The Alaska citizen., 1911-01-16


 the secretary to the delegate was re ceiyed in the mail on saturday. The bill referred to, with the eNcep- tions made to it by the delegate will be printed next week.
 Herewith l send you for your in. formation a copy of a letter address ed to senator Frye, chairman ot the committee on commerce, a copy of letter to the secretary of the interior. and a copy of Senate Bill 9l63. introduced by Senator Clark. by request. to which the letters refer.
 This Is about the sliCkest pieCe of gum-shoe work the enemy has yet attempted in it's efforts to de spoil the territory. The bill was introduced by Senator Clark, al the request of one of his friends, who assured him that It was q really good bill. and the senator took his word for il. They even came around and tried to make WICkersham be- lieve that Il was so perfectly harm less that an infant might take Il without any danger, but the andy sis of its provisions which is con tained in the Frye letter will show you exactly what il would have done to poor old Alaska, and any state which may be hereafter erect ed out of the territory. l think there Is little danger of it's going through the secretary Of war has approved it strongly, but l think the secretary of the interior will kill il in the committee by an adverse report. It is a qug stion what kind of a report he would have made had he not been appraised of the fact that WiCkersham was on the job, and received positive assurances that there was no chance 10 pass it through the house, and not even through the senate without a fight which would have given as much publicity and caused scandal about equal in proportion to the Ballinger- PinChot investigation. We have enough assurances of opposition 10 kill it If the committee should re- port it cut - it certainly can never pass the house, no matter what the senate does.
 It is just such matters as this which keeps us busy all the time IL is a question of eternal vigilance, a minute scrutiny of the COngre al Record every day to see that no bills are introduced with some in genious title which gives one no inkling of what they actually mean. but the object of which can only be discovered by a careful eXamin- ation, and only killed by good hard work. All the work being accom- plished is negative, practically, but it is as good for the territory as binu of which could be pulled through Con gress. The Guggs have powerful and clever lobby here all the time working for their interests, while Alaska has no one but the dele gate, and so far l think, the delegate has the best of every argument. They have another little bill in now, which eXempts the Copper River railway and all it's properties, steambOats and practically everything the syn dicate owns in Alaska, from taxation for ten years. They are afraid to push it, though Wickersham has prepared a long statement on the bill which is in the hands of some of the more powerful of the na- tors and members, and they are ready to jump on it with both feet if an attempt is ever made to pass it. It would have meant a million dollars to them in that length of time, so no wonder they can open the barrel and spend half hundred thousand to get their own representa- tive in congress.
 Things are going to be mighty quiet as far as any legislation for Alaska is concerned this sessiCn. The presidents message recommend ing the commission form of govern ment will have little effect from present indications. Beyeridge is be- lieved to be very willing to forget that there ever was such a bill as the Beveridge bill, and the majority of the party Is believed to be in the same frame of mind. Certainly there is no present indication that the bill will be made any part of the senate order of business for this session. There is very good chance of getting the bill through proVid- ing for amendments and notifications in the mining law. The department of the interior which reported against the bill trying to cure the pOwer-Of attorney and association claims evils last year has experienced a change of heart, and is now ready to help us l think. A favorable report on the bill from the secretary would just about put it through congress, and We are hopeful of getting such a report out of him. Nothing will be done with the fisheries bill. There has not yet been meeting of the committee on territories, and there will not be one until after the hOli- day recess according to the chair man, Ed L. Hamilton, of Michigan. So with only two months in which to work, and many big appropriation