Is respon-
sible for Alaska. The treasury depart
ment looks after the charting of its
coasts. the carr of it's animal life, the
prohibition of intoxicating liquors, the
control of the fishing industries and the
patrol of its coasts. The investigation
Of its fisheries and marine animals Is
the duty of the United States fish COM
mission. The army has in Alaska GER
tain ill-defined duties, which have been
worked out mainly in a futile and need
less relief expedition, with an opera
bouffe accompaniment of dehorned
reindeer. The legal proceedings within
the territory are governed by the stat
utes of Oregon, unless otherwise order
ed. The department of justice has n
few representatives scattered owe a
vast territory. whose duty IL is to en-
force these statutes. chiefly through
the farce Of jury trials. The LAND in
general Is under control of the depart
ment of he interior. The bureau of ed
ucation has an agent in charge of GER
tain schools. while the president of the
United States find his representative
in his ~appointee. the governor of the
territory. This office of governor car
ries large duties and small powers.
There are man interests under the
governors supervision. but he can DO
little more for them than to serve as a
mean of communication between some
of them and Washington.
The virtual ruler of Alaska is the
secretary of The treasury. But in his
hands, however excellent his intentions.
good government Is in large degree I'M
a~ttainable by lack of power. Important
matters must await the decision OF
congress. The wisest plans fail for
lack of force to carry them out. The
right man to go on difficult errands
Is not at hand. or. II he were, there
Is no means to send him. In the divis-
ion Of labor. which is necessary in great
departments OF governments. h affairs
OF Alaska, with those of the custom
service i'm general, are assigned to one
OF the ass slant secretaries. OF his
duties Alaskan affairs form but a very
small part. and this part Is often again
assigned to some one of the subordi-
nate clerks.-Atlanta Constitution.