The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-02-23
NEW La 10 AID
ALASKA PLANNED
Elective Territorial Delegate and
Other Plans for BENEFIT Of
Territory.
BY w. w. Jerm,ane,

Washington, Feb. 23.-One of the
legislative prospects of the near future
lis comprehensive code of laws for
Alaska. Nothing will be accomplished
at this session, but a lot of preliminary
work is now being done to secure the
cooperation of the president, Secretary
Taft and leaders in the senate and
house. Secretary Taft has already
turned his attention to Alaskan mat
tiers.
One Of the crying needs Of the coun-
try is for trunk line of railroad run
ming from Prince William Sound, on
which is the town Of Valdez, to Seward
peninsula. Several bills are pending
for substituting railroads from Valdez
to interior points, but these are OPP
posed because it is said that if the gov
eminent pays attention to these com
paratlvely short lines nothing will be
done in a broad and comprehensive
way In railroad. construction. .
- Railroads for Alaska.
Within week a plan for the con-
struction of the Prince William Sound
Seward Peninsula trunk line has been
urged by R. G. Ryan Of Nome. He is
advocating an appropriation for a sur
With the route Of the line fixed, Mr..
Ryan favors it's construction under some
such plan as that by which the New
York subway was built. The subway
construction was by the city Of New
York, which then leased it to an operat-
ing company for thirty years.
If that plan does not, find favor in
congress, the next proposition is to have
the government guarantee the interest
build the road and put it in operation
in a short time. The latter proposition
finds most favor in administration cir
cles. It is practically the same plan
as was advocated for the Philippines,
and it is believed that the government
will not be called upon to pay cent
of interest after the road is in opera
tion. The development Of the country
will be such that enough business will
good rate OF interest on the bonds.
- Delegate from Alaska.
There is a good prospect that the
bill for delegate from Alaska will
pass the senate before adjournmerb.
Senator Nelson's bill for that purpose
has been reported from the committee
on territories, and is now on the calen-
dar. A delegate bill before the terri
tories committee passed the house, last
session. Both bills provide for an cleo
SIMPLER in its administrative features,
and probably it will be substituted for
the house measure.
Senator Nelson and most of the other
members OF the committee favor an
elective delegate from the territory,
but some other senators want dele
gate appointed by the president. Strong
pressure is now being brought to bear
upon the opposing senator's and there is
a prospect that the bill may 90 thru
before adjournment. i Senator Allison,
one of the "big FOUR in the senate,
has recently = become interested in
Alaska matters, and will aid in passing
the delegate bill.
Lacey Holds gp Bill:
Representative Lacey ohIowa is hold
ing up the bill for the creation of
new judicial district in The territory.
His opposition is based 4n4t Information
which he says he has received that a
slate had been fixed up by certain per
sons interested in copper properties by
which judge and district attorney IA
vorable to them were TO be appointed
Litigation involving valuable copper
discoveries is now pending, and Mr..
Lacey will not let the bill pass until
next session if he can prevent it. And
his opposition will probably be enough
to kill the measure in this short session