Douglas Island news., 1900-04-11
ALAsKA's DELEGATE RETURNS.
TELLS WHAT HE DID AND WHAT HE TRIED
 TODO.

Mr. John Garland Price, the delegate to Washington, D. C., elected by the Juneau territorial convention, return ed to his home in Skagway on the last Cottage City. He has gained some pub Iicity for himself and has perhaps been the means of advertising the needs of Alaska, as they appeared to him, at the nations capital. In conversation with a representative of the Skagway Daily Alaskan, Mir. Price admits that he has changed his mind, since going to Washington, in regard to some matters connected with the district, but refuses to admit that Gov. Brady was right or that an apology was due him for the variableness of Delegate Prices state ments from time to time.
 "They tried to make it appear that l did not know what was talking about but I think showed them that I did," said Mir. Price. "I have had to contend with a nun mber of difficult situations in Washington. Among these is an indis' position to give us any power-not even so much as they give to Hawaii"
 When asked regarding municipal government he said:
 'It is true that certain Alaskans have worked against it; but we are going to get it-and just as l drew it. The one sent in by theconvention was not look ed at. They said: You have to cut it in half, then divide by fifteen, then cut in half again So I drew them up short bill, which has passed the Senate. It provides for common council of seven members, which shall elect its own president, who is ex-of1cio mayor. The council is empowered to elect the clerk, treasurer, assessor and other city officers deemed necessary. The quail hcation of an elector are one years residence iu Alaska and six months in the community, but in election on the question of incorporation property owners only can vote.
 "The council also has power to create fire, light, police and health depart, ments, and to provide for sewers, pave ments and other public works. The bill provides for a poll tax and places tax on dogs. Taxes cannot be collected in excess of l per. cent, of assessed yalua- tion of real and personal property, and no right is given to bond community for any purpose.
 ~The thing that I had the hardest fight for was the occupation tax as it now exists. might as we'll have at tempted to blow brick block over with my breath as to get it repealed. Senator Carter wouldn't hear of it. l got 50 per cent of the tax set aside for school purposes, but Senator Carter wouldn't agree to an additional twenty five per cent for the use of municipali- ties, and the latter was cut out of the bill. Our friends in the house, how ever, are in favor of both. Representa- tive Warner, chairman of the commit teo, favors 30 per cent for municipal purposes. When the bill goes to con ference, I rather expect compromise of 50 per cent for schools and 9 per cent for municipal uses, or 75 per cent in all.
 'The civil code and the code of civil procedure follow out the recommends tions of the convention very closely. On the whole, think the legislation l have outlined will be enacted into law This was the condition of things when I left Washington, and, not seeing that 1 could do much, if anything, more, ] decided to go home.
 son the delegate question" continu- ed Mir. Price, "the Knox bill in the house provides for a general election in Alaska and appropriated s5OOO for the purpose. It has good prospects of passage in the house, but in the senate it is objected to as violation of prece-