The daily morning Alaskan., 1903-10-24
EXPENSE OF TERRITORY

EXPENSE OF AEfhEhA NaeA
 One of Che ayor.te arguments Of those who are opposing seligovern- meut for Alaska relates Co the expenses of maintaining a territorial organiza- t.on. A suggestion of thissort is made. and s,ra.gb,way large figures are quoted
 Asama,ter ol fact territorial or- raniadoa is one of the most iueNpen- sige of governments otherwise the sparsely distributed and impoverished immigrants in che territories could never have aom.shed as they did under the operations of sacha government For instance. the territory of Washing lon was organized mlS55 when there were less than +0o0 people within it's boundaries. These were mostly farm CTS and hunters. both vihou, mar ket for their products They did bosi- ness almost exclusively by .he barter and trade process. There was almost DO circulating medium ataL yet the government was maintained and very  little debt was incurred a- any time. and much of the time @ small cash 6al- snce was m the territorial treasury.
 tmieh, be asked why is a territorial government less expensive than a state government. Because iu a territory the salaries and incidental expenses of the governor and secretary of che ter r..ory. che salaries. travelling and incidental expenses of the district judges. and all che expenses otthe ieg- islature. including the per diem and mileage of the members. che cost of the stationery and printing. and of the publication of che session laws. ], borne by che federal government
 The county officers are few iu num- Der and tbeir pay will depend upon Che amount of work to be performed, and may be covered. for the most part. by the fees collected These fees are paid now. A sui, cmuo. be commenced without ,he payment ottbe court costs. nor can a lced be recorded without -he fee is advanced These are ample Co more chan pay for the services.
 All che 1oye-amaa. functions tha, are exercised uudara territory are e2- erc.ssd in Alaska now. except that o. making the laws. and the expense for that in territories are borne by the ied- erll government
 But. ]. is said. che federal govern ment pays che officers now and the pe0- pie would have 60 pay chem should we have territorial government We'll t may be said in reply -he federal gog- erumea, collects che money for Che  purpose Of paving the-e expenses from Che people of the district and has a large surplus Go spare. which Senator Dillingham; has recommended be eN- pended in roads in the Alaskan inter- ior. !, must bel remembered also, chat these revenues are collected from Alas kans in addition Go those of che kinds that are collected from the people of other sections of the country They are sources of revenue that. in other places. are utilized by the local gov- ernmeul Asa matter Of fct. che ted- eral government at the present time is charging against the revenues derived from Alaska the salaries of che gov- ernor and judges. which would no, be the case in a territory
 There is no reason why taxes should be one particle higher had we terri,or- ial government chan they are at the present time, and with a territory we could make our own laws and select the oFrars ro srf1rce theu.