The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-02-01
Friends of Meas
ures Are Not in
Harmony.
BY SAMUEL w. WALL.


| WASHINGTON, Jan. 81. = This is a
story of the wilderness of Alaska in
bewildered Washington, too.
| If the big district does not get a good
deal of what has been coming to it for
a long time, in the matter of legisla-
ton, at this sitting of Congress, Alaska
will have only her own friends to blame.
To scan the bills that have already
been introduced in her behalf would
! leave the impression that Congress was
about to devote the entire session to
the unrepresented and misrepresented
wilderness that forms the northwestern
extremity of this great country. But
there need be no worry as to that
! Alaska needs a lot of things, if che
bills are to be accepted as a sign, but
she will get but. few. Primarily she
needs a representative, or representa-
tives, in Congress and a new code of
mining laws. 1t is quite possible that
she could get both of these. If her
friends out of Congress could unite in
support of any of the bills already in
PRODUCED. For Alaska has acquired
many friends on the floor of both
houses during the past year-some of
them very influential II and who are
willing to work for any reasonable
measure of relief. But the many repre-
sentative Alaskans now in Washington
are all found to have pronounced views
on essential points that are radically at
variance.
| For instance, in the single matter Of
representative there are those who
favor Senator Nelson's bill, providing
that such delegate should be appointed,
while, for the most part, an appointed
delegate is tabooed as worse than none.
! Congressman Cushman of Washington,
who is champion of Alaska, has
bill providing for the election of dele
] gate and declares that the House will
| hear to no other. THE Senate can have
an appointed delegate of their own"
Fsays he, but he can't come over to
our side"
Jones Of Washington has a bill that
/! provides for three elective delegates
and he insists that no other will suit,
| as Alaska is of such extent that no one
man can properly represent it's great
area and varied interests.
MAY CHANGE LAWS.
With regard to the amending of the
mining laws, concerning which there
has obeen more cutlery than any of
Alaskas needs, there is such confusion
OF thought that no man has as yet
been brave enough to offer a bill. Sen
ator Dillingham;, who led the Senate
summer, and who is the author of a
I big batch of Alaska bills already filed,
has not yet determined upon this mat
ter, but will present a bill little later.
I Cushman, representative of Washing
ton, who wears an Alaska Brother
hood" button in the lapel of his coat, is
also preparing a bill. He is in great
doubt, however He was for cutting
out the power of attorney" privilege
in the matter of locating claims and
very determined about it, He is not
so sure now that this is the thing to do.
Q This matter of locating is not the real
zesril, he says. 1T is in the holding of
these claims. There is much to be
said in favor of the power of attorney
in making location, but nothing for
holding these claims indefinitely with
out their being worked as against the
miner and prospector who may be
willing to do his assessment and de-
velop the property and the country"
And yet there is a man here in
7 washington who is said to hail from
Valdez as a paid representative of the
! people there and wEo claims to be spe-
cislly deputized to see to it that a law
be passed by the Congress making as
sessmenI work upon mining claims in
/ Alaska in no wise obligatory for the
holding of claims indefinitely. 1t is not
/ likely that in results he will earn his
wage, but he offers an illustration of
how widely men differ concerning
Alaskan affairs-even Alaskans-and
suggests how difficult it must be for
Congress to agree upon measure to
please it's people.
AMENDMENTS PROPOSED.
Judge Wickersham of Alaska is here
in Washington and upon occasion
freely expresses himself as opposed to
any change in the mining laws that
would not be made to apply to general
mining laws of the United States. In
other words. no special legislation for
Alaska. His argument is that the
mining laws are known to the miners
and prospectors and any change would
create confusion in their minds and
set up special standards for the dis
trict not to its best interests.
Senators Dillingham; and Nelson
have introduced, and Senator Perkins
will Introduce. a bill for the creation
of a new judicial district in Alaska
The special objection urged TO the
bills is that they use latitude and lon
gitude as dividing lines for the propos-
ed district while nobody in Alaska
knows where those lines are. The