The Grit-advocate., 1904-01-22
Report on Alaska.

Senator Dillingham;. from the com
mittee on territories, introduced in the
Senate the report of subcommittee
consisting of Senators Dillingham;,
Burnham Nelson and Patterson, which
visited Alaska during the last summer
and made a thorough investigation Of
existing conditions. resources and leg
islative needs of the territory.
A statement of receipts and eXpendl-
lures of the general government since
Alaska became part of the United
States shows ii profit to the govern
ment of nearly million dollars. The
report says that in 1902 the output of
canned salmon from Alaska was 2,63l,-
320 cases, valued at about $S,OO0,OO0,
from which the government derived a
revenue of $1O5.225. The committee
| recommends that some provision be
made for propagatng salmon in sufil-
| cient quantities to insure the perma-
nency of the supply.
/ The report says that the great
| wealth to be derived in the cod her
ring and halibut fisheries of Alaskan
coast is little comprehended because
| few have sought it. The committee
predicts that the annual catch of cod
can be made to exceed that of New
| foundland or any other part of the
world. Whether the climatic condi'
tions of the region, which initiate
against successful curing of fish can
. be overcome has not been fully deter
mined
The most unfortunate of all the eX-
isting faulty conditions in Alaska, the
report says, is the poor transportation
| facilities.
The committee calls attention to the
| fact that Congress has provided a good
government for the district of Alaska,
but substantial legislation calculated
to aid the people in the development
OF great areas of gold and copper pro
duction territory is needed.
| The House elections committee No.
decided to employ an expert in hand
writing to aid in the examination OF
| ballots in the Bonynge-Shafroth CON
test. The work of examination pro
ceeds slowly and the subcommittee en-
gagged in the work probably will not
conclude its labors for several weeks.
The bill making appropriations for
! the legislative, executive and judicial
departments of the government has
| been completed by the House commit
| tee on appropriations, and reported tC
the House. The bill carries a total OF
s2S, ,25S,SS5, which is an increase OF
94,6S0 over the appropriation for the
present fiscal year.
Representative Shafroth will be Civ
en- a hearing before the House public
| buildings and grounds committee upon
| his bill aDprODriating 81 $50 600 for a
new public building for Denver Mr.
| ShafrOth will present statistics now be-
ing prepared in Denver and hopes tC
make such a showing that favorable
report will be made upon his bill.
Representative Hepburn of Iowa, ir
indorsing the international arbitration
group, stated that fully one-half OF the
Federal taxation had been expended
for war. Over 100000 of the youth
! of the United States had died in a sin,
gle war. This war cost in treasure
Sc ,000, 100000 and since that time $3
500 900, 900 had been paid in pensions
Senator Bacon of Georgia has intro
duced resolution iavoring negotia-
tions with Colombia looking to the
| adoption of a satisfactory treaty which
shall amicably dispose of all questions
d, growing out of the recent revolution in
! Panama. and submitting to the perma-
nent Court of Arbitration at The Hague
or to some other tribunal to be agreed
upon, for impartial arbitrament and
peaceful determination, all questions
between the United States and the Re
public of Colombia.