The daily morning Alaskan., 1900-03-22
So Stated at the Chamber of
 Commerce Meeting.
RESOLUTIONS OF REGRET
That So Able an Official as Judge Johnson Should Have Resigned
 From the Bench - Commissioner
 Swinehart Addresses the Chamber

The meeting of the chamber of com merce last night was largely devoted to Alaskan affairs In congress, long letter being read from MT. Price, and there being two gentlemen present who had recently returned from Washington. D. C. Ore of them was Mr. DautrIek, a member, and the other Mr. c. B. Swinehart. who has recently been appointed United States com. missioner to Nome, and thereford invited to attend and give the chamber informa- tlon both as to Alaskan affairs In Wash ington and In regard to the rich dIggings in the far north and the route thereto.
 Among the members present at the meet. ing were: Dr. Keller, president; Or. Moore, Messrs. Lilly, Burns. |. Kaufman. Mayer, Wilson, Peoples. Woodruff, Dau- trick and s. G. Kaufman.
 The letter of Mr. Price was read. but in view of his early return no action was taken upon t.
 Commissioner Swinehat, being called upon, sketehed out how Alaskan matters had been treated before the several con gresslonal committees with many interests ing details, not only of the action taken but of the motives that move statesmen to such action, and he eomplimented the work of Mir. Price. While having his doubts whether the municipal clause would pass. he stated that in the senate committee only 50 per cent. of ;he taxa tion was allowed for municipalities. all of which was for schools, while in the house there was an additional 25 per cent. al' lowed for streets and fire protection. He suggested that the chamber should send to Washington a resolution favoring the house bill.
 As to the question of delegate, he said that congress would never give Alaska a delegate until it became territory. wotnu'hu,t .otlto- .~~L-d.s.h the. .shaness cided to ask for territorial rights.
 Commissioner Swinehart replied: Sem ator Carter, who is perhaps doing more good for Alaska than all the others put to- gether and is the acknowledged authority on Alaskan affairs, brought up this ques- tion one day in the committee room. There were fourteen Alaskans present, and they were invited to express their views on a territorial form of government. The senator said there had been talk on the subject and seemed to intimate that if the people of Alaska desired a delegate they should ask for a territorial form of gov- ernment. It was proposed to divide the territory an 1 take in all south of Mount St. Elias and call it Lincoln territory, leaving the remainder as the District of Alaska. Those present favored it.
 The commissioner said he favored it and he gave figures to support his belief that to manage our own affairs as tenl- tory would cost no more than the present tax.
 "The question of municipal govern ment," he said In answer to question. "l am afraid Is going to be defeated. think the principal opposition canes from Ju- neau, though am sorry to say 1t Is pos, slble you have opposition from your own town. It Is capital that is doing it, be. cause the taxes of a municipal o'ganiza- ton fall more heavily upon those having large interests who now escape taxation altogether"
 MT. Dautriek was also called upon and spoke of what he had learned in Wash lngton of the status of Alaskan legislation, and as to the municipal bill he said the bill was opposed in many private letters to members of both houses of congress.
 The question of subsldizing telephone to Haines was referred to committee.
 President Keller called attention to the excellent editorial from the Buffalo Ex- press, based upon an editorial of the DAILY ALASKAN and which was pub Isu~s ~-s-----.-- --,------s---a--Ii---- his suggestion the Secretary was instructed to write a letter of thanks to the editor Of the Buffalo newspaper. Mr. Swinehart said he had noticed references to the DAILY ALASKAN'S article in several other leading