Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-01-06
ALAsKA's FUTURE AT STAKE,
Gloomy Outlook Unless . Change Of
Poii,y Il Had.

GLOOMY Outlook Unless . Change Of
Poiisy Is Had.
Under the present conditions when
the seal offers nre destroyed, the fur
edtseal herd exterL1inated, the native
tribes starved to death. the salmon
river depopulsted, the timber cut. and
the placer gold fields worked out.
Alaska is to be thrown away like q
sucked orange. There Is no other pos
sible end, II we continue as we have
begun. We are mot in Alaska for our
health" and when we can no longer
exploit 1t we may as we'll abandon 1t.
But 1t may be argued that 1t will be
very costly thing to foster all Alaska's
widespread resources and to give good
government to all her scattered villag-
es and posts. Furthermore, all this
outlay is repaid only by the enrichment
Of private corporations, who, with the
exception Of the fur seal lessees, pay
no tribute to the government. Doubt
less this is true Government is q
costly thing and its benefits are I'M
equally distributed. But the cost
would be less If 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 steady and large
income to the government, with greater
profit to the salmon canneries than
comes with the present confusion and
Industrial war. No single person or
bureau is responsible for Alaska. The
treasury department looks after the
charting of its coasts, the care Of Its
animal life, the prohibition of intoxi-
eating liquors, the control Of the fish
ing industries and the patrol Of its
coasts. The investigation Of its fish
cries and marine animals Is the duty
Of the United States fish commission.
The army has in Alaska certain ILL
defined duties, which have been worked
out mainly in futile and needless re-
lief expedition, with an opera-bouffe
accompaniment of dehorned reindeer.
The legal proceedings within the ter
ritory are governed by the statutes OF
Oregon, unless otherwise ordered. The
department of justice has few repre-
sentatives scattered over a vast terri
tory, whose duty II Is to enforce these
statutes, chiefly through the farce OF
jury trials. The land in general Is I'M
der control Of the department Of the
interior. The bureau of education has
an agent in charge Of certain schools.
while the president OF the United
States finds his representative in his
appointee, the governor OF the terri
tory. This office Of governor carries
large duties and small powers. There
are many interests under the govern
or's supervision, but he can do little
more for them than to serve as means
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 govern
ment is in large degree unattainable
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
20 on difficult errands is not at hand.
or, II he were, there is no means to
send him. In the division Of labor
which is necessary in great depart
ments of governments, the affairs Of
Alaska. with those Of the custom SER
vice in general, are assigned to one Of
the assistant secretaries. OF his du-
ties Alaskan affairs form but a very
small part, and this part is often again
assigned to some one Of the subor-
dinate clerks.