Valdez daily prospector., 1912-03-16
CROWD GREETS
 BISHOP ROWE Tells of His Experiences In Wash- inston In Interesting
 Manner

ufcSS tHc GIalnDCr O1 commerce.
 Bishop Rowe stated he had gone l to Washington to use his influ- ence 10 get the government to do l something for the physical vel fare of the natives of Alaska. The | deplOrable condition of the Cop per River Indians had decided him | that something should be done by | the government and he had gone l straight tO Washington to take | the matter up with President Taft. 1 He was readily received at the White House and during a con- ference which lasted two hours President Taft was much inter- eStcd in the condition of the na- tives and promised Bishop Rowe to do all in his power to secure relief for them. The president had arranged a conference be- tween Secretary Fisher and Bish- op Rowe and promised to sup port any suggestions made by the interior department.
 During the conference with Secretary Fisher the truth had been forced upon him that the departments could do little of real assistance as the senate and con- gress did not always follow the suggestions of the departments.
 Bishop Rowe then went before n
 ies and found Chairman Flood willing to help Alaska if only the way was made clear. He told the committee he was not asking for help for the whites of Alaska; they were able to take care of themselves. It was the Indians he wished to help and it was the | duty of the government to care
 for them. He was astonished at the ignorance displayed by it's
 members concerning Alaska. Afaskans who had gone to Wash lnSton had not been united and had all given different views of conditions which had served to 1 puzzle the senators and members of congress.
 Bishop Rowe said the members or the congressional committee | had asked some pertinent tues lions. They had asked him if he had consulted with anyone re- garding the measure previous to coming before the committee. He replied he had taken the question up with Delegate Wickersham but the latter had manifested little interest in the matter and he had then gone to the president.
 Bishop Rowe did not consider it matter of sentiment but rather one or justice and duty on the Iart of the government to care for the physical health of the In- dians. He was gratifed to know that $7O,00O had been appropri- ated to care for the education of the natives but considered their medical health as of far greater importance. The diseases of the natives was menace to the white population of Alaska.
 When Bishop Rowe appeared before the senate committee he found them wise on home rule and other political questions. He had been asked how he stood on the territorial government ques- ton and told the committee he had opposed home rule for a long time, but had changed his mind. The people of Alaska were Ameri- can citizens of a splendid type and fully capable of governing them- selves. He still feared the rev. enues of tho territory were not sufficient to maintain the local government if the federal patron- age was entirely withdrawn. This was political year and the senators and congressman were more concerned about their own constituencies than about Alaska. He believed Alaska would | receive favorable legislation soon if our needs were ventilated in tho right way. The Chamber of Commerce should go after what is right in a concerted manner and it's requests would receive at tention.
 Referring to the dyke appropri- ation Bishop Rowe said he had heard very little about 1t while inl Washington and might have been able to he of some assistance in seouring the appropriation, as they did not suspect him in !, Washington yet and he was sup