The Ketchikan miner., 1909-03-13
AlaSka'S Government
 and How Governed

AS a matter of reference and gen. eral information the following synop- sis of the present system of govern ment will be good thing to preserve. It has been prepared by Paul Charlton of the Bereau of Insular Affairs.
 There exists no legislative branch of the government in the District of Alaska.
 The chief executive officers are the governor and the surveyor general, the latter being ex-officio the secre- tary of the District.
 The governor is appointed by the president by and with the advice and consent of the senate for term of interests of the United States govern ment in the district: sees that the laws enacted by congress are enforced; grants reprieves pending decision of the president; is commander in chief of the militias reports annually, on the fur trade interests in the district; also annually, on October l, to the president through the secretary of the interior and performs generally such acts as pertain to the office of governor of the territory.
 The surveyors general is appointed by the president by and with the ad- vice of tho senate for term of four years Besides his duties as surveyor general he performs the general du- ties required by law to be performed by the secretary of the territory. Alaska is divided into three divi- sions for judicial purposes, and in each division there is organized full Unit ed States court, exercising general, civil, criminal, equity and admirality | jurisdiction. Commissi toners appoint ed by the judges of the respective divisions, have jurisdiction in minor matters, and act as justice of the peace. A district attorney and the marshal, each with one or more as- sistants, are assigned to each division. | The chief judicial officers are appoint ed in the same manner and for the same term as the executive officers. Civil and penal code, both of suhstan- tive law and of procedure, have been enacted for the district.
 The department of state is the only one which is not directly represented in Alaska. Affairs of general executive administration are under the jurisdic- tion of the interior department also matters pertaining to the Alaska h. dians, the public lands and the public schools, tue governor being ex-officio super intendent of public instruction. The judiciary system of Alaska is un- der the general supervision of the at tolney general of the United States. The department of agriculture eXer- cises jurisdiction in the matter of for est preserves game laws, experiment. stations and meteorological records; and the department of commerce and labor, in the matter of ht-houses, the coast and geodetic surveys, steam boat inspection, immi grafton, fisheries and statistics, besides exercising certain authority over the island of St. Paul and other islands, forming a part of the district of Alaska. The con- SUI uction and maintenance of he main roads and trails are in charge of a board of road commissioners, composed of three army officers who are appoint ed by and report to the secretary of war. The cahe and telegraph lines in Alaska are also under military 1 jurisdiction. Aside from the military road engineers, there are local road overseers, appointed by the precinct com missioners of the district. The collection of customs and internal rev. enue is under the jGrisdict cn of the treasury department, and tue sums so collected are paid into the United States treasury, the general expenses of the administration of Alaska being met by specia' appropriations of con- gress The extent of the jurisdiction of the rostoiiice and navy departments does not call for special indications.