The Chitina leader. [volume] (Chitina, Alaska) 1910-1928, 1911-11-25
FACTS ON ALASKA

ana WIZ 10 NOW III oSa'eAS
expressed his sentiments through
the Daily Times, on Alaskan con-
iiitons. Among other things he
said:
"The people of the entire west
;hould readily understand that the
,xtreme conservationists, who are re-
;ponsible for the deplorablle condl-
ions existing in Alaska, are merely
llaying political game and are
menace to the individual and the
light of free born American citizens.
according to their belief a few of
hem are better qualified to rule this
alton through a federal landlord
.ystem than are the people of the
United States.
Through their press agents,
these tra-conseryationists appeal to
he cupidity of the people by figuring
he gross market value of the coal
n ALASKA, without showing what it
will cost to mine and transport the
fuel, or what it will cost to work up
A trade in competitive market. In
heir effort to gain control of Alas
IA through bureau they have stoop-
ed to the most contemplate methods.
cat first we thought the glaring
misrepresentation of the facts was
Tue to ignorance, but after the facts,
with proofs to back them up, had
been furnished these people, and they
refused to accept them, we were fore
ed to the conclusion that the dis
semination of the truth and the serv-
ng of honest purposes were the last
things they were looking for. refer
particularly to Pinchot and his gang.
Billions of Tons of Fuel.
''In the Tanana valley there is a
measured coal area containing bill
lions of tons of fuel. 1t is in no
way connected with the Matanuska or
Bering river coal fields. yet the min
ars of the interior have been COM
)elled to slosh down forests of trees
and to pay a tax for the privilege.
The reason the coal fields at Nome
and those at other places in the ter
'itory are never heard of in the muck
raking magazines is because the
nuckrakers, even by the widest
stretch of the imagination, could
not accuse the Guggenheims or some
other corporate interests of stealing
them.
"The worst feature of ultra-con-
servation, as applied to Alaska, is
this; Along the southwestern coast
there is a tremendous zone of low
grade ores of various kinds. These
ores do not contain sufficient miner
al to warrant their shipping to the
Tacoma shelter but they would pay
a handsome profit if they could be
smelted in Alaska. 1t costs just
as much to take smelling coal to
Alaska as to bring the ore to the
outside smelter. Therefore, the
logical thing to do is to open the
Alaska coal and smelt the ore at a
point where it can be done profit
ably. Millions of dollars were ex-
pended in development work on these
,ow-grade properties in the expec-
cation that the coal fields would be
opened up, but when this failed
operations ceased.
Not content with stopping the
wheels of industry and shutting
thousands of men out of honest en-
ployment, the politically complex
oned conservationists extended the
forest reserves over the coal fields,
taxed the timber. and, I am told,
charged the people of Katalla taxes
on driftwood picked up on the beach.
Hawkins Original Plan.
1.-THE original plan of e. C. Haw-
kins, the man who conceived and
consummated the idea of construct
ing the Copper River & Northwest
ern railway, contemplated bringing
the coal and ore together. This in
volved the construction of smeltlers,
ore and coal bunkers and a great
amount of work on the mines. 1t
was considered crime to develop a
2ountry's resources and make all
kinds of industry hum.
"Pinchot, Poindexter ct al, will
tell you that the Alaskans do not
know what is best for themselves;
that we of the north are liable to
De swallowed WHoie ny "ilu-oySu
and rapacious capitalists, and that it
is best to have some diplomatic, fed
eral or nationalized commission of
intelligent and educated gentlemen
from Washington to watch over cap
ital and collect toll for themselves,
for the people of the United States,
and for Alaskans. The people of
the north are well qualified to man
age their own affairs if given the
opportunity.
"All we want is what properly be-
longs to us and the same right to
utilize our resources that has been
<~tx