The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-23
Senator Nelson's Alaska Bills.


bills relating to Alaska. One provides
for an additional district judge. and
changes the boundary Of the judicial
divisions so as to create anew district
ma rivers; another provides for the
construction and maintenance of
wagon roads,. the establishment and.
maintenance, Of schools. and the care
of the insane and destitute: another,
amends and codif1es> the laws relat-
ing to municipal corporations; an
other provides for the. election of a
delegate to the house of representa-
tives; another amends the criminal
| code with respect to the penalty for
criminals and the sale Of liquors, and
one authorizes the city of Nome to,
construct a bridge across the Snake
river at Nome. .,...... 80. -. -
| The bill with reference to, the cleo.
ton Of a delegate will attract more:
attention probably than any other.
The people, of Alaska are exceedingly
| anxious for. representation in Wash
| ington in some authorized way, and
| will welcome the privilege Of sending
a delegate whom they have elected, or
| would be glad, we have no doubt, to-
have a representative at Washington
even if he were appointed by the
president.
| The most important bill is the one
relating to the construction and MAIN
>tenance of; roads, not only from the
fact that it provides for that which
Alaska needs most, but under it's pro-
visions all the money derived from
licenses, or occupation taxes and fees
| in the district of Alaska is to be
used for the benefit of Alaska. That
| has not. been the case heretofore.
annually into the treasury, Of y the
United States over and above the ex-;
1 pense incurred for conducting the
kind Of administration which the fed
eral courts afforded. This surplus is
| now to be appropriated for road
building, for the establishment and
maintenance Of schools, on which a
limited amount has been spent here
tofore, and for the care OF the insane
and the destitute, for which purpose
Alaska has had no funds. The bill
provides that, after paying expenses
Of the courts. as now provided, the
4 revenues Of the district outside of the
separate and distinct fund in the
treasury to be known as the Alaska
fund, and to be wholly devoted to the
purposes already indicated-roads,
schools and the care of the insane
and destitute. One-fourth of that
fund, or, so much as may be neces-
sary, is to be devoted to the establish
ment of schools; 10 per cent
I is set apart for the care Of the
insane and destitute, and the remain
ing 65 per cent Is to be devoted to the
construction and maintenance of wag-
on roads, bridges and trails. Provi-
/ sions are made as to the form of pro-
hands Of three army officers, resident
4 in the district. This avoids the abb
i sorption of a large part of the money
! in salaries, inasmuch as the officers
are already paid by the government
! for their services, insures freedom
from political graft and guarantees
i competent, engineering ability. Moth
/ ing that could happen to Alaska would
probably be hailed with more de-
] light than. the proposed undertaking
\ to construct wagon roads. Nothing
obstructs development there so much
as the lack of transportation. The
surplus in the Alaska fund will make