The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-11
PLEA FOR ALASKA
BY BISHOP ROWE
Natives i'll Many Sections VIII
Become Extinct Unless Some
thing Is Done.
SUGGESTS RELIEF MEASURES
Large Majority oi the People
Want Sclf-Govcrnmcnt
or Home Rule.
lsnccial 10 .rhe rimes.pispateh. |

lSpCcllI 10 An. / lUlSS-l'lSDa
Washington, February An in.
trcsung inquire IN Washington just
ROW is bishop rcter I. Rove, Of the
Episcopal Church. ANA tor many years
sands OF miles that ne might impress
upon Congress the needs OF Alaska.
IN sacaklnG of the natives, Bishop
Rowe SAID:
and the Eskimo about l..0oo or L.
c2e. The condition OF the native la
dians of Alaska Is dcplutar,c. They
are dying OF RAPIDLY. rncir trouble
ere able tn obtain. III spite ct laws TO
the contrary. Two OF three wears ago
the sale Of iieuor TO lnuians WAS mad.
a FELONY. and SINCE that TIME IT mas
II found that the condition. Of the
natives at Prince William sound and
along the Copper River and OF the
Alsutian Islands was such that they
VIII he extinct IN short time, unless
somcthing Ia done for them. The.
Aleuts are half Russian and half tn
dian. and, / understand, that when
Juagc wickcrsham Was on the bench
IN Alaska. he decided that ON accoun;
OF the Russian treaty these PEOPLE
Were really citizens of the United
chance. practically, TO give evidence
OF being citizens.
Fer the relief OF the Aleuts | have
suggested that available streams aud
they be- segregated on reservations
where they can support themselves.
and where most OF all. they can be
treated SO far as their heai;n is con, con,
upon tho health of the natives Of
Alaska. As nation think it is
not sentiment, it is only Justice that
we should do somcthinE for them.
Lawful Spirit Exists.
AS 20 Alaska government, Bishop
lowe said: In the Incorporated towns
the local government Is effective in
the prevention OF crime and disorder
There is Il wonderfully lawful spirit;
among the people of Alaska. Dance
halls and gambling novels have been
abolished. SO far as know. VIC have
Il splendid lot Of American citizens up
there. They are intclliSent and cdu-
Gated. just in the prime OF HE, and
they come because they, arc able 10 do
10 Alaska. The hobo element is elm
mated largely.
Danger that threatens the dcstruc-
,ien OF the fish supply one Of the
L eat natural industries OF Alaska,
was dealt with III the bishops state
ment
Gamers catch the nsh ana hold
placed at the mouths oil streams. OF
course, the trap does not allow any
of the fish to go UP the streams. Can
nerics established with small capita!
abound in Alaska. Ten new canncrics
went in this year While 1t does no,
appca now that the fish supplies are
being exhausted. think we must rea-
sonably expect IL to be in Il short time.
Some have asked me to call attention
! to the use of the traps.
~ large majority OF the people OF
J Alaska continued the bishop, wan
sclf-sovernment or homo rule do
not see however, that IL could bc
maint incj by local assessment. That
Is the only difficulty. Ii seems that
the only chance Of having sclf-govcrn
mcnt Is an understanding with the
Federal government that the expense
| VIII be borne in large part al any
| rats, by the Federal government. II
! the :iatural resources could be taxed
by leasing, however or the fisheries
properly taxed, that light afford rev.
cnuc enough for the government, out
side the judicial part. I am told that
one marshal in one Il strict spent
100000, oi moro, jus; to do special
work. II each marshall would spend
that amount IL would be lot al
| .noncy to raise"
Soon VIII Return.
. Speaking of his return 10 his fclC
of labor Bishop Rowe said
Il have a trip 10 take this winter
Ny dogs Will meet me at valdez. an,
Will keep going north for tel
months. expect TO fetch out on tht
Arctic Ocean, way UP at Point Hope
That will make about 1000 miles.
have made the trip before with dogs
We have rcma rkablc mission OF 80
people a, Point Hope. They are liv
ing in insioos AZ present. We ar,