The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1911-09-01
DIVISION IS
ADVOCATED
CONGRESSMAN SULZER SPRINGS
PLAN ON NATIVES AT
KETCHIKAN.
Would Leave Present Name to That
Portion North Of the Yukon
Others Seward, Summer-Alaska
Would Then Be What the East
Thinks It Is, and Other Districts
Could Start New.

Seattle, Aug. 26.-Special cores
pOndence of the Post-Intelligencer
from Ketchikan, says: Secretary
Fisher, President Taft's personal rep
resentative, met his first Alaskans on
their native heath at this point Gov.
Walter E. Clark had come down from
Juneau. to meet Mr.. Fisher, and with
representative citizens escorting him
over to the town, showing him the
different points of interest.
An informal reception, followed by
a public meeting, was held in the
largest hall, and big crowd of Ket-
chikan people turned out to honor
the visitors.
Fisher Well Received.
Mayor Thomas TORY introduced
Gov. Clark, who in turn introduced
Secretary Fisher. The latter created
a favorable impression in the minds
of his hearers by, his plain statement
of TIE fact that he had come North to
hear and not to be heard; that he
was glad to be in Alaska, a place he
had long desired to visit, and was
proud to meet the sturdy, intelligent
folk with whom he had shaken
hands. Continuing, he pledged him
self to do all in his power to bring
about the relief he believed was nee
essary for the territory's welfare, and
could assure his hearers that the
president would leave no stone un-
turned in his efforts to have the ter
ritory opened up as it should be.
Sulzer Has Plan.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Fislrr' s
talk, Hon. William Sulzer, member
of congress from the Tenth district
New York, was introduced, and said
in part:
81 am in favor of granting the
Alaskans true territorial govern
ment.
II would divide Alaska into three
territories, as she is divided by ma
ture.
II would make Southeastern
Alaska a territory, comprising ali
from Cape Chacon to Mt. st. Elias
This would have population of TO-.
900 persons, most of whom have
lived in it's confines for over a year
l would call this territory Sumner
in honor of the great senator from
Massachusetts, whose prophetic
speech in congress made the pur-
chase of the territory possible. Its
capital, of course, would be either
Ketchikan or juneau.
81 would make Southwestern
Alaska, comprising all the district
south of the Yukon and west of the
international boundary, another ter.
ritory, and I would call it Seward
in honor of the secretary of state
who initiated the purchase. Its
capital would be the city of Seward
and within the lives of those before
me tonight it will become as rich
and prosperous a country as Nor.
way and Sweden combined.
II would make all the district
north of the Yukon, to the frozen
Arctic, another territory and L would
call it Alaska, because it will be al.
ways cold and sparsely settled. and
its name would harmonic with the
general conception of Alaska in the
minds of most persons.
Self-Government.
these three territories would
each have delegate in congress
they would each have a local legis.
lature capable of enacting loca
laws, and a territorial form of gov.
eminent similar to that of the other
territories of the Union. 1t would
be an economical government. Il
would cost the taxpayers of the
United States nothing. and law and
order would be conserved.
Here tonight, in the presence Of
the secretary of the interior, The
governor Of Alaska, and the people
of Ketchikan, promise as member
OF congress to do my utmost ia
bring about in the next session OF
congress these desirable reforms
and to that end invoke the cordial
support of the governmental officials
here assembled and of every true
friend of Alaska, at home and
abroad"