The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-04-23
A NATURAL ADNERTENCE

Senator Nelson, of Minnesota, ere
ated a sensation in the senate the
other day.
He said "d-n."
The senator was speaking about the
just claims of Alaska upon the federal
government, and his Indignation at
the indifference of the government to
the interests of that great district led
him inadvertently to the use Of
language expressive but not often
heard on the floor of the senate.
Alaska has been in the possession of
this country since 1867, 1t has white
population of Approximately 10000
people. The Indian population i ""sh
ably $4,000 or 10000. The government
provides very inadequate system. of
government through the officers of the
federal courts, and through the treas
ury department. The interests of the
government in its revenues are very
carefully looked after in Alaska Look
ing after them is one of the principal
services rendered by the officers of the
courts.
In lieu of other taxes there is levied
in Alaska what is called an "occupa-
ton tax" and while in the incorpor-
ated towns and cities this tax is
turned over i'm large part to the local
authorities for school purposes and
while a portion of that collected from
outside of the incorporated towns is
used in maintaining schools for both
natives and whites, there remain many
thousands of dollars annually every
year-seVeral hundred thousand in
fact-which are turned into the treas
ury of the United States, and from
which the people of Alaska receive no
benefit. The expenses of the federal
officers and the military cannot legiti-
mately be charged up to this balance
turned into the treasury because the
expenses of the same class of officers
and the military in the states are taken
care of out of the federal revenues and
ought to be taken care out of the fed
eraI treasury in the case of Alaska.
At the same time Alaska is very
much in need of public improvements
and it is a rank injustice that money
collected in taxes should accrue to the
benefit of the people of the United
States when Alaska needs not only
this money but much more for the
proper development of her wonderful
resources.
Senator Nelson, acting FOR himself
and other members of the subcommit-
tee of the seante which visited Alaska
last summer is asking for the return
the money turned into the treasury
of the United States last year by
Alaska in the form of an appropria-
ton for a public road to start from
Valdez, on the south shore, with
Eagle, on the Yukon, as its ultimate
| terminus OF course, s25OOO0 will not
build the road the entire distance, but
it will be a beginning and open up the
way to the interior.
Alaska needs a delegate in congress,
but the bill providing for such a dele
gate. in the anxiety of both republic
cans and democrats to secure an early
| adjournment may fail of passage
| Legislation providing for the estab-
| ishment Of hatcheries and the preser-
walton of the important fishing indus
| tries is needed. The safety of the tens
| of thousands of people who annually
| navigate the Alaska waters demands
| additional safeguards in the way of
| lighthouses and beacOnS, and a more
| thorough coast survey. Life saving
stations are needed; more judges are
| needed: amendments to the mining
laws and the land laws are needed,
| while the pitiful plight Of the natives
| of Alaska makes it a solemn obliga-
| ton to amend the game laws In the
| interest of the natives and in other
| ways to provide for the care Of these
| people for whom our government has