The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-02-03

| is one Ot tnJ LAs.SU nurUurS iu t.- 1 world. and a reservation has beer made there for the use of the navy o. I the United States. 4 road construct | ed from Seward to the Matanuska 1 coal fields would form part of n system reaching from the coast Into the heart | of Alaska and open the great interio' valleys of the Yukon and the Tanana which have agricultural as we'll as l great mineral possibilities.
 The Alaska Central road has been constructed some seventy-one miles of 1 the distance from Seward north to the Matanuslza coal fields. but the con 1 struction beyond this has been dis couraged. first. by the fact that there
 has been no policy adopted of opening up the coal lands upon which investors could depend and. second. because l there seems to be Q lack of financial
 backing of those engaged In the enter prise. The secretary of the interior has ascertaiued that the bondhoIders. l who are the real owners of the road. are willing to sell to the government. and he recommends the purchase of the existing road. such reconstruction as may be necessary. its continuance to the N1atanuska coal fields and thence
 
 Panama. It would be a great trunk line and would be an opening up of Alaska by government capital.
 I am not In favor of government ownership where the same certainty and efficiency of service can be had by private enterprise. but l think the conditions presented In Alaska are of such a character as to warrant the government. for the purpose of en- couraging the development of that vast and remarkable territory. to build and own a trunk line railroad. which it can lease on terms which may be varied and changed to meet the grow ing prosperity and development of the territory.
 There is nothing in the history of the United States which affords such just reason for criticism as the failure of the federal government to extend the benefit of its fostering care to the ter ritory of Alaska. There was time. of course. when Alaska was regarded as so far removed into the Arctic ocean as to make any development of it practically impossible. but for years the facts have been known to those who have been responsible for its gov ernment. and every one who has given the subject the slightest consideration has been aware of the wonderful pos abilities in it's growth and develop ment if only capital were invested there and a good government put over it l think the United States owes it. therefore. to Alaska and to the peO- pie who have gone there to take an exceptional step and to build rail- road that shall open the treasures of Alaska to the Pacific and to the people who live along that ocean on our west ern coast. The construction of rail- road and ownership of the fee do not necessitate government operation. Pur- suant. however. to the recon mmenda- ton of the secretary of the interior. I suggest to congress the wisdom of pro Tiding that the president may appoint a commission of competent persons, in- cluding two army engineers. to exam inc and report upon the available routes for a railroad from Seward to the Matanuska coal fields and into the Panama and Yukon valleys. with an estimate of the value of the existing partially constructed railroad and of the cost of continuing the railroad to the proper points in the valleys named. This proposal is further justified by the need that the navy of the United States hes for secure coaling base in the north Pacific. The commission ought to make a full report also as to the character of the coal fields at Ma tanuska and the problem of furnish l ing coal from that source for mercan- 1 tile purposes after reserving for gov ernment mining a sufficient quantity | for the navy.
 l have already recommended to con l gross the establishment of a form of | commission government for Alaskn. | The territory is too extended. its needs | are too varied and it's distance from | Washington too remote to enable con | gress to keep up with it's necessities in | the matter of legislation of Q local | character.
 The governor of Alaska in his report. | which accompanies that of the secre- tary of the interior. points out certain | laws that ought to be adopted and em- phaSfZeS what have said as to the | immediate need for a government of | much wider powers than now exists there if 1t can be said to have any government at all.
 Go not stop to dwell upon the lack of provision for the health of the in anu tue aDSeuCe or liidQe- qHacy of law the mere statement of which shows their crying need. l only press upon congress the imperative ne cessity for taking acrion not only to permit the beginning Of the develop ment of Alaska and the opening of her resources. but to provide laws which shall give to those who come under their Jurisdiction decent protec- ton.
 Lower Colorado River.
 There is transmitted herewith let ter from the secretary of the interior setting out the work done under joint resolution approved June 25. 1910. au thOrizing the expenditure of ST .OOO.OOO or so much thereof aa might be neces saFy. to he expended by the president for the purpose of protecting lands nnd property In the Imperial valley and elsewhere along the Colorado river In