The Nome nugget., 1903-09-30
DEFECTS
 |n LAWS A Valdez Man Talks to
 Senators HN A HIVE TmplG
ON A LIVE TOPIC
Urges Representation in Congress, sSgd Expenditure Of Alaska's
 Money in Alaska.

The people of Valdez banquetted the senatorial committee which visited Alaska during July and August last. The Valdezians arc all orators, judg- ing by the number of speeches delivered at the banquet. One of the best was made by Edmund Smith, on the De fleets in Alaska's Laws," and it is here with republished, since it will be found to be interesting reading:
 "The first general defect is that they were not enacted by legislature in Alaska, composed of citizens of the United States and residents of this dis trict, who know the local requirements and local interests of the people, and who are interested in their welfare.
 "As to the spcifc defects, they are so numerous. glaring and un-American that life is too short to attempt any thing like full statement of them, A few may be mentioned, however.
 First-It has tecn the uniform policy of congress to encourage railroad build ing in the unsettled portions of the country; but in Alaska, fine of $l00 per mile per annum has been imposed on any one with sufficient energy, nerve and capital to build railroad here. To encourage mining license of B per stamp per annum has been imposed on the stamp mills. To encourage education, no school laws have been provided. To encourage emigration hither, no adequate provision is made to acquire a home. To encourage all kinds of legitimate business, a liberal fine is imposed Cn all who attempt to engage in the same. To give us secure banks and banking in stitutons, no provision is made by law for the incorporation of the game. To enforce the bill of rights, an American citizen, in many instances, is denied the right of a trial by jury. The life of citizen may be taken here, if you convince the jury you had reason to be- lieve, or did believe, it was necessary to save your own or to prevent great bodily harm: but you cannot kill a bear in Alaska, even in self defense, during the closed season, and the open season for killing bear here is shorter than the open season for killing governors in Kentucky.
 As to the remedies, the first that sug- gests itself is q territorial form of gov ernment, the territory 10 be bounded on the south and west by the Pacific ocean and Boring sea, and the cast by the Hist degree of west longitude, and on the north by the Yukon, and thereby allow the people of Alaska to supply a remedy. But, if congress is still of the opinion that we are incompetent to congress from Maine, Texas and Ar kansas think they know the wants and necessities of the people locally better than the people know them selves; then repeal the obnoxious license system, and in lieu thereof appropriate two million dollars of money in the U. S. treasury belonging to the people of Alaska. and with this two millions of dollars construct a wagon road from Valdez to the Yukon via Copper Gen. ter, with branch from Copper Center to the wonderful copper deposits and gold mines of the Nizina, another one from Copper Center to the 1lnana, and other roads that may be needed in other sections of Alaska. Not COW paths, but a wagon road similar to those in the Yukon territory construct ed by the Dominion of Canada. Pro- vide for the survey of the agricultural lands to give effect to our homestead laws. Representation in congress by a delegate elected by the people. Pro- vide rational free school system. Ex- tend the incorporation laws, including banks and all other branches of legiti- mate business. Provide adequate court facilities to despatch the business and settle the property rights of the people. In this district. the third, there should be two judges; one with headquarters at Eagle, the other at Valdez Tc make the circuit of the different places to hold court in this district requires