Valdez daily prospector., 1912-08-02
THE MILK IN THE cocoANUT.


 is but another pawn moved in the great game of political chess now being played for the ownership of large and rich portion of Alas ka.
 Anyone who has watched the many attempts of the administra- ton during the present session of tc 62nd congress to manipulate that body in the interest of the few, to obtain a foothOld on the coast of Alaska, must necessarily have asked himself, what can be the motives actuating President Taft and Secretary Fisher?
 In most cases thr heads of de- partmcntS content themselves with making recommendations to congress in their annual report S and at other times submit special recommendations as the eXigcn- cics of the occasion warrant.
 But in the matter of the pur- chase of the Alaska Northern railway, every subterfuge, every trick known to the expert lobby ist has been employed to force a bill through congress with the ul- timate object of purchasing two streaks of rust, to the westward, for want of another name, call ed a railroad. Failing in all their attempts they at last succeeded in placing a rider in the enabling act giving Alaska government, providing for the appointment by the president, which, of course, means MT. Fisher, of a cOmmis- sion tO recommend the purchase of a railway from the coast of Alaska and leading to one or an other of the coal fields.
 Of course, as the Alaska North ern fills the bill, as far as salt water and coal is concerned, there being no other qualifications sought. il will br Inc Alaska Nor thcrn, provided congress will ap- prOpriatc the money for the pur- pose so badly desired by Mir. Fisher. The House of Represent tatives, and especially the COnl- mittoc on Territories, are thor oughly well aware of the pur- poses of ihe administration and ar" equally determined that the scheme matched between the bond holders of the bankrupt road and Secretary Fisher shall not be con- SIIlnnIaI"d. They may adopt the Scnai" amendments to the home rule bill. which will carry with iI the appointment of an already lcad"d railway commission, but the specific appropriation for ihe carrying Uu: Cf the scheme wi l die a lrurnin' iii inc house.
 The Maryland was sent lo thcsa waters lo report upon the super inrity of Resurrection bay as a naval base; upon inc railroad leading from tidcwatcr to mo- where and upon the availability Hnh character of the coal in the Nalanuska fields.
 The Maryland will also call at C0rd0va and report upon the ex- Dansivcncss of the tide flats in Or ca Inlet. The vessel will be half a day Cat the proper stage of tide) in turning around and getting out and will then proceed to Katalla to report no harbor, a storm swept coast and pronounce Resurrec- ton bay just the place for Mir. Fishers cOaling station and inci- dcntally the bargain counter price al which tho Canadian bond hold CTS arc willing to part with their railroad.
 The voyage of the Maryland to Alaskan waters is but another of Mr. Fishers propagandas by which hc hopes Lo present Io con gross further evidence that Res urrcciion bay is the only pracli- cable harbor on the North Pacific coast, tho Alaska Northern rail- road occupying the only practi- cable route io Inc Malanuska coal fields, as well as being tho only for sale -bclOw-cosL railway on the Alaskan market. The people of Seward informed the command ing officer of the Maryland that