Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-28
Delegation of Citizens of
Alaska Calls.
TERRITORY'S NEEDS
CONDITIONS EXPLAINED BY MR..
WooTRN OF TEXAS.
Development of the Country Paralyzed
by a Foreign Monopoly-Big
Moose Head Presented.


very much interested in and impressed by
the resources Of the country and was also
much concerned in the failure OF Congress
to adequately provide for the nee ssities of
that country. At the request of citizens of
Alaska, he has taken an active interest in
trying to secure a proper consideration OF
Ell Alaskan affairs, SO today IN company with
a delegation of representative citizens from
Alaska he called upon the President, by
appointment The company consisted of
Mr. Wooten, V. 7. Hoggart, Robert Blei
Captain j. j. Healy, Mr.. Robbins, f. c.
Helm. Mrs. Helm, and Mr.. McNair. All of
these, except the Texas representative, are
citizens of Alaska, living at Nome, Valdez,
and other portions of the country. They
presented to the President the most mag
nifcent moose head ever brought to the
United States. The animal was killed in
the Cooks inlet region of Alaska, and
measures 61a feet across the horns. 1t was
inscribed, ITO Theodore Roosevelt from
the citizens of Valdez, Alaska, in token OF
their esteem. and in recognition of his
friendship, on his forty-fourth birthday,
October p, 1902 They also exhibited to
. the President splendid specimens of gold,
copper cinnabar, and other minerals taken
from the mines of Alaska.
Necessities Of the Country Presented.
Mr.. Wooten acted as spokesman of the
ditions, resources and necessities of that
country. Among other things. he showed
that In area Alaska is larger than all of
the United States east of the Mississippi
river. That 1t is, by it's location, cut off
, from the United States by more tn 800
miles of foreign waters, and It is p.ac l.
caly cut in two by British territories. He
also pointed out the fact that there are to-
day only two raadS into Alaska, one by way
of Dutch Harbor and ST. Mich aels, up the
Yukon river which is a very long. tedious
and expensive route, and the ether from
Skagway to White Horse and down the
Yukon river TO Dawson from which p int
Americans are compelled to pay tariff in
order to get supplies into their own coun-
try. 1t was also shown to the Pr s dent
that there are no adequate laws for obtain
ing title to land in Alaska, and the actual
settler is compelled TO rely upon laws
passed for territories entirely dissimilar In
all respects. 1t was likewise suggested that
the vast fishing industries of Alaska are
unprotected, and that the government, as
Well as the country itself, is being yearly
robbed by what Mr.. Wooten calls the fish
trust the Pacific coast.
Mr.. Wooten contended that what Alaska
needs and what she is entitled to Is a law
that will grant to the actual settler an ade-
quate homestead with an assured title; tina
the people should be relieved from the pres
ent burdensome occupation taxes and given
the benefits of the money that they pay into
the treasury for taxes, that the fishing in
dustry should be protected that the miner
should be relieved from the complications
and burdens of the tariff; that railroad
should be projected and built, if necessary,
by government aid; and that the country
should be given chance to make itself
what it Is, one of the greatest territories in
the Union. He pointed out that according
to the most trustworthy reports, Alaska is
not only great mining country, but like
wise great agricultural and stock raising
country, the climate being far n.iIder and
more favorable than that of Montana, WyO-
ming Dakota and Nevada, and with the
proper facilities of transportation will be-
come one of the greatest agricultural and
pastoral regions of the republic.
The reports of the Agricultural Depart
ment and of the experimental stations were
cited TO support this view, and photographs
OF actual vegetation in that regi IN were ex-
hibited to demonstrate the truth of that as
serton.
Development Paralyzed by Monopoly.
In further presenting the case Mr.. Wooten
said:
There are 5000 American citizens in
Alaska, more than the combined population
OF Utah and Nevada, and yet these people
have no government; no representative in
Congress, and are being subjected to rules
and regulations utterly inapplicable to their
conditions. The whole development Of
Alaska Is today paralyZed by the monopoly
OF the Canadian Railroad and Steamship
company, from Skagway to White Horse |
and from White Horse to Dawson What
Alaska needs Is, first of all, a land law that |
VIII give the actual settler a homestead
Next, wagon roads and trails By which the
country can be opened up to explora zion.
ana then railroad on American territory:
that Will enable Americans to travel over |
thelr own country and bring in their own |
supplies at reasonable prices The mineral
resources Of Alaska, in gold copper coal |
OIL and all other mineral products surpass
AWNING today known in the world, and
Of NOfI r1tr t,
Alaska as large as the state of Texas pecu-
nary adapted for stock raising, and for the
pr IsTn of wheat and oats
me people Of the United States and the
government of the United States have
never understood the real character of that |
country and the unlimited possibilities of |
- s.s ,o ltatarai resources. 1t originally cost
s,zoWoo and last year the salmon Fisheries
alone IN Alaska produced over IS 900 900 |
rms year the district of Nome alone turned |
out over S1oGOOOOO in gold''
Mr. Wooten urged upon the President tho
adVisabiltty and necessity of recommend |
ing to Congress legislation calculated ia |
protect and promote the best interests Of
Alaska, as being more valuable than anv
otner undeyeloped portion of American ter
ritOry.
The President listened with deep interest
10 the presentation Of the Views of Mr.
Wooten. and was impressed that he
called Mr. Cortelyou and dictated some por-
lions or his message on Alaska.
me President was immensely pleased
800 INC sidiit HfOOSenedQ, ana intends
hehS In the state dining room of the
renovated White House, where II will at
tract the attention OF men of eminence and
olStlnction from all over the world. Mem
pers OF the party invited the President TO |
hunt bear on Montague Island and another
member or the party promised him that IL |
ne would come to Alaska for a hunt he |
would be guaranteed polar bear
The President intends to make some i'm |
portant recommendations as to Alaska and !
greatly appreciates the presentation of facts
regarding the territory.
American Consul Calls.
After the call of the Alaska delegation the |
President received Henry d. SayIor, the |
United States consul at Dawson City. Alaska. |
Mr.. Saylor~left Dawson City September |
IL and IS in this country on leave. When |
left Dawson City the weather was as |
pleasant as il Is in Washington today" said |
Mr. Saylor. The fact is that the season is |
much later than was ever known before |
The Yukon now will not be closed to nayi-
CATION this year before November l, while |
II ts usually closed early in October The |
last spring was an early one. and now the |
fall is late.
Yes. / think as much gold will be taken
from the ground in the vicinity of Dawson |
our