The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1914-06-18
URGES BOARD TO
DEVELOP ALASKA
Secretary Lane Would Eliminate
Much Red Tape.
WANTS THREE GOVERNORS.

vision Of All tho Governmental A.
fairs-WouId Replace Many Offices
and Bureaus and Control All Features
Of Development In Territory.
Washington. - In n report sent to
Senator Key Plttman and Represents.
tive william c. Houston, chairmen OF
the senate and house committees on
territories respectively, Secretary Lane
Of the interior department urges the
creation Of n development board to
have complete control of the natural
resources OF Alaska.
Bills for the creation OF boards or
commissions TO administer the govern
ment OF Alnskn have been introduced
in the senate by Senator Chamberlain
Of Oregon and In the house by Delegate
Wlckersham OF Alaska. These bills
dlffer only In detail. and the general
purpose OF both is In accord with tho
recommendation Of Secretary Lane.
The development plan urged by the
secretary provides for bonrd OF three
and confirmed by the senate. which is
90 have headquarters In Alaska and
IN 10 be charged with the general
conduct OF all governmental Affairs
connected with the natural resources
and development OF the territory.
1T IN proposed and urged" says MIR
Lane. that the board shall take over
such authority now exercised by vn.
rious departments aud burenus NJ may
be necessary TO give II supervision over
practically the entire public domain
and NIL the natural Resources Of AlnSkn
aud control OF such nctivises M nre
closely related and essential 10 the de-.
yclopmcni OF the physical resources OF
the country.
"The board would do the work now
done IN Alaska by the general lnnd OF
fee. the forest service. the road com.
mission. the bureau OF mines. the TN,
rcnn ~ education aud the secretary OF
the Interior. II should tnkc over part
Of the work and authority OF the bu.
rcnu OF fisheries Beginning nc the
shore line. the development board
should have complete control of all
governmental activities and interests
connected with the development ~ In
dustries aud transportation nnd the
settling OF the country.
This should include the control of
water powers. building and mninte
nance OF ronds ana trails aud operation
and rates OF the railroads aud tele
graph lines II should include protec
tlon nnd control of game fur hearing
animals. p' bile lands. mineral depos
IT,. coal. oil. gns. hot springs. timber |
lands aud timber"
Ss'reury Lane also urges that this
board should take over the superyi
sion ~ educational work among the
Indians aud natives. the rrin,l~r In |
duslry control OF the surveyor gencr
ais office aud the supervision IN coop |
Grafton with the department ~ ngrl- |
culture of agricultural experiments aud |
demonstration work IN the territory.
II IL pointed out IN the report that az |
present each ~ M least n score of Gov
ernmcnt bureaus IN Washington diyld
ed among the various departments hns |
something Ia do with the government |
OF Alaska and that there II vast |
amount OF red tape nnd circumlocution |
IN the administration Of public affairs
under this system
Instances ARE given In the report of |
delays of several years In the handling
of uncomplicnted land aud other mat
tiers which should have been promptly
disposed OF
There must he new ana simple una
chinery." says MIR Lane THE new
policy Is not To invite n few men Ia ex
ploit the cream of Alaska's riches, hut
To develop all the resources aud pos
sibllities of the territory harmoniously
FOR the best interests of both the peo
pie who 40 to Alaska and the people
OF the United States VINO own this
great public domain"
Mr. Lane points out that tsere are
now only SG2 miles OF wagon roads.
Gl7 miles of sled roads ana .. l6d miles
OF trails In the whole OF Alaska. for
the construction and maintenance OF
which about S2,d0OOOO has been spent
lie urges that roads aud trails are
as essential TO the opening OF Alaska
10 settlement as railroads, aud thar
these roads for several years Ia come
must he built by the government
The reindeer industry, now monopo-
lized by the natives, MIR Lane looks
upOn ms the beginning OF great in
dustry which may have somethmg TO
do with solving the meat supply prob-
lem of the United states.
The secretary discusses az consider.
able length the cable and telegraph
system In Alaska now operated by the
signal corps OF the war department and
proposes that this should probably be
by the development board
Coffin Ready, Kills Himself.
!