The Washington herald., 1914-06-01
ALASKA RED TAPE
DECR|ED DBY Lane
CONTINUED yaox. PAGE ONE.

number. intsriocked. overlapped. cum
bersome and confusing.
"rhere u Q government Of the forests,
q government OF the fisheries, one Of the
reindeer and natives another Of the cables
and teleeraphs. There. IL q government
for certain public lands and forests. an
other for other lands and forests. Each
OF these governments In intent upon its
own particular business. Jealous Of its
own success and jprerogative, and all are
more or less unrelated and Independent
In their operation. Experience has DEM
onstrated that eficient administration Is
best secured by centralizins responsibility
and authority In the hands of q few who
can be held to strict accountability for the
results Of their actions The proposed de-
velopment board for Alaska follows this
modern and well-tested plan for secur-
ing eflcient administration
In pointing out some OF the red tape
caused by the present division and multi
plication of authority in Alaksa, Secre-
tary Lane says:
There In one procedure for making
homestead. mineral. and other land en-
tries within the national forests; another
procedure for making such entries in
lands outside the forest reserves Water
power and power sites within the forest
reserves are leased and operated under
permits from the Forest Service; there
is question as to whether authority exists
for disposal or leasing of water powers
elsewhere in Alaska
Gives Another Instance.
"A citizen who wanted to lease an
island for fox farming carried on a corre-
spondence with three different depart
ments for several months in an effort
to learn which had Jurisdiction and au-
thority to make the lease. 1t was finally
decided that none of them possessed this
authority. Certain islands along the
south coast Of Alaska may be leased by
the Department OF Commerce; adjoining
unreserved islands may not be leased.
but may be acquired under the general
land laws. from the Department OF the
Interior Still other islands are reserved
for special purposes, under the control
Of the Department of Agriculture.
Vast areas In the forest reserve are
entirely untimbered. but ace held under
the regulations Of the Forest Service.
while timbered lands In other sections
are unprotected.
Mineral claims within the forest re-
serves must be investigated and ap-
proved by the Forest Service before the
General Land Office may grant patents.
Homesteads within the forest reserves
are surveyed by the Forest Service with
out cost to the entryman. Homesteaders
on unsurveyed land outside the forest re-
serves must pay for their own surveys.
Timber in the national forests Is sold
at auction. under the rules and regula-
tions of the Department Of Agriculture.
Timber on other public lands are sold
under different rules and regulations,
made by the Interior Department.
Roads and Trails.
Roads and trails within the forest re-
serves are built by the Forest Service.
Roads and trails outside these reserves
are built by commission OF army o.
flcers.
-.The general laws forbid the exporta-
ton Of timber cut of public lands in
Alaska, but permit expectation Of pulp
made from such timber. There Is no
prohibition against expectation Of timber
cut In the forest reserves.
Many islands frequented by birds are
set aside as game reserves and are under
the protection of the Biological Survey,
which sends a keeper In the summer to
guard some of the islands. Game ami
mails throughout Alaska are protected by
wardens hired by and under the direction
Of the governor Of Alaska who enforces
regulations made by the Department Of
Agriculture. and are paid from an ap-
made to and disbursed by the
Department Of the Interior. Fur-bearing
animals are under the protection of
wardens appointed by the Secretary of
Commerce. and work under regulations
made by the Department of Commerce.
Game animals are deer. moose, caribou.
mountain sheep, mountain goats. brown
Bears. sea lions, and walruses- Fur-bear-
ing animals comprise rabbits, squirrels,
lxyn~ vx,fn haaTar fnNaQ
and black bears
The Bureau of Fisheries employs one
warden and five deputy wardens for the
protection of fur-bearing animals In the
territory. Game wardens are appointed