Valdez daily prospector., 1912-03-18
PLAN FOR ALnsKA's TRADE.

San Francesca merchants have not been able to reconcile them selves to the loss of Alaska busi- ness which was almost eXclu- sively with their city before the big rush of '98 turned it to Seat tie. The Pacific Marine News of San Francisco believes the time has come when an effort should be made on the part of the Cali fOrnia city to regain the lost ground by planning for the flu ture. It says:
 "Whatcvcr is tu be rrgaincd of the Alaskan trade that was lost in Seattle a few years ago must be acquired now, and if the San FranciscO-Alaska Club or any other organization that is cner- getic and responsible offers a me- dium through which this end may be accomplished, it. is deserving of the gratitude of a thousand business houses ill San Francis 70. Seattle firms will not sur render established relations with Alaska with out a struggle, and energetic preparations are now being made for yStematic campaign to retain and increase trade with the northwest terri tory.
 "AlaSkans who resent existing conditions, and who arc by no means few in number, have cX- pressed themselves as desirOus of seeing something put into the country. They claim that the proportion of investors who are content to take something out of Alaska without q struggle. and turn is too great to permit of de- velOpment and they want the world in general to understand that they have attractions other than tied-up mining and coal claims. They believe it is time to pay attention to the broad pX- panseS of farming lands, tO the aboundins opportunities that will being made for systematic thrifty and not a wastcful char aCter. They want homes and cit lzenS, not soldiers of fortune and agents of great corporations that want ten dollars for every one expended. The type of settler who will some day apply iu the gov crnment for Alaskan statehood must he honest in his love of the land hr has chosen. He must be fellow of infinite resource. he must be rugged and healthy. will ing tn endure hardship and pri- VatiOn as did the fOrrfathrrS who extended in" arm of American au- thOriIy over the western wilder ness. In short, he must be, whether by adoption of nativity. a true American.
 Alaska has proven bone of contention among politicians and Business interests. For several years there has been presented a succession of schemes whereby the future of the territory might be assured while restraining the rapacity of corporations that as- sumc all proprietary rights to the land that was purchased from Russia with good American gold. As to how the gold fields and the coal fields will bc operated self profoss"d experts disagree, but meanwhile they retard progress. Governor Clark of Alaska, in his annual report, is forced to make the humiliating confession that there has been no increase in population during the past year, and therein he has put his finger upon the reason for all the ills Alaska has been heir Io. To make the land habilablc, he concludes, 1 there must be change in exist ing land and mining laws and n more liberal sentiment on the | part of the United States. If he had added few words concern ing the railway problem he would have summed up a complete total. |
 III happens that one plan pro- posed for the settlement of Alas ka involves the gathering of homcstcadcrs and purchase of equipment in San Francisco. The project may he carried out with The benefit of investigation made in European centers of immigra- lion. Little is asked and much is promised, and it is altogether possible that n moderate display pf iDfprnef nm fbo po,t or tbo Co.,