The Ketchikan miner., 1909-05-01

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 her natural resources. The senator
 was greatly interested in the subject and will work hard for the retention uf the duty. Also will all the senators from the Pacific coast states. The Washington senators need protection for the industry at home and will be found in the front of the fight for the duty.
 Senator Perkins is particularly inter- ested by reason of the fact that he is chairman of the senate committee on naval affairs, and the navy must have the coal of Alaska if fleet is to be stationed on the Pacific coast and he is anxious to see the mines of Alaska developed in order that the source of supply may be available at all times.
 The campaign was helped along greatly by the exhibition of some splendid samples of coal from the katella fields furnished Judge Wick ersham by NJ. K. Rodgers of Katella, formerly chief engineer of the Copper River and Northwestern railroad, who spent few days in Washington and gave valuable help in the promotion of the campaign for protective duty. These samples show the Alaskan coal to be of higher grade than coal pro- duced in any other section of the United States.
 The following is d copy of letter sent each of the senators from Wash ington, Oregon and California by Judge Wickersham, each being ac- companied by an exhaustive statement showing the present condition of the coal industry in Alaska.
 House of Representatives,
 ashington, D. C., April 1909, Sir:
 On April Sth, at the request of Sen- ator Elkins of West Virginia, I pre- pared for him brief statement on coal mining conditions of Alaska, a copy of which send you herewith.
 Nature made Alaska the coal reserve of the Pacific coast. There is no an- thracite coal on that coast except in Alaska. There is no naval coal on that coast except in Alaska. There is no high grade coal on that coast except in Alaska. There is no great body of undeveloped coal on that coast except in Alaska. Alaska has more high grade coal than Pennsylvania and West Virginia. and it's develop ment will support q million of people and create great coal and copper min- ing cities.
 Free trade in coal will bring these undeveloped mines in direct competi- tion with the mines of British Colum- ba, which will have the advantage of present development, cheap labor, tramp transportation and nearness to market. One fourth of those engaged in coal mining in British Columbia are Chinese, Japanese and Hindu.
 Alaska coal must, under our law, be mined by American miners, carried in American bottoms manned by Ameri- can seamen and handled by American labor. These ought to be paid Amer ican wages. Free coal will reduce these wages, by the inevitable laws of trade, to those paid in British Col umbia, or close the mines.
 The development fo Alaska coal is just now begun by American capital and American lahor. Eight million dollars have already been spent in building railroads toward the Katella and Matanuska fields. The removal of the present duty will greatly crip- pie, if not wholly destroy these efforts and retard the development of Alaska for a decade at least. Washington, Oregon and California are interested in this develolpmen:. These three great states now have trade Of nearly $50, GOO, GOO per annum with Alaska, and the development of her coal and copper, which must go hand in hand, will treble the trade Your mer- chants, your shipprgmep, your bankers and your laborers are interested. No Paic6c fleet can permanently be sta tioned on your coast for want of Alas ka's naval coal, and your prosperity and safety both demand that you encourage it's immediate development.
 The delegate from Alaska can nei-