The San Francisco call., 1913-08-29

Californians. of all other peoples.
most nearly resemble Alaskans; Cali
fornia, Of all other parts Of the
United States, most nearly resembles
Alaska in Its early development;
there are still other similarities. even
now, than a casual observer might
think. and one does not have to be
a clairvoyant to see Alaska's future
shaping itself along the course Cali
fornia has already blazed.
Is this paradoxical? Not at all.
Is it incredible7 BY no means. Is
this impossible7 No. for the Impos7
sible always vast lies around the
corner, waiting our arrival; and when
we round the acute angle of precon-
ceived notions. be tt soon or late, 1t
is the Possible. And the similarity
of the assets of our sunniest state
and of our northwesternmost terri
tory by no means ceased when the
sluiceboxes of 40 and '9S were
cleaned up.
This is a fact capable of demon
stration. To prove anything one must
lows viii make the reader say: @.
E. D."
MISSION DAYS IN ALASKA
Possibly you did not know that
when Father Junipero Serra-God
rest his soul--was trudgfng over the
poppy blossoms along the valleys of
the Coast range of California. that
the Russians were also picking yell
low poppies and, like Sierra. estab-
liBhing missions and schools along.
the Coast range of what is now
called Alaska The missions OF both
are yet to be seen. but those of the
Russians are still looking after their
fold and teaching their children the
credo.
SAME BARRIERS REMAIN
Going back a little farther and
speaking geologicaliy, California was
shut off from the rest of the world
by mountains once thought to be SO
impossible that ina aginative and
wordy explorers peopled them and
the country beyond with gorgons and
other unpleasant inhabitants. Alaska,
also, was shut off from the rest Of
the world by mountains once thought
to be impossible But now all roads
lead to California, and the ultimate
thing in railroading scales the ter
rible White pass in Alaska and where
thousands toiled and moiled tourists
ride In luxury.
IDEAL SUMMER PLAYGROUND
California is ideal-aiways. But
sought by the world. When Stewards
Folly was added to the cares of
Uncle Sam. the American nation took
life too seriously to take vacations
anywhere. Even California. glorious,
superb California, wasn't known then
as so much much" and even II 1t
had been, no one had money enough
to travel farther than to the nearest
big town. And as fo~ Alaska! Can
you imagine Seward or some rich
New Yorker-rich as riches went in
those days-proposing a little run
of some 5000 miles through Alaskan
waters. $500 miles of them being on
one river. just to get away from the
| cares of state or Wall street? No,
you simply can't; yet Alaska Is an
ideal summer playground and Ii has
many other attractions besides cold
storage a la glacier.
AGE OF CHIvALRY NOT DEAD
First and foremost, the people of a
state or territory are the state or ter
ritory. To enumerate the qualities
| that go to make UP a Californian
would take as long as TO explain a
| joke to an Englishman; for, although
| time is unlimited, ones vocabulary IS
The Alaskans, although there are
not SO many of them as there are
| Californians. have all their good quail
1 tiles. and. with due respect to the
Californians. have recently not only
put one over on their southern neigh
| bors. but to all Americans. and, for
| that matter, to the whole world
The Alaskan men did a fine, noble
| thing last winter, without any
thought OF f1ourishing trumpets, fan.
fare OF notoriety or expanding chests
In the spotlight. They did It. too
without any petitions. or mass meet.
| ingg or hikes to the capital on the
part OF the beneficiaries.
These men wanted to do 1t, an6
they done It." 1t came about in this
way:
When the men chosen for the frs
Legislative assembly in Alaska met In
Juneau, the capital, they had to ge1
acquainted with each other much as
the men who go to Washington. II
ordinary states men know each othel
from all sections-old timers, bank.
ers, business men, politicians. Bui
Alaska is new and distances are grea
Many an Alaskan district is as large
as full grown state. az one will SET