The Alaska citizen. (Fairbanks, Alaska) 1910-1917, 1911-11-06

to study conditions and talk with
the people here. Clifford Pnchut
and United States Senator Poindex
ter have been passing along the
: southern coast. and penetrating the
+ interior, with the design of getting
/ They have met all classes. and
l heard every side of the m otcd
[ questions presented by men who
( have supported them in the past and
I also those who have bitterly opposed
! them
They have thrown themselves in
I to the work with energy and On
, thusiasm. without predicting what
! is to be the ultimate result. i. is
/ self evident that their visit has al.
/ ready created better feeling. and
/ that many false impressions nave
| been removed.
The Matanuska coal fields. no3'h
| from Seward, We're visited. after ii
day in Cordova. to which town he
! visitors were to return from Seward
to make inspection OF the ccal and
| copper fields. and Controller bay.
/ Every railroad that penetlates Alas
ka was travelled to the end OF the
| line. and the mineral and other
resources studied under competen.
guides.
Mr. Pinchot's attention was called
20 the statement. published in an
convention at Denver was to -,
| the scene of renewed battle he.
tween himself and ex-Secretaiy Bal
linger and was asked if the state
ment was true.
Will Not Represent People.
He said: No. | am not going to
attend the public lands conventiCl
at Denver. because have import
ant constructive work. which stands
in the way. Nor have | any pres
ent quarrels with Mr.. Ballingcr
That contest has been settled Thee
with live constructive questions u
waste time on issues that ar"
dead
The public lands convention at
Denver will not represent the PEG
pie of the United States because its
membership will be limited to states
which still have much public land.
Certainly our public land policy can
not be determined in any body which
does not represent all the pople.
The spirit in which Senator POin-
dexter and | were met in CGrdova
ure. We were received not only
with entire courtesy and much cor
dialty. but what is worth far more.
with straight forward and honest
discussions of the questions at issue.
can speak for him safely when
say that We both l2ok forward
with keen anticipation to our next
visit to your town"
Better Than Is Supposed.
Senator poindexter made the fol
lowing statement:
Alaska is much better in almost
every way than the people Ct the
United States suppose. Its climate,
the timber. its agricultural POSSIBLE
tiles, all surpass the common con
ception OF them. The population Of
Alaska judging from the towns |
have visited. is a reproduction OF
any intelligent, enterprising Ameri-
can community. Its physical and
social conditions are really but re-
pleas of early conditions in Oregon,
Washington and other western
states 1t should undoubtedly have
without delay a measure Il local
government The great American
character could never have been
p. oduced without the responsible
tiles as we'll as the privileges OF
self-gOvernment. The same will be
tue of Alaska.
The great wealth of Alaska is
being rapidly absorbed and taken
away without any adequate tribute
OF taxes to the people of Alaska.
A conspicuous instance of this is
,la ttnhn .in ,nyt,a n I,
mon fisheries. which virtually pay
no taxes and will be utterly eXtin-
guished unless adequate regulations
are imposed. An immediate need
of Alaska is the opening OF its
coal to general use. TO do so
through private monopoly would be
too great a price 10 pay. The only
alternative is public competition by
the operation of government mine
in one of the great coal fields with
government transportation by land
and water, so that the navy. the rev
enue cutter service. coaling stations
and the people may be supplied with
coal at reasonable price. and all
the people can get the benefit of
natures bounty in the public do
of this great district. | reserve a
discussion of details until have
completed my examination of the
matter"
HE STILL HAD HOPES.