Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-01
TAFT ADVOCATES
GREATER MARINE
PRESIDENT Is IN FAVOR OF
SHIP SUBSIDY
COMMERCIAL GROWTH OF Pa
clFIc PREDOMINANT
Chief Executive Urges Commission
Form of Government for Alaska
and More Vessels to COM
pete with Japan
fContInned trom Pnre one,

exposition was the objective point on
my trip to the west, and L am Blaa
to have arrived here after two weeks
travel from the Old Bay state
"As 1 look about me at this wonder-
full exhibition of the progrtss of the
northwest, of Alaska and the Pacific
coast 1 feel a great pride In haVlhg
urged upon the proper congressional
committee, with all the emphasis or
which was capable, the Importance
and the utility of the enterprise.
"And it is gratifying to know that
under the administration of Seattle
men the exposition has been great
success, both in arousng worldwide
interest in the growth of the far north
west and in showing proht over the
immense outlay needed in It's construc-
tion and maintenance.
when l first planned my visit TO
Seattle 1 had included with it trip
to Alaska, in order that L might by a
personal investigation make myself
better acquainted with the character or
that great territory and with the pest
method of securing it's development.
"I greatly regret that the time con-
sumed by congress in consideration or
the tariff bill prevented my carrying
out that part of the program en-
braced in a visit to this most interest
ing territory.
zone of Mr. Stewards substantial
. claims to the gratltuQe OIL MS CDuulIy-
men and to place among the states
L 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
t the ordinance of 1887, which gave to
the nation the middle west; the pur-
chase by Jefferson of Louisiana Ter
ritory which carried our domain to the
Rocky mountains the anpexation of
Texas and the treaty of Guadalupe
Hidalgo. which extended our terri ory
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.
Wealth Unknown
"It would seem that the wealth of
Alaska in minerals, in fish, in furs and
in agriculture was still but made
quately known, and yet its value from
a mere money standpoint to the ma
ton, as shown by the wealth which
has been extracted from it, exceeds
by many fold the cost of it to the gov
ernment of the United States.
"a review of the history of the ter
ritory will show that congress has
been very slow to extend to it a proper
form of government.
ALASKA Is a country of immense
expanse. and the government 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 territory
has need of local legislation and local
government, which can only be under
stood by those who are on the ground,
and it is utterly impossible and i'm
practicable for congress in its legisla-
ton to govern the details by legisla-
tion required for the best develop
ment of the territory. There has been
no authority in the territoroy of an
adequate jurisdiction to meet the ext
geucies of such a young but potentially
prosperous territory.
at has been proposed that congress
should give to Alaksa the regular
form of territorial government under
which a legislature and GOVERNOR
might be elected, and between the
two they might be given the powers
ordinarily given to the legislature and
executive of regularly organized ter
ritories. I think this would be great
mistake, because 1 do not think the
territory has a population of sufficient
number or Of sufficient stability and
permanence of residence to warrant
the delegation to a locally elected
Legislature of such authority
Mere Mining Camps
MANY of the places in Alaska where
nothing but mining camps, with all the
migratory and temporary features of
such settlements. More than that the
population is so small, as compared
with the vast expanse of territory, that
it would be unwise to provide that
/ comparatively small population in
4 southeastern Alaska should elect repre-
j sentatives and legislate for the enor-
nous territory reaching from British
Columbia clear to the Bering sea, and
the Arctic ocean.
Local self-government, or home
rule, in a country so large as Alaska,
with a scattered, nomadic population,
intense local and sectional feeling,
should not be given serious considera-
ton until the population and developed
resources of the country have in
creased to such an extent as to war
rant the division of the territory into
more limited areas, where the inhabit-
ants of each would have an opportun-
ity of becoming acquainted, and
where there would be some degree of
similarity of interests.
Before such an experiment an ear
nest effort should be made to secure
a larger percentage of permanent resi-
dents and endeavor to attach some of
the population to the soil.
my own judgment Is that the only
way properly to develop Alaska for
the benefit of everybody in it, is to
ment of one bureau and department in
Washington, so that all the officials
in the government shall have to re-
spond to one head, and so also that
the interests of the entire territory
shall be centered in one responsible
bureau chief in Washington, whose
business it shall be, through his de-
partment chiefs, to present to con-
gress the needs of the territory, to
follow legislation and to attend to
everything at the national capitol in
which the people of the territory are
interested.
Need Executive Office
''It is not necessary that the dele
gate shall be dispensed with, but an
executive office, with records, with in
formation, and constantly active, can
greatly contribute to the welfare of
territory for which it is responsible
when located at the national capitol,
and when understood to have the
proper authority and responsibility.
Certain general laws. like the min
ing laws, the forestry laws, the Gus
toms laws and the land laws, should
be passed by congress and perhaps ex-
ecuted by national officers, but this
would leave a wide domain for domes-
tic legislation which it seems to me
ought to be entrusted to some local.
authority on the ground and having
knowledge of local needs"
Mr. Taft has recommended that local