Valdez daily prospector., 1912-02-26
ALASKA CAN'T HELP HERSELF.

Editor Thompson of the Fair banks News-Miner has again talk en up the white mans burden af- ter having spent the past few months on the outside. While on his visit he won a life partner and accumulated a fund of polit- ical knowledge which has made him an ardent advocate of home rule for Alaska. The News Miner has adopted the slogan, "IIomc Rule for Alaska"
 The editor. spent some time in Washington and he believes the administration is preparing 10 give Alaska the balance of the dos" of conservation which will finish this territory. While vis- iting the attorney generals de- parimrnL he learned that meas urcS to conserve the mineral .rr- sources of Alaska were being pre- pared and that before the end of the present year the mineral lands would br as completely cOnserv- cd as the coal, timber and oil lands are now. Being true Alaskan and mindful of the fact that although Fairbanks is a profitable field for the agriculture ist inc owls would soon be roOst- ing in his print shop if the min rral output of the camp was checked he promptly registered a protest as follows:
 "Why don't you try this new theory of the conservation of un- discovered mineral wealth out up on Nevada, Washington, Oregon or Montana, where the poor pros pcctor can walk out of the coun- try if it doesn't suit him?" we asked. "ItS too late" answered inc attorney general. '"They wouldn't stand for it." And then he laughed, as much as io say that Alaska couldn't help iself. 'Did you ever know or hear of a country that had been developed except upon it's own rrSOurccS?" We asked them all. and their an Swrr was that tn" government would have to develop Alaska that when such iSSurS as cnnSpr- walton and government ownership had obtained the following which ihry hav" in inc United SIaIrS. no political party could afford tn stand in Their way. especially up on the eye of a national election.
 We are firmly convinced that the conservation of every re- source of Alaska iS due to com this session of congress. and the nScrvatIoniSIS and govern mcnt ownership crowd will be in full possession of Alaska and cv- cryihing herein which ihe govern meni can cOnfiScaic. We firmly by the end of this year have Alas ka bottled up so tightly that il will br necessary for the gOvcrn- ment to develop the country with the resources of the government lest all development be stopped. We believe that Alaska is up against very many years of abSO- Iutr government ownership and control, with the one exception of home rule and a representative body of AlaskanS1o recommend to congress what cannot be done without ruining the country--a body that shall serve as an Ovrr- check, to some extent, upon the faulty Theories of tho cOnscrva- tiOnisIs. We believe that it is the intention of the Progressive Re- publicanS and the Democrats tO give Alaska homo rule at this SOS sion, whether "" are ready for il or not, on the ground that a pcO- pie have right to an expression or opinion upon their own govern ment and their own affairs. We do not believe that the appearance of Governor Clark in Washing ton, with his argument against home rule for Alaska, will mater tally affect inc result. Because we believe that all these things are coming tO us and because we believe that while the disOrganiz- "d people of Alaska cannot bring to bear upon Washington any effort or force which Washing ton will recognize Ohc demands of the different sections of Alas ka being almost diamctrically op- posed io each other) it occurs to us that the only practical check Alaska can exert upon the move