The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-09-19
.BELATED FEDERAL
AID FOR ALASKA
Important Legislation for the
Wonderful North Now Elk
pected from Congress.
BY w. w. Jermane,

: s . s . Z. u 7
Washington. Sept. 19.-The trip Of a
congressional party of twenty three to
Alaska last summer, headed by Speaker
Cannon, is likely to result in important
legislation for that district at the next
session. For one thing, the speaker
himself is now friendly to this legisla-
tion,, whereas heretofore he has OPP
posed it.
The question of Alaskan representa-
ton in congress will come up again,
but instead of providing for dele
gate, congress may decide to have
committee on the district Of Alaska
| composed of seventeen members, anala-
of Columbia. Such a committee would,
it is asserted, give Alaska more prom
inence in congress than it could pos.
sibly secure thru single delegate.
There is no more reason, it is urged,
why Alaskan legislation should be re-
| ferred to the territories committee than
that District Of Columbia legislation
| ritory in it's form of government, and
| both are so nearly alike in their politi-
| cal status as to require similar leglsla-
| tive machinery.
| Why Delegate Fails.
| Besides, it is said no single dele
gate. could adequately represent the di-
veersifed and widely separated interests
southeastern Alaska, for example, would
be no more fitted to represent the great
interior of the country and the north
western coast, than a congressman from
Alabama would be fitted to sit for the
northwestern states. Three delegates
coming from different localities, re-
ritory were to be properly represented.
\ A standing committee Of seventeen,
it is declared, would get around all
these objections. And as the speaker,
owing to the largely increased repub-
lican representation in the next house,
will not have enough places to go
the creation of another large commit
tee of the first class is emphasized. The
i attention of the speaker will be called
Il to this matter at an early date, and 1t
j is believed that his more favorable at
} titude toward Alaska will prompt him
to consider it without prejudice.
! Need of Railroad.
i The congressmen who visited Alaska
last summer are impressed with the
need for a railroad running from Val
dez thru the Copper river country to
Eagle City, via Fairbanks, the great
gold camp on the Tanana river. Such
line, probably six hundred miles long
would tap mineral country OF the great
est value. ......
Major Richardson, who is in charge
of the government road and trallmak
ing in Alaska, submitted data to Speak
er Cannon and his colleagues last sum
mer showing that such road would bt
of immensely more value to the govern
ment than any one OF the transcon
tinental lines to which direct fedora
! subsidy was given.
81 The plan is to have the government
I guarantee per cent on sufficient bond
{ to build such line, as has been dom
( for railways in the Philippines.
More Attention to Alaska.
It is said that Alaska will receiv
more serious attention in congress mex
session than at any previous time.
The senate committee on territorie
is already familiar with Alaskan condi
lions, and what the house members hav
learned will give Alaska staunch sup
porters in both houses.
impressed the visiting congressman
; the fact that Alaska, altho PLENTIFUL
; provided with rich forests and cor
sumner of 50,000,00O feet OF lumber az
nually, manufactures only l5,0O0,OO
feet of what it consumes, the res
- coming by water from Seattl
at a cost of more than 81
thousand feet. The railroad spoke 9
would open up vast forest tracts an
e give Alaska it's own lumber supply q
} prices much below those demanded Ill
der present conditions.