The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-02-01
ALASKA BILLS IN CONGRESS
ARE MANY BUT WORKERS FEW
Reform of Mining
Laws Rouses
Discord.

natural water sheds are suggested as
the real dividing lines.
Senator Nelson's bill providing for
the election Of a representative is
specially objected to. as il fixes the
date of the election in summer, when
everybody is too busy to vote. mo
man at that time would think OF TAX.
ing day off for the purpose of vot-
ing, as nearly every man who votes
would have to-" said a we'll posted
Alaska miner discussing this bill.
Besides, in the summer" he said. the
country is Overrun with transients
who are not entitled to but who would
vote"
Another of Senator Nelson's bills
addresses itself to curbing the license
of the city council at Nome. The
council has heretofore fixed salaries
at their pleasure; for instance, putting
them up, away up, when the official
did things, lawful or unlawful. as they
indicated they wished them done. cut
ting them down when he showed a
disposition TO go his way. even though
that way be the enforcement of law.
The bill allows the council to fix sal
aries of the Mayor and other officials,
but being fixed, not to change il dur
ing their term of Office. The time of
all local elections is changed in this
bill from April to July.
According to another bill of Nell
sons all taxes and license money col
lected outside of incorporated towns
goes into a special Alaskan fund. %
per cent of which if needed may be
used for school purposes outside the
towns, 10 per cent if needed may pro-
vide for insane and destitute and the
remainder shall go toward the build
ing Of roads and bridges. A board
composed of the military is named to
1OC.l IrrsT
MAY DENY GAMBLING.
Another bill prohibits gambling and
the employment of women in saloons,
provides a fine and forfeiture OF IL
eense upon conviction Of either or Of
allowing women to rustic" in saloons.
Another Nelson bill provides for
the erection of a free bridge over the
Snake River within the city limits Of
Nome.
Senator Dillingham; has introduced
a bill suspending indefinitely the right
of the North American Commercial
Company, leSSees of the PribilOf group
of islands. to kill fur seals on or near
these islands and providing for the
opening of negotiations with Great
Britain looking toward a revision OF
the laws governing the taking Of seals.
The President is required to negotiate
with the Governments OF Russia and
u
subscribe to any agreement that may
be reached between the United States
and Great Britain. In case no such
agreement can be reached then the
Secretary Of Commerce and Labor
may, by the bill, with the approval OF
the President. reduce the surplus fe-
male fur-seal life on the Pribilof ISL
ands by killing the same down TO a
minimum number OF not less than
10, 900 adult female seals and the male
to not less than 1000 virile adult
males. the skins to be sold and the
money turned into the treasury.
NEW GOVERNMENT WANTED.
Finally there is the expected bill
providing for a territorial form of
government in Alaska. 1t is offered
by Jones of Washington. 1t may be
said that among the Alaskans now in
Washington there is not much enthu-
siasm over this bill. 1t is pointed out
that the big district is in no condition
to support a cum bersOme form OF
government, that its taxable property
could not pay the expense and that
for many other reasons IL is not ready
its immense distances. with made
quate means Of communication, the
difficulty of holding elections. etc.
make the territorial idea Impractical
BILE. The Senate committee has re-
ported against such q measure.
This reviews the Alaskan legislation
as proposed to date. There Will be
much more TO follow. If any of IL ever
gets into the law books, il will prob
ably be through much tribulatiOn- But
whether or no this much may be pre-
dicted that through the discussion in
cident the East may come at last into
the knowledge that Alaska. with its
immense area, vast resources and I'M
limited opportunities, is on the map
Among the prominent Alaskans in
the city looking after legislation on
their private interests are Francis Nc
Nulty. Nome lawyer. who seeks the
place Of Colonel Grisby as District At
torney at Nome; Tim" Galen. Deputy
Marshal at Nome. who is a brother-in-
law of Senator Carter. John Rustgard,
formerly Mayor OF Nome; c. p. Dam.
Alaskan steambOatman; Judge John
son, formerly District Judge for all Of
Alaska, and who resigned that Office to
practice law at Nome.
Porter j. Costen. an attorney at Nome.
is here in the interests OF lot owners
at Nome to secure patents for the
same The matter has been concluded
before the general land Office, and pat
ents ordered issued. Costen being
named as commissioner to transmit the
same