The daily morning Alaskan., 1901-01-10
MANY HITS ON THE SAME NAIL

In the Jhlrd Aunuai fQltl0n or the DAILY ALASKAN issued Monday, was an explanation by MT. J. G. Price, dele gate from the Alaska Territorial Con vention to Washington, stating how he became converted to the principle of a territorial form of government for Southeastern Alaska, and making an excellent argument in it's favor. MT Price claims to have been converted to this view by his experience in Washington, to which he was sent by convention that was opposed to terri torial form of government, and which believed it was possible to obtain rep resentation in Congress without be- coming a territory, and thus avoid, as 1t was thought, the expenses incident to a territory To such a suggestion 1t was easy for the members of the national legislature to say, We have no precedent; why not apply for terri torial rights, and make your own laws?"
 The Daily Alaskan had the temerity to suggest and support this principle when it stood practically alone on the subject. It has hammered at it ever since, and at length has the satisfac- tion of seeing that nearly every bona fide resident of Southeastern Alaska has come to the same view. This jour nal began the fight when for every lit tie local improvement the hat had to be passed around to pay the expense of it, and the man who did not pay his share received all the benefits from the improvements that the liberal sub scriber paid for. It was made as a fight for an equalization of taxation. There were no national or local taxes then, but these continual subscription lists were a greater expense to the leading men of the community than ' l = 8 a ;:,il;- jus* been. A territorial form of govern ment was argued that those who evad- ed these voluntary contributions should be forced to pay their share of the general burden.
 Hitting the same nail on the head continually, with new arguments ev- cry time, did firmly fix the idea in the peoples minds, but they were 10th to run the risk of any form of taxa tion until it was forced upon them. A little later on it was forced upon them that is, the taxation was. While the people of Alaska were discussing means whereby national legislation could be obtained for the rapidly grow ing population, the ill-placed governor of the district was at Washington tell ing Congress that there was no reason why the government should not collect half million year more from Alas ka by simply taxing the people of Alaska, the hardy pioneers who were cutting towns out of Stewards Ice Chest" and making productive a coun- try that was for many years entirely unproductive. What a reward was that which Brady suggested!
 Congress, upon the representations of Governor Brady, did pass a tax law. It not only taxed the liquor dealers the limit, so to speak, but it taxes every body doing business from the mer- chant to the drayman and the peanut roaster In no other part of the coun- try has such an iniqitous tax ever been imposed; and it is constitutionally wrong in that the taxed are given no representation in the expenditure of these taxes or in the government to which they pay it.
 It was the imposition of this tax that aroused the people of Alaska on the subject of territorial form of gov ernment, and made many converts to 1t. There are some few who, as Mir Price states, bring arguments against it principally on the ground of the cost to the people. The last report of the Secretary of the Treasury, June 20, showed the following:
 Collected by the government
 from Alaska .............$1,19 ,190 ,282 Total appropriation for Alas
 Ka ................. 263, ,l5O
 Net profit t...........$ 927, ,132
 The same report contains the figures for the territories of New Mexico and ShiduOlud, WHICH serve IO SuOW lue comparison between a territorial form of government and that of district: Collected in New Mexico -. .$154, ,6O6 Returned by government. .... 59,4O0
 Balance .................$ 95,206 Collected in Oklahoma .... $587 ,641 Returned by government .. 44,160
 Balance .................$5 $543,311
 The Carter bill permits towns of certain population to incorporate as municipalities, but makes no appropri- ation from the amount collected from business licenses toward the expenses of such incorporated city, except for schools. Consequently local taxes have to be imposed upon the citizens in addition to the government tax for the privilege of doing business.
 Under territorial form of govern ment we should make our own laws and fix the amount of the taxes. The business licenses would he done away