The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-05-14
ALASKA MAY BE
 SOON REDEEMED From the Control of the
 MOnopolists FIGHT IS EXPECTED Proposed Legislation to Provide For Government Ownership of Alaskan Utilities Will
 Be Opposed
By JONATHAN WINFIELD

a.
 Washington, May 6.-(Special)- P. Morgan, Simon Guggenheim, Thomas F.
 Ryan and other millionaires, as we'll as scores of small investors and specula- tors, may have their dream of added riches rudely shattered, that is so far as investments in Alaska are concerned The industrial wealth of the country, as we'll as the mineral riches of the far northern land, which was grabbed by
 wealthy interests in the states, bids fair to once again come under absolute and
 complete control. of the United States
 government.
 The resources of Alaska have been de-
 clared by experts to be worth several
 billions of dollars, much of which has
 been acquired by vast syndicates, until the control of the whole of Alaska is vir-
 tually within the power of a few men or
 corporations. At least that part of it
 concerning mineral lands and railroad
 grants is completely dominated by pri-
 vate individuals. the government having
 lost it's paramount rights by lax admin
 istration and through fraud.
 E Now, however, it is proposed to settle
 |
 start out with, legislation is suggested to
 provide for the government construction. ownership, and operation of all rail- roads in Alaska This will mean the ac- quisition of the Morgan-Guggenheim rail-
 road now being constructed at cost of lnearly 800 100000 to be used principally | in opening up vast coal and copper de- posits that have been acquired by these interests and valued at over 100000. 3 ic- tn ba + Eress within the next few months It will first be presented to the United States senate and vigorous efforts will be- made to force a report in favor of it from the committee on territories. To say that fight on the matter will en- lisue the moment this bill, makes it's aIpearance in the senate is putting it mildly, for it is expected that certain 1 senators, of monopolistic turn of mind lihemselves, will fight anything that looks l like government ownership of public util- ities to the last ditch,
 l In tho House the bill introduced by Representative Jones and Delegate Wick ersham, providing for an elective terri torial legislature, is expected to pass. It l too, will be pushed in the senate, possi- .bly before the close of the present sion. Several other measures introduced by Delegate Wickersham are designed to place with the federal government or the territorial government, supervision, such as is exercised by the Interstate l Commerce Commission over railways, of
 mines and mining, and the granting of deeds to public lands in Alaska.
 l. A remarkable recrudescence or inter est in Alaska affairs has followed the sensational discovery that the adminis-
 tration employed very unusual methods to provide a harbor and terminal for
 the system of railroads which the Alaska
 ;c pfno nd xxyith vph iph
 intends to dominate the great coal fields of Alaska, including the Cunningham claim.
 The question Is being studied in both
 houses of Congress with acute interest. Democrats see in it a chance to make political capital Insurgent republicans have not overlooked the same possibili- ties Delegate Wickersham, who has been persona non .grata at the White House since his attack on the presidents Alaska government bill year ago, sees chance to kill the administration scheme of an Alaska government that would make the territory a sort of royal duchy, completely under control of the president
 Meanwhile those who want Alaska saved to the people, instead of being turned over to the Guggenheim interests, think it important to do something soon.
 Secretary of the Interior Fisher, reply ing to the recent La Toilette resolution about the entry of lands along Controller bay, ,gave such limited information as has reached his office. He was notable to report no transactions recorded at the Katalia land office, where 1t is pre- suned most of the entries have been reported, because 1t will take month or more to communicate with that office The report indicates that four entries have been made by associates of Ryan. |. fv,tet t trett while Ballinger was In the cabinet, to | throw open the Strategic forest lands for entry These lands have plotted and the right of way secured for the syndlcate's | railroad. a.s
 sensation was produced here when | it was ascertained recently that the law of March {, 1911, repeals the safe guards against monopoly of Alaska har- bor and terminal privileges, contained in a previous act.
 This Is not the only obscure bill that the land seeking interests tried to en- act in the last days of the old Congress. | Water front privileges at Cordova bay | was sought by the interests, but the | joker in the bill was discovered and | thrown out
 Delegate Wickersham, in explaining | the matters now agitating the people of Alaska, says that the purpose of de- manding government railroads is to make transportation monopoly in Gug- | genheim hands impossible. It is charged that the Guggenheim syndicate is in con- l trol of, or affiliated with, the compa- nies dominating all feasible routes from the coast through the mountain barriers into the rich interior. Already control ling to Bonanza copper mines, reputed the greatest and richest in the world, | the Matanusk and Boring river coal fields, holding an option on the Cunning ham claim having now secured what is apparently the only harbor from which. all these properties may be reached l and already having their railroad system nra actically built with these advantages |