Iditarod pioneer., 1912-01-20
WHERE THE SYSTEM NEEDS MENDlNG

There is not chance in ten thousand but that John and Gus Nelson dead and that they murdered. Reports of the crime had been circulated throughout the lower Kuskokwim country before the middle of last Sep tember Yet Investigation has been made, and the possibility of detecting the murderer is growing and remote
 So spoke man just arrived from the Kuskokwm this week. "hre to believe that at least other murders committed in the kuskokwm last year. It continued. Tn charred human remains were found in burned hrushheap, and when United States commissioner informed of fact and requested go and for himself the reply that there pro- vision for meeting the expense of such investigations and there the matter ende There not United States mar shal police officer of any kind the whole length and breadth of the Kuskokwm valley. Now what kind of 8 damned country have got, anyhow z asked the man. with warmth Foreigners over there often speak of the laws, the provisions for enforcing them, with derson and contempt; and what American say to rebuke them?"
 The stictures we'll warranted. By common consent the law alone is looked to for the protection of person property in Alaska and the laws necenc very grave matter That far there is difference of opinion. The people directly concerned and the officials from the least o them the ground to the mghtiet at the United State capital are practically unit up to this point.
 The question is, What is to be done about it. what i to be the method In large and sparsey peoped terri tory like Alaska it is essential for officials to be invested with extraordinary and dened powers to be prepared to move quickly, their nitative the changing population requires and to be authorized depend upon their sound judgment than upon the red tape complicated governmental machinery. Some scheme of th kind will have to be evolved for Alaska. Whether not action will be taken by congress this winter which will bring such condition visiby is uncertain It uncertain still whether not any system will b adopted lending something of local influence the appca tOn of it.
 It may be that the scheme will he formulated and ap. piled directly by the federal government If so the approach to military discipline and powers for the peace officers would perhaps be the least objectionable Does the proposition jar the good American nerves? Quite likely But it less offensive than the ers snd of citizens and seIf-acnOWledged faule of the United States to meet the emergency of the occasion We n position to fear the consequences either in point of pride in traditional institutions of practical results from any change that may be inaugurated.
 In passing, it is we'll to remember that the present nation not bameabe in any great degree to officials in Alaska They mainly decent and efficient could be expected under the circumstances Some of them in the
 more responsible positions prone to waste their energy on t1ies while they obvous to things of great agni tude but that is incident and is attributable strange conditions under which they labor The fault0 more correctly speaking, the misfortunes natural come ot the dustmen of ideals and methods of ment which has been going rapidly ill the United States that it's unsuitabenes for Alaska has been lost sight of