Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-02-08
Better Government There is NeCes-
say for Safety.
INCREASE OF POPULATION
MAJ es Prompt Legislation impora-
tive Municipal Severn ments
should be Authorized.
tEarly Dispatched

New York, Feb. s-A special to the
Tribune from Washington says
a large delegation frcm Alaska IS
here urgins Cougsess 90 eolc. some
legislation under which q government
may be organized Oh that Territory as
soon as tire rush 10 Jae gold Ga.ls bee
gins In the spring Among he dele
gates is Governor John g. Brady w. l..
Dlstln. surveyor genera; Wm A. Kelly
supervisor Of the census; John g. Price,
who was appointed a delegate by a
mass convention Of miners Richard r.
Lewis. a business man OF Juneau; Mr..
Washburn, manager Of the Alaskan
Commercial company. Louis Sloss Jr,
business man from sklgway, and
Father Barnum, Roman Catholic mis-
sionary, who spent many years ID
Alaska, but who is now Librarian OF the
Georgetown university
These men make requests for legisla-
ton that they claim Is absolutely neces-
sary for the protection OF the people
and the preservation OF the peace. They
ask for the establishment OF courts
at 81. Michael or Cape Nome at Eagle
city, and az Juneau or Skagway There
Is now only one court On the Territory
and the people are compelled to 60
1000 miles and often a longer distance.
and 10 remain away from their homes
several months and sometimes a year.
when they are interested in litigation
or are summoned as witnesses.
The delegation from Alaska asks for
other legislation, particularly authority
TO organize municipal governments.
which cannot be done under the pres
ent statutes Towns OF ! 800 and 1900
people already cxis, by suderance and
they are governed by officials elected
without the authority ~ law There
are no county, township Of municipal
organize tions In Alaska, no school dis
trlcts, no police no fire departments,
no power TO make roads or streets or to
enforce order or sanitary conditions,
except by common consent and where
money Is needed for these purposes il
is raised by subscription. Before June
|, Il Is expected that the town Of Cape
Nome Will contain 10000 inhabitants,
and 1t Is scarcely possible so that so
large community can be governed
without law or formal authority.
Already. the sanitary conditions are
said 10 be dreadful. Before the last boat
left there an epidemic of typhoid fever
had broken out and there IS no telling
how far II has extended. There IS no
sewerage. no method Of disposing Of
garbage and ofal and the water Is bad
naturally. Most Of tbs supply used for
drinking and cooking As taken from a
river which flows through At least two
mining camps and receives nearly all
their filth and refuse. II the bubonlc
plague, which has already reached the
Hawaiian Islands, should be commune
Gated to Cape Nome the situation would
be desperate and thousands Of lives
would pay the penalty Of neglect.
The delegation also asks appropria-
tons for the construction Of roads for
the support Of schools. post offices, mail
service prisons and for other purposes.
The United States government now col
lects a revenue OF from $3.50 900 10 $500
900 year by taxation. which goes into
the treasury at Washington, and not
more than half Of II Is expended for the
benefit OF the people who pay these
taxes. Not a dollar Of the taxes coll
lected In Alaska can be expended for
any purpose without an exact and spe-
clfic Appropriation by the men,
bers OF Congress, whom IS per
cent have never been within Ave thou
sand miles Of the Territory and most Of
whom have only a vague idea OF the
conditions existing there.