The daily morning Alaskan., 1900-01-01
The North Star in The Seventh Heaven
 Predictions For skagway In the Year of drsee 1900



 Your present Is great; your future i' wonderful" was the conclusion Of Senator Fairbanks of the Joint HiEh Commission. who visited skaEway with large party the latter part Of the month of June Probably the visits of these Senators. and of the large party of Congressman who followed them a little later-all brought here by the influence brought to bear oy the skagway Chamber of commerce-will be a more potential factor in shaping the des,inies Of this port than any other event that has occurred or that may occur in the near future. It may be said to have set ln motion the balance wheel of skagwAy real and substantial progress as an Import ant community. It started dieussion oi Alaskan Anairs that interested and suil Interests the whole country.
 What these visitors saw ln SkAgvay that surpriscd them the most was % large a city and SO great a trafne on its WharVes' . community that they had doubtless hitherto elassed as adyenturers. where iA~ and order reigned supreme without any oi the ordinary machinery of law to enforce t; a community treated m exiles by it' government. and yet SO self-reliant and patriotic as to maintain q municipal gov erament without any statutory authority to lean upon: A community without even q ttle to lts homes. yet which had built up a city with graded streets and aide walks. electric lights and vatervorks. and ia .hort. compared fAyoraoly with any city possessing all the rights. privileges and advantages of the assistance and protse- tion of municipal. stats and national law.
 This Ia what particularly struck thoss gentlemen more than the boundary ouss- tion. the merits of which we were at such pain. to explain to them. and this s what they talked about when they returned to their homes. and when they went to wAsh' inkton City to pursue their dutiss in the national halls ot lsgislaiion.
 rHE PRESIDENTS GOO WILL.
 The importance Of the deep impression made by the City of SkAgvay upon the minds oi these distinguished and inns entlal gentlemen cannot be overestimAtsd In lts effects upon the future of tho whole of Alaska A reflex of ,he sentiment in' splred is Co be found In the Presidents message. In that message he deplores tht fac, that cities of thousands of inhaoi- tants" have grown up without any pro vlslon Of law under which a municipality can be organized or maintained. and urges that the condition calls for more ample facilities for local selt-sovernmeni and moro numerous eonvenienees of civil and judicial administration.
 AS this edition will by SO many be nled away for future reference. it seems fitting 10 give the part ot the Presidents message resulting from the trip of hls ambassadors Co Skagway for the purpose Of such re- ference. that we may next year look back and see what eIect his kindly recommend ations In our behalf had upon Congress After setting forth the necessity that ex- i.ts for immediate legislative action In the Territory Of Alaska" are these words 10 his message:
 settlements have grown up in various places. constituting. In point of popula- ton and business. cities Of thousands O. inhabitants. yet there Is no provision O. law under which municipality can Dc organized or maintained. In some loeali- ties the inhabitants have met together and voluntarily formed a municipal organ lratlon for the purpose of local govern ment. adopting the form of munieipa constitution under which paid officials have been appointed and ordinances erea'- iax and regulating a police force. nr, department. a department of health. and making provision for the care Of the In sane and lndigent poor and sick. and for public schools. have been passed. These proceedings and ordinances. passed by such municipality. are without statutory au- tAorlty. and have no sanction except a. they are maintained by the popular sentl- uent of the community. There Ia an en- tire absencs O., authority to provide th, ordinary instrument of local police con trol and administration. the population consisting of tho usual percentage of law lea aiventurers Of the elass that alway' flock 60 new fields ot enterprise or dis' eovery. and under circumstances which re qg.rc moro than ordinary provision fo the maintenance os peace. good order and lawful conduct"
 These recommendations of President Me Klnley. with the strong following that h has in Congress. amount to promises O. early relief from the neglect of which VI have SO justly complained. and h attempt Ing to predict what the new year has iI store for us. we place the granting O. municipal rights to Skagway at the head This will bs hailed by every good ei,izer as precious boon.
 NO MORE SUBSCRIPTIONS.
 Much has been done in the past Ia the way Of public improvement and fire pro tec,lon. and the condition ot Skagway sui fers very llttle by comparison with any In eorporated town of its slze; but the few have had Co pay for it all. and the many have had the benefit. There are men own ing property. who have increased thei rents on the ground Of some street or oth CT improvement In the neighborhood o' their property. and yet have refused to subscribe cent toward the expense oi such Improvement That will be put an end Co early In this glad new year. We ahal1 have an assessed valuation and regu- lar taxes with law to enforce their pay ment. There will no longer be subserip- ton papers presented to you at every turn and those citizens who have done the mos, for Skagway Will be pleased to fnd their annual taxation considerably less than the amount they would have felt it their duty Co subscribe. and there will be substantial improvements going on all the time. Then tha honor of ranresentfpg tha ettfVsns Ia