The sun., 1908-03-26

The people Of the United States long ago
recognized that Stewards Folly, a. Alaska
was sometimes called In the decade or two
after its purchase from Russia in 1887, was
q ridiculous misnomer, merely rejecting
the folly and Ghortdghtedness Of those
who applied II. In reality the purchase Of
Alaska for q mere bagptelle-t7 200 900 in
gold-Was one Of the greatest strokes Of
stateamanShlp In the story Of American
expansion by peaceful acquisition. What
IL perhaps not 20 we'll known Il that even
In its present comparatively undeveloped
state AlaskA is by no means an insignihoant
factor In our national assets. Az shown by
the recent report Of Clarence l.. Hobart,
Collector Of Customs for Alaska, our north
ernmost territory compares most favorably
In the matter Of the total volume Of lie
business with that Of our insular posses1
dons, The figures for the last month Of 1907
are not yet available, but estimating the
business for that month on the basis Of the
preceding monthly average the Philippine
Islands and Porto Rico did a total trade in
1907 Of i67,s2i ,Oa4 and $780,, sos respec-
lively, while Alaska's total for the same
period is ~, t7S $50. Eliminating the for
eign trade and taking account only Of re-
oeipts and shipments TO and from the United
States, Alaska makes a still better compare
tive showing, It's total for 1907 being ~, ,OOe,-
vi, while the Philippines are credited with
only t1S 900 900 and Porto Rico with 80, ,SOO,-
OO0 II must be remembered also that
while Porto Rico and the Philippines are
old, settled lands whose resources, espe-
daily In the case OF the former, are we'll
known and fairly developed Alaska IL
new country, whose principal development
has been a matter Of little more than a
decade.
Taking the list Of shipments in detail, the
principal items Of Alaska's business en-
brace copper ore; fab, fresh, cured and
canned; fish guano, fish oil, furs, gypsum,
in ore and concentrates, whalebone, gold,
and miscellaneous merchandise 10 the
amount Of S7SO,S5o OF these principal
products canned salmon was shipped 10 the
value Of H,72l,74s, and copper ore and
matte TO the value Of 81, ,5Ss,l2O, while the
largest item in the list, gold, amounted 10
Ni ell ,SS2, a decrease Of about g 900 900 az
compared with the output Of the preceding
year. This decrease, however, was due to
strikes and labor difficulties, and the figures
given also do not include the gold shipped
out by mail.
In the last ten years in round numbers
Alaska has produced t20S, 100000 in gold,
and good judges say that in the next ten
years at least three times that amount will
be taken out by means Of dredges, each
OF which represents a labor force equiva-
lent to the work OF a thousand men. Nat
urally miners and prospectors are optimis-
tic and 1t must be admitted that in the case
Of Alaska they have good reasons for their
optimism. Alaskans confidently look for
ward TO the time when their country will
lead South Africa in its yield Of gold.
The salmon industry Of Alaska, also.
seems capable Of vast development. Even
at present the single item Of canned salmon
yields yearly total greater than the sum
originally paid for the entire Territory.
II not dollar Of gold had been taken from
Alaska its fisheries alone would have made
it a good commercial investment. There
was a general falling OF OF business in
Alaska in 1907 as compared with the pre-
vious year the explanation being, as given
by the Collector Of Customs, the labor troub-
les and also the overstocking in supplies
in 1908. On the whole, however, Alaska's
business is in a sound condition and gives
promise Of great increase In the near iu-
ture, when better roads and better trans
portation facilities are secured The lack
of aids TO navigation on its enormous coast
line Is also great drawback. On the entire
western coast Of the Territory there are
for instance, only three lighthouses, and
such facilities as its ports have for COM
merce are very crude and unsatisfactory.
As the previous figures show, Alaskan busi-
ness Is no insignificant part Of the carry
ing trade OF the United States and it GER
tainly deserves more attention on the part
OF Congress than II has hitherto received
A country that is preparing, in connection
with the Yukon Territory and the Pacific
Coast, for great exposition at Seattle next
year should no longer be slighted and neg
lected as il seems TO have been by Con-
gress. Alaska seems at least entitled TO
an efficient organized territorial govern.
ment, and II Is to be hoped that Delegate
Gales efforts TO that end In Congress may
be successful,