Iditarod pioneer., 1913-02-22
AN ALASKAN POSTMASTER GENERAL

Among the matters to be discussed at the forthcoming session of the territorial legislature there can be none of greater importance than the provision of better mail aci ties for the Interior fundamental objection to the sys tenn that prevails is that the Alaskan mail service is under the direct control of an official stationed at Washing ton when it should be administered by man on the spot with thorough knowledge of local conditions and invested with wide powers. In short need Alaskan post master general responsible to the governor and not sub feet to political influence the spells system.
 With the appointment of Alaskan postmaster general headquarters at Panama other central point the present anomalies of the Interior mail service would disappear. Being Alaskan the appontee would appreciate the priceless boon of regular efcen ana sufficient mail service in the Interior summer and wnter having knowledge of the geography of the territory and its climatic pecuartie he would forward the mail by thI and would be prepared to change those routes short notice should railroad other blockade render such step advisabe and his position depending uponI successful administration of his office and not on political pull he would be ready listen complaints and remedy existing evils without unnecessary delay.
 The present system of control from Washington iS quite unsuted to the terrrorys needs and amount of talking will improve it. It is physical mpossibiy for who have spent their whole lives in the seamheated official atmosphere of the postal department at the national capital understand conditions they exist in Alaska, and we should cease expect it. high standard of eff
 ciency in the Alaska mail service only result from tual experience of prevailing condo' gained by long residence the Interior: tours of inspectors and other officials being than useless because they lead to nasty judgment based inaccurate data and accom- pish permanent good. Dealing with this phase of the matter recent issue of the Fairbanks NewsMiner says:
 Because of the departments failure to understand
 condtions here always in trouble Mails carried
 1.-two years have not been paid for yet and will
 be of the lack of understanding of local condij 'tons which Washington has. Two years ago mail for| 'Olness stalled the Panama Valley railway. The manager took the mail off the train and sent it to Oness by dog-team, Dome. The next mail sent by team
 from Fairbanks. It happened that the two mails travel
 Ting by different routes, reached Oness the evening"
 The result letter from Washington, asking the rail
 road company where these two mails consoidated- unless they became mail the clerk at Washington con]d not understand how the two mails could reach O
 ness the time Letter after letter has been writ
 en but the clerk cannot undersand the thing yet Lately the railroad company gave orders to have the charge aganst the government written off its books and charged
 ito operating expenses of that year. and wrote the govern
 that the time of correspondence and annoyance amounted to than the money due (s2} and the com 'pany has written it off bad account"
 When Washington officials beray such density in sol small a matter the wrecled manner in which the ditarod mail service bungled should excite little surprise. The only out is along the lines have indicated above and the legislature mg ght do than give the matter their atention with view to making recommena
 congress for greater efficiency in the Alaskan mail service.
 The present healthy condition of the city finances must be of considerable satisfaction to the When the present council took office last November the city overwhelmed with debt; but thanks rigid economy and busnesske administration the incubus has been re- moved, and without nficting hardship any. Over|