The daily Alaskan., 1905-12-20
GOOD SENSE.

The editorial policy of the Seattle Post-Iutelligencer, so far as it refers to the question of Alaskan government at least,is broad, forceful and sound to the core. It emphatically and aggressive Iy disapproves the plan of Speaker Cannon and Representative Tawney to. govern the district with federal com mission and congressional committees as the District of Colnmbia is governed. In commenting upon that plan it pre- sents the following unanswerable agreements against it:
 with a most peculiar obliQuity in reasoning iJ is argued that because a goverumunt by such commission has been found suitable for the needs of the District of Columbia, and, in a measure, for the Philippines, therefore it should be found suitable for the great district of Alaska, with it's great extent, it's wonderful variety of resources and its population of American citizens.
 ''It should te clearly understood now that the only form of government for Alaska suited to the needs of that dis trict, or which will meet with the ap- Uroval of the people of Alaska or their real friends elsewhere, is one on the American plan, based on local self government, under laws made by the people of Alaska themselves through representative legislature elected 5y them. Any other form of government would not only be radically unsuited to Alaska, but would be contrary to the fundamental principles upon which this government is founded.
 "The pretense that because the ma teriaI interests of the different subdi- visions of Alaska are not completely harmonious, this affords a reason why the Alaskans should not be permitted to exercise selt-government through a legislature of their own choosing, or be entitle to a delegate in congress as other territories have, has not the slightest weight of reason behind it. The interes's of the different sections of Alaska are more nearly alike than is the case with different sections of diff ferent states auI territories at present. Save as united iu the same political b0dy, what interests have the lumber men and dairy farmers of Humboldt countv. California, iu common with the residents on the irrigated sub-troptc lands in southern California, on the edye of the Mojaye desert? To the ma terial sense, and that alone apparently IS under consideration, what interests had the farmers and stock rajsers of Eastern Washington in common with the lumbermen and fishermen oI West eru Washington at the time when this territory was organized? At that time a range oflmouutaius. over which there did not exist even a preteuse of a wagon road. separated the east from the wes, and communication between the sepa' rate parts of the territory was through the neighboring state of Oregon.
 .sWhen Missiouri was organized as a territory and given the full territorial government that is asked for Alaska, it comprised all of the Louisiana purchase outside of the limits of the present s,ste of Louisiaus, and it's western bOun' dary was the Rocky mountains. The vast extent of territory included, the great distance which seperaced one portion of the territory from the other, the fact that it would take g hardy sdveuturer many months of toll some and dangerous travel to go iron one end of the territory to the other was not considered by the men inherit ing traditions of freedom a-d of the right of salt-government as aTording the slightest reason orde.rriring Amer fcan citizens of all of the r:-h:s of cit izsnship which they hsd prior 10 their entering that territory.
 "How 8 congress composed of American citizens of this day can argue differently passes m lers.ard ng