Valdez daily prospector., 1912-01-30
THE ALASKAN AR0oNAUTS.

NlaSka mas never fccclNCu so much publicity as at the present time: Every newspaper and mag azine throughout the width and breadth of the land is comment ing on the lack of laws favorable to the dcveOpmenL of the territory and this campaign must result ill favorable Legislation. The fol- lowing is taken from the Los An geles TipeS:
 Gold /was\ the lure that drew tens of thousands of men to Cali fOrnia in 'i9,N and the spring of 50. They were men of all voca- lions. Very few had been min CTS. Skilled mechanics, farmers, merchants, clerks, lawyers, doc tors, bankers, sprculatOrs, and here and there a preacher, made up the army of ArgonauiS who rounded Gap" Horn, or who cross rd the iSIhmuS. or who came nn horsrIack, or in prairie SchnOn- CTS. or un foot pln'll"d across prairirS and deserts under tn" Ihrohbin~ light In reach Inc new Fl Dorado.
 IL requires courage. a!nl rulrr- prise an,l several hundred dollars in cash to mak" Inc trip. and il was the brightest, hravrSi. and most cnl"rprisimg of the land who left their household gundS hrhind them and .journryrd tu Ina far Pa ciiic.
 IL did not lake those who came |" seek Fortune in the plarrrs and "ulchcs and river beds long iu as certain that inc territory. which had slept for centuries under the manana rule of few thousand SpaniardS. was as rich in soil and timber as il was in gold; that there was wealth to br gained hy pursuing agriculture. and manu- featuring, and commerce, and that il was not necessary tO i'm port our, or salt meats. or DO- faiors, or lumber. OF dried fruits.
 The pioneers sent for their wives and children. Cities Sprang into being, as if by magic. Cattle and sheep ranges were turned in 10 fields and orchards, the praises of the climate were sounded throughout the world. schools were established, and the land of gold became the land of hearts desire, to which hundreds of thousands jOurneyrd 10 find homes, until today, when five mil lions of prosperous people dwell between Puget Sound and the Mexican border.
 The history of the land south of British Columbia is about Io be repeated in the country which has been practically. rather than lruthfully. described as "lhr grim and grizzly north.'
 In drSpiic of unwiSr. mistaken and rriarding legislation. Alaska Is about in have iIS innings. The hugab0u of conservation of coal and timh"r and ocean frontage has been baniSlrd from go>"rn- m"nI policies by one Wise sen fence of President THfi. who said that hr could sec no good rraSOn for pursuing toward Alaska any different policy with respect lo government lands there than that which had existed for the great "r part of q century. and under which thr great west had been developed and populated.
 The possibilities of agriculture and stock raising. and numbering. and coal mining and fishing in Alaska have, at last, been ham nrrrd into the consciousness of Inc American people. in despite of PinchOt and his subsidized press bureau. That territory of- fcrs as inviting a field for enter prise and development as ever tempted human ambition and cu- pidiIy. As is aptly and tcrscIy stated by the Portland Oregon ian:
 "T'hc shortncss of the summer is compensated for by inc length of the sumner days, which makes Inc aggregate of sunshine in the year probably as great as in more southern climcs. Enough has been done in the way of cxpcri- rncni io prove the fertility of the soil and that fruit, vegetables and hay mature thcrc. The grassy valleys of western Alaska can feed great herds of cattle. Alaska is capable of supporting in comfort dcnscr population than Sweden,