The Ketchikan miner., 1907-10-12
JUST A HINT

The comparatively few opponents of home rule for Alaska no longer raise any question of principle of right and of justice involved, but base their op- position on what The Miner believes to be an entirely false assumption of the probable cost of administering form O government such as has heretofore
 been the invariable rule in the gov ernment of the territories This con-
 tention on their part is based chiefly on the assertion of gentleman in official position, in effect if not in
 precise words, that the cost of main-
 taining the federal courts in Alaska
 last year amounted to &5S7, GOO, and
 that the cost of maintaining a terri
 torial form of government would en-
 tail taNaton to the extent of &25 per capita. 1t is perhaps needless to re-
 mark that both these assertions, if in
 deed not absolutely untrue, are wholly
 misleading, whether so intended or
 not, and but for the official source
 from which they emenate would carry
 hut little weight to the minds of per sons who have given the matter their candid consideration
 The Miner has not been at the trouble of inquiring whether indeed the court expenses last year amounted to 1he sum stated but whether it did or not is a matter of little concern so far as any argument is concerned, for the reason that it is wholly misleading in that it is intended to convey the inn pression that the whole of the cost whatever it may have been, was paid by the general government, whereas though disbursed by the governments a very large part of it was paid by the people of Alaska themselves. The Miner has already pointed out the fact that all expenses of the courts in civil cases are paid by litigants, and that the only expense on account of the courts that would fall upon the people under territorial form of govern ment would be those incurred in crim- inal cases arising under the criminal laws enacted by territorial legisla- ture.
 The suggestion of taxation equal to b23 pei capita is most ridiculous one in any light in which may be viewed. It is worse than ridiculous, in that it attempts to convey the false impress sion that the tax would be upon the resident population of Alaska--on in- dividuals and not upon property. The tax, whatever it might be, would be per-pocketa tax that would, or should, be made to fall pro-rata upon the non- resident as well as resident property | holder in proportion to the value of their holdings and with at least some | regard to their ability to pay. The | impression sought to be created in the public mind that the expenses of a administration would have | 5o be provided for by per capita tax laid upon the persons or property of actual residents alone $ in the high est degree fallacious and only serves 70 betray the true inwardness of those who assert fear of buidensome taxa ion as an excuse or reaion for oppos- ng the application of American prin- ;iples to the goyernmen, of Alaska.
 The Miner has heretofore asserted, md proved by facts and figures which lave not been contravenBd, that q ter itorial form of government, econom- cally administered, would not neces- arily cost the people of Alaska more { han they are now paying for being governed from abroad anQ it does not { are to pursue that subject further at { his particular time. It las pointed l