The Nome nugget., 1903-03-11
LEGISLATION FOR ALASKA.

Laying aside the question as to whether congress will will not give Alaska territorial form of gov ernment, it ought to he apparent to casual obser that whatever the action and decision may be- it will not be this year next when change of any kind will be enacted into law.
 Congress, like all large bodies, moves slowly. The ,irrepressible conflict between the corporations which have for more than third of a century controlled and dominated every governmental policy and ad- minstration of law in Alaska, and the people, must be fought out and decided. In the meantime there are changes in the laws which ought to be made new laws which should be enacted and old ones to be re- pealed; and if we to be compelled to wait for decision to the kind of government we shall have the development of the country will be retarded So then, let ask for what changes should have for present purposes and continue to ask for in the form of territorial or home government.
 The most important and pressing need of the district is change in the mining law whereby loca- tions of mining claims shall be made more definite and certain. All this section of Alaska mining claims have been located and recorded in such loose manner that 1t is well nigh impossible go onto any creek and ascertain the boundaries of claims or de- .termne what ground has been located and what not Under the law the claim should be distinctly marked the ground that the boundaries can be readily III many Instances IL Is Impossible 10 nnu ' solitary stake or monument. The records show that the creek is all claimed, but the descriptions in them do not apprise anyone of the exact location of solitary claim, nor whether the number. used com mence at the mouth or head of the stream
 Any marking of boundaries, no matter how evane scent or nconsequental is held to be sufficient and it seems that these markings need not be of any per manent character when made and need not be per cd i+ .I, pens that claims which have been marked by insgni- fcant willow twigs, which the elements have swept out of existence have been held to have been proper ly and sufficiently marked or the ground.
 Decisions of the courts have aided the difficulty actsr to place premium on disregard of the law and upon perjury and misrepresentation As mat ters stand none is safe in making location of or purchasing ground said to have been located for the reason that much latitude is allowed in proofs in court, and much importance is attached to the original marking the ground and so little to tn. record that has become question ofavoirdupois in evidence as to whether claimant or the other shall hold given claim.
 New countries always dependent upon capital for the development of resources and this capital must come from the outside some assurance of good faith must be held out the of it will refuse to invest it. As matters stand we are in no po- stion to ask capital to invest or to protect it when invested. The only remedy which can be suggested is 2 change in the law which will give a measure of certainty as to new locations and scheme to make the old ones definite and certain by means of some kind which will require claim owners, within some reasonable time to place their claims in reasonably decent condition by proper amendments stakes sur veys or some means guaranteeing certainty and pub licity.
 The next important change needed in the laws is the establishment within the district of an appellate court. Under the present system none but the rich can enjoy the blessings indulge in the expense of an appeal. The court now constituted is at San