The Alaska citizen., 1910-11-14

zen will be pleased to publish com munications on subjects of general in terest All letters should bear the name and address of the writer, not reference and as a guarantee of good faith. If publication of name is not desired, pen-name should be attached
 In 1902, during my residence at Skagway. a local debating society had up for debate the question: Re solved that 1t would be to the best l interests of Alaska 10 have Terri torial form of government" John l r. Dillon was chosen leader of the affirmation and myself the negative I made a careful preparation for he discussion and in doing so con yiuced myself, at least, that the best argument was with the negative of i the resolution. Time and reflection l have confirmed that opinion. l After the Presidents message to i Congress. in December, 1909, l mailed a letter on the subject to i Senator Knute Nelson, of Minnesota, 1 and received a reply thereto from | him a few weeks later
 l In view of the happenings of the past three months. the subject mat ter of the letter has become a very i interesting matter to Alaskans. If agreg able to your notions, l would ask space to publish this eXplana- l ton and the two letters referred to-. Respectfully,
 LOUIS K. PRATT.
 Fairbanks. Alaska.
 January. 6, 1910. Senator Knute Nelson,
 Washington, D. C.:
 Dear Sir In view of the Pres i Commission to make laws for Alas you this letter,
 The occasion and necessity for local territorial legislatures, virtu- ally passed out of existence by the advent of printed codes. For Okla homa. the codes of Kansas and Ne bra5ka were borrowed; for Alaska the Oregon Code was taken, with a few chapters and sections from the codes of other states.
 | Very little more Is needed here in the way of general legislation and in my judgment if the bills introduced by Delegate Wickersham now pend ing In Congress, with the exception of his Territorial Government Bill, were to be enacted into law, noth- ing more would be seriously urged for five or ten years, other than the subjects of routine legislation. Of course the legal status of Alaska should be fixed by Act of Congress as that of a territory, so that all general laws applicable to territories would be in force here.
 The movement for a territorial legislature for Alaska has always seemed to me to be a mistake. With few additions, indeed, with such a are already proposed. this country Is and would be well provided with law. The real consideration should be competent men to execute the law
 We have. even now, quite a large nucleus of permanent inhabitants and in ten years there will be half T million of such settlers, whereas, now there are probably not to ex- ceed 25,000.
 In ten or fifteen years, the wealth, moral and social conditions and num- her of people will warrant statehood. This will involve big political question, and no doubt will meet with much opposition. A state dis connected territorially from the other states, will he a striking depar- ture from the original scheme of gov ernment, but such a result must 1 logically follow the acquisition of Alaska and other outlying territory Sometime Alaska will be state of the Union or a Republic by herself | have never lived among more patriotic American citizens than are found in Alaska and their hope is some day to be a state of the Union, with all that that implies, But I should suppose that If after population should become as large not respected the other alternative would naturally spring up. Taking everything into considera- tion, Alaska, without exaggeration, may be said to be rich in natural l resources, neT uSUeIltS, lllllUei, !, coal, mineral and agricultural lands make this a fair estimate. l Very truly yours, LOUIS K. PRATT. United States Senate, Committe on Public Lands. February 4. 1910. MT. Louis K. Pratt,
 1 Fairbanks, Alaska:
 Dear Sir-You letter of January I6 Is at hand, for which accept my thanks. I note the suggestions con- tained in your letter. in which there 1 Is much force.
 There seems to be disposition here to give your territory an ap- pointive council, consisting of three executive officers and eight other members to be citizens and resi- dents of Alaska; at all events, this | is what the President favors. l Yours truly, KNUTE NELSON,