The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-01-16
ALASKAN CONDITIONS
Senators Who Visited the
North Make a Report.
STATISTICS o BTAlN D
Some Suggestions About Its
Future Development

Washington, Jan. 15.-Senator Dilling
ham. from the committee on territories
introduced in the senate the report o,
a subcommittee, consisting of Senators
Dillingham;. Burnham, Nelson and Pat
terson, which visited Alaska during tn.
last summer and made a thorough inves
tigation of existing conditions, resources
and legislative needs of the territory
a statement of receipts and expendi
lures of the general government since
Alaska become a part Of the United
States shows a profit to the government
of nearly a million dollars. The report
says that in ist- the output of canned sal.
mon from Alaska was 1881 800 cases
valued at about $500, from which this
government derived a revenue of :l5,-
R55. The committee recommends that
some provision be made for propagatinc
salmon in sufficient quantities to insure
the permanency of the supply
The report says that the great wealth
to be derived in the cod, herring. and
halibut fisheries OF. the Alaskan coast is
little comprehended because fey have
sought it. The committee predicts that
the annual eaten of cod can be made to
exceed that Of Newfoundland or any
other part OF the woSd Whether the
Climatic conditions of the region, which
initiate against successful curing of fish
can be overcome has not been fully de.
termined
The production of gold in Alaska, with
sonic nuctuation, has steadily increased
since 1SqS yrbpp 10 owl,
517,121. In 1909 it reached the sum of S.
1853
Silver has yet been produced in only
limited quantities, and other mineral
products, while reported, have not yet
been extensively exploited.
The most unfortunate of all the exist
ing faulty conditions in Alaska. the re-
port says, is the poor transportation ia
cilities. The committee calls attention TO
the fact that congress has provided a
good government for the district Of Alas
ka, but substantially no legislation cal
cuiated TO aid the people In development
Of the great areas of gold and copper
producing territory. Outside the few
and scattered settlements called towns,
most of which are only the ccnters of
mining interests, there is not TO be found
single public wagon road over which
vehicles can be drawn summer or win
ter. In that connection the committee
says:
The development of Alaska depends
more on the improvement of transpor,a-
ton facilities than on any other one in
strumentality. Substantially everything
consumed by the people and everything
required to carry on business must be
brought in from outside. The inactivity
of our government is manifest. 1t has
done nothing to relieve this condition.
The action of the Dominion government
has been marked contrast to the mac
ton of the United States
The committee is or the opinion that a
great obligation rests on the United
States to adopt a system of wagon roads
for the relief of miners in the American
territory. 1t says n well constructed
wagon road should connect the waters
of the Pacific with those of the Yukon
river at Eagle. The distance is about 400
miles. With this ROAD built Eagle. by
reason of her location, should be the dis
tributing point fer American goods for
great portion of the Yukon basin.
1t is recommended that the government
improve the harbor at ST. Michael in or
der to permit unobstructed passage to
the mouth of the Yukon: also that i'm
provements be made at the mouth OF the
Snake river in order to permit the land
ing of passengers to Nome.
In a number of sections of Alaska the
committee encountered agitation for the
establishment of territorial government
and the election OF an assembly. This is
not recommended by the committee: how
ever. as from the best data it obtained
the committee believes the permanent
white population of Alaska will not eX-
coed 10000. The necessity of rendering
some support to the native population is
felt by the committee, which says of
these Eskimos and Indians:
Hunters by nature and habit, and able
and willing before the influx of the whites
to care for themselves. they are through
the game laws wholly deprived OF their
chief means of maintenance. Why they
should be deprived of their immemorial
right 20 hunt at will passes the compre-
hension of the committee. The first meas
ure for the relief of the natives. particu-
laTly the Eskimos and Aleuts, should be
the absolute repeal or the game laws in
so far as their provisions prohibit hunting
and trapping by aborigines and natives
and the sales Of skins so taken. The de-
plorable col sition of these classes is such
as TO demand other and further relief at
the hands of congress
"rheb usiness of Alaska is carried on
by citizens of the United States 1t is
claimed by them to be white mans
country To all intents ard purposes
such is the fact. In every contest for
gain the white has been the gamer. Pow
erty extreme and pitiful prevails among
the natives and develops their tendency
10 disease. Justice and humanity alike de
10 disease. Justice and humanity alike de-
mand legislation for their relief.
MAIGA a hRAAALM