The Alaska daily empire., 1914-12-16
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rhe oilpWIoc t.ieie ca see
 3aeflgs o a'asiU M-1 written
 sY t5hn N o1bal ol.tor q tae
 2aei0o Fassa and Wq5
 atar. c the special Alae,a q
 asdsroe edition recently qablish
 ca sy thst iour0al.-'lae Edlter. 9
 When tll8 country in 1867 purcaas. ed ron Rrssil the Tefrltorg or Ala. '8l8. but Zen pegsons Relieved we would over obtain from our possoaslon even tho purchase price of b2ooo00. lel alone Che ssnaual oapenae sps molnlain. ias came sueA doabm have proved very much at fault however gtatle- ties showing that the government has been reimbursed directly many times over through lhe rental o the seal lng privilege on the Prlbhof Islands alcne. while lhe direct taxes paid by che aahing inseregt8 have varied from S80.00O Co Sl25.000 annually for 9 number Of yeara pest. ln addition, an. enormous trade has been developed between Alaslsa and the States. which has been highly profitable
 erloains and Mialua.
 The two great interests oi Aiaaisa arc fshing and mining. Mining be- gun in 1880. and, according to the re- ports Of lhe United Slatea Geological Survey the valuo of minersala pro duced rom 1880 Co 191S both inclus. I've, has Beon $2lS.95l,215 Fishing began before we purchased tue ter Eitory and ln another column ap- pears Q detailed statement of the ex- ports or prepared fishery products iron the territory from 1868 (when formal possession was taken of the territory by this govenment) to 1913, both Inclusive. which shows total value for these products of S2S4. .7S0.- 6S7 No account is taken in this table Of the immense trade in and consumption or fishery products by the native tribes oi Alaska, which must have amounted in the aggregate since 1868 to many millions of dollars more.
 In comparing these two industries it should be remembered that for every fish taken from the waters ot Alaska another one has appeared to take its place. and will continue to do 80 as long as the fisheries arc properly handled, thus producing an annual crop Of tremendous value while when pound of mineral has once been taken from tho territory no more can STOW at that spot to replace it and the territory is just that much poorer.
 Many persons. usually those least informed have questioned whether the fisheries can stand the present heavy drain upon their raw material, yizs Che salmon. halibut cod. herring, etc. but ] think these doubts arc not Justified by tho iacts in the case
 Riehness Not Alone Salmon.
 The halibut fisheries give employ ment to not only 9 large fleet of local vessels. but also Co a still larger fleet which makes ita headquarters at the various towns on Puget Sound. As the banks oG the British Columbia coast have been badly depleted Of recent years, the greater part of the fishing is now carried on either in the pro- tected water Of Southeast Alaska or on the ocean banks adjacent There are still other hanks to which our neots can have recourse when tho pre- sent banks show signs of depletion. the former not being dshed now be- cause the vessels can secure caroges from those nearer their home ports.
 So far as the cod fisheries are con cerned, we have as yet hardy scratch ed the surface, as it wore. the known banks on tho Alaskan coast being well able to support fleets ten tines as great as have ever fshed upon them. is the banks on the Atlantic coast are beginning to show signs Of de- crease it is possible that in time our Alaskan banks wlll supply the greater part of the counry's catch, as Is being done now with hahbul
 The herring fisheries are steadily Increasing in importance, and ln time as great @ canning Gas sardines), .saidng and smoking industry will be based upon them as is now the ease in the state of Maine.
 Many food species other than those shown in the summary tables arc to be found in great abundance in Ala ska, and as transportation facilities and the country becomes bet, ter settled, demand for these will be created and they win ultimately prove @ source of great profit to the fishermen.
 Many have questioned whether the salmon asherles of the territory were not declining.
 10 lnduotry Decllningg
 Unless very full and accurate data of the catch by apparatus has been collected over a series Of years, it is difficult matter to actually deter mine whether the fisheries ol Q cer- tain section are increasing or docreas. ing. Sometimes an fncrcase in the total catch may be due solely to a greatly increased amount of fishing gear being employed in securing the sa-tr rt. e e1fohfl~5 foraar r1Fah fNati