The Daily Missoulian., 1909-10-01
Presiden, eft Announces to Seattle Audience
His Position on This Important Issue
STATEMENT OfAs ATTITUDE CALLS FORTH APPLAUSE
Declares His OPPOSITION Granting Territorial Form Of
Government to Alaska, But Outlines Policy for
the Upblildng Of the Country That Wins
the Favor Of All His Hearers.

with the character of that great terri
tori and with the best method of Sc
curing its development. greatly re-
gret that the time consumed by con-
gress in consideration of the tariff bill
| prevented my carrying out the part
| of the plan embraced in visit to this
most interesting territory.
Broad View.
"One of MIR. Stewards substantial
claims to the gratitude Of his country
men and to a place among the states
men Of his country was the broad view
| which he took Of the value of Alaska
| and his wisdom, in effecting its pur
chase. The cession of Virginia and
| the ordinance of 1857, which gave to
| the nation the middle west. the pur-
chase by Jefferson of Louisiana terri
| tory. which carried our domain to the
Rocky mountains. the annexation OF
/ Texas and the treaty of Guadaloupe
| Hidalso, which extended our territory
| to the Pacific coast, were properly
supplemented by the acquisition of
Alaska. and this exposition may well
be regarded as a celebration of the
| foresight of Seward in his policy of
expansion.
1T would seem that the wealth of
Alaska in minerals, in fish, In furs
and even in agriculture was still but
inadequately known, and yet it's value
lifrom mere money standpoint to the
nation. as shown hy the wealth which
has been extraciod sEom 1t. exceeds by
many fold the COOS ii IL to the govern
ment OF the United States. A review
/ ot the history OF the territory will show
III 'alt congress has been very slow to
| extend to 1t proper form Of govern
ment.
Immense Expanse.
Alaska is country of immense ex-
panse. and the governmental needs of
the southeastern portion, near to
Washington and the northwest. are
quite different from those of Nome
and The Seward peninsula and of the
valley. of the Yukon. Such a terri
tory has need of local legislature
and local government. which can only
be understood by those who are on
, the ground, and 1t is utterly impossible
and impracticable for congress i'm its
| legislation to govern the details by
| velopment OF the territory There has
| been no authority in the territory hay-
ing an adequate jurisdiction TO meet
! the exigencies of such young. but
! potentially prosperous. territory.
1T has been proposed that congress
/ should give to Alaska the regular form
/ of territorial government. under which
a legislature might be elected and .
/ governor and between the two they
might be given the powers ordinarily
| given To the legislature and executive
of regularlyt torganized territories.
think this WOULD be great mistake,
because l do not think that the terri
/ tory has population of sufficient
number of sufficient stability and per-
/ manence of residence to warrant tie
delegation to a locally elected legisia-
! ture of such authority. Many of the
! places in Alaska where there is con-
siderable population are nothing but
mining camps with all the migratory
and temporary features of such settle,
I ments. more than that. the population
is so small. as compared with the vast
| expanse OF the territory. that It would
be unwise to provide that a compar-
/, atively small population in southeast
| ern Alaska should elect representatives
! and legislate for the enormous terri
/ tory reaching from British Columbia
clear to the Behring sea and the Arc
/ tic ocean.
Limited Areas.
Local self government, or home
rule, in a country so large as Alaska.
witn scattered. nonadic population.
intense local and Sectional feeling.
should not be given serious consider
alton until the population and desel-
| oped resources of the country have
increased to such an extent as to war
| rant the division OF theAterritory into
more limited areas, whefe the inhab-
/ itants of each would have an oppor-
.tunity of becoming acquainted, and
where there would be some degree Of
/ similarity of interests. Before such
an experiment, an earnest effort
should be made to secure aAlarger per-
eentage of permanent residents and
endeayor to attach some OF the pop
/ ulation to the soil.
My own judgment is that the only
way properly to develop ALASKA for the
benefit Of everybody in it is to bring
the territory under the management
of one bureau and department in
Washington. SO that all the officials
In the government shall have to re-
4 spond to one head. and so also tha, tn.
i interests OF the entire territorSr shall
q be centered in one responsible bureau
| chief in Washington. whose besiness
/ il shall be. through his depaument
/ chief. To present To congress the needs
of the territory. To follow legislation