Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1904-05-11
gibson ! THOMPSON, pub|sheisond proprelo
Government for Alaska.

The following is an extract from a
speech by Hon. Vim. Sulzer OF New
York, before the house Of representa-.
tivss last Friday ON an appropriation
bill for road in Alaska.
ave do not hesitate to appropriate
$25O.0OO to build fort in some out
of.the-way place. We do not stop a
moment to appropriate million to
build gunboat. We are spending
millions and millions OF dollars in
Porto Rico, Hawaii, and the Phil.
ppines. We do not hesitate to ap-
propriate millions and millions for
battleships that in a few years will be
useless; but when it comes to appro-
priating a few dollars to help the
brave men of this country-our pio-
neers-who blaze the way Of civiliza-
ton into the virgin fields and primeval
forests OF new empire, where wealth
abounds beyond the dreams OF avarice,
some one like the gentleman from
Iowa (Mr HulD gets up and protests.
He wants more information, forsooth.
But I say let us do something for
Alaska now. The men who know
most about Alaska favor this appro-
priation, and we should not wait until
the ignorant are educated.
"Let US pass it, and we can rely On
the War Department to see to it that
the money is we'll spent, and the
Government in time will get it all
back a thousand times over and
more. Just think OF it-there came
out Of this Tanana and Copper River
country last year, in gold and silver
and copper carried on the backs OF
horses and mel, five millions Of
wealth. Build this road so that
horses and wagons can 50 back and
forth drought this rich district, and
undertake to say the first year the
road is open there will be brought
forth more wealth than ever came out
OF the Klondike.
"The Government receives a large
revenue in taxes every year from
Alaska, but it does very little fol
Alaska in return, and, as the gentle.
man from Minnesota (Mr. Lind) has
90 we'll said, we refuse to give the
cities in Alaska local municipal gov.
eminent: we even refuse to give the
people OF the district of Alaska Terri.
torial government. 1t 10 a shame the
way the Alsskans are treated by the
Federal Government. We appropri.
ste q paltry pittsnce every year for a
United States marshal and the United
States judges, and that is about all.
The Government reports will show
that we derive evey year net revenue
from Alaska OF over 100000. That
money properly extended by the PEG.
pie in Alaska would open up and de.
velop this vast country; that money
would give employment to thousands
and thousands of honest, manly, pa.
triotic American citizens who are now
in Alaska and going there every year
to better their condition; that money
should be spent by Alaskans for
Alaska, and the only way this can be
accomplished is through the agency
OF Territorial government.
"This is the great boon the people oil
Alaska desire from the Congress oil
the United States, and until it i.
granted all other matters are second.
ary. The Alaskans are Amerlcsns
and they demand the inalienable right
OF Americans, the right to govern
themselves, local self-government
no taxation without representation
and these can only be secured through
Territorial government"