The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-12-20
Why Not Alaska, Too?


Why Not Alaska, Too? i
The senate passed bill last Friday
which ought to be worth something to
the people of Alaska. ,r. * g..
There is no mention of Alaska In the
bill, and it refers altogether to the Phil
ippines, but it establishes a precedent
which the friends Of Alaska may be able
to take advantage Of. It authorizes
the insular government to issue bonds
for internal improvements, and to aid
certain private enterprises by guaran-
teeing their bonds.
The particular feature of interest to
Alaska, is that authorizing the insular
government to guarantee railroad bonds
to the extent of $l,200,000. This does
not mean that the government is going
to build any railroads in the Philippines,
but it is going to give just that amount
Of assistance necessary to encourage
other people to build railroads there.
Now Alaska has no territorial gov
eminent which could issue any kind of
a bond, or guarantee any bond issued
by anybody else. Alaska is only dis
trict, not territory, governed entirely
by federal officials, the affairs Of the
district being administered chiefly thru
the federal courts. Alaska, however,
has need of railroads and wagon roads,
and must have them before the develop
ment of that country can be expected to
o,I Poll n
building in Alaska, however, is probably
quite as much an experiment as in the
Philippines. In Luzon, for instance,
the largest Philippine island, there is
population Of several millions, more
or less distributed turnout the island.
Settlement and development to some
extent have already been effected, 50
that railroad construction may be IN
dertaken there with less apparent IN
certainty as to the outcome than would
seem to obtain in Alaska.
Something has been ventured in rail
road construction in Alaska, but wheth'
er these undertakings have any more
than local Importance, or have any per
|
to be seen. The truth of the matter is
however, that Alaska, with her great
mineral wealth, is practically at {
standstill, and will remain so until bet
ter means Of transportation have beer
established. And if it is permissible
for our government to authorize the
territorial government of the Philip
pines to aid in the construction Of rail
roads in those islands, it would seen
to be quite consistent for our govern
ment, in the absence Of any territorial
government in Alaska, to render SINH
lar assistance and encouragement to thu
construction of railroads in Alaska
That the resources Of the country jus
tify such governmental assistance 70:
their development seems no longer t.
be debatable question.
But not all the obligation Of tn
government toward Alaska in the mat
ter Of better transportation facilitie
relates to railroad construction alone
Perhaps a. more natural, consistent, an
a measure of aid more supported b,
precedent, would be governmental ali
for the construction Of wagon roads
The government has indicated som
disposition to render assistance of thi
kind. It has caused surveys to b
made over some Of the most importan
trials, and the probabilities are tina
the revenues Of the district will be s
utilized and so supplemented, if neces
sary, as to encourage system o
wagon road construction.
| The benefits to be derived from sue
expenditures by the government hav
already been demonstrated just acros
the line by the Canadian government
which has expended $l,090,000 i
wagon roads in the Yukon Territor
during the past six years. These WACO
roads have made possible the develop
ment of mining districts and the prt
: duction of many millions of gold fro1
them which would otherwise have bee
so inaccessible that they could nc
have been proftably worked.
Alaska is suffering today from th
handicap Of lack of roads thru it's ell
: tire territory, and with the examp]
and the excellent results afforded on til
Canadian side, it is impossible to a.
. count for the neglect Of Alaskan int
y ests in the matter Of transportation Q
+ any other ground than ignorance on tt
. part Of the members of congress Of tt
conditions that obtain in our far nort]
q west territory, and Of the wealth to k
/ developed therein.
- The "Iowa idea" is beginning to st
; uneasily in the pigeonhole to which it W.
, consigned about eight or nine mont
= ago.
} One City for Telephone Purpose