Iditarod pioneer., 1914-03-28
CAUSE OF THE
 CORDOVA INCIDENT

During the debate in the national house of representatives at Washington on the Alaska railroad bill, James Wickersham, delegate from Alaska, said:
 'Mr Speaker, in his speech in opposition to the bill to authorize the President of the United States to locate, construct and oper ate railroads in the Territory of Alaska, the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Ferris in troduced a copy of a letter from certain members of the Alaska legislature directed to the secretary of the interior, as proof that the people of Alaska were not in favor of the bill He said: The Alaska terri torial legislature have expressed themselves on this proposition, and in letter directed to the secretary of the interior, on April 13, 1913, signed by the president of the senate and six senators, have expressed the gravest doubt about the advisablity of the construction of a railroad by the federal government I will insert this letter in the record at this point:
 Senate Chambers,
 "'Alaska Territorial Legislature,
 "EJuneau Alaska, April 13, 1913. "'To the Secretary of the Interior, Wash ington, D. C..
 Sir we are informed that it is the general opinion prevalent at Washington that the people of Alaska are unanimously in favor of federal government-o owned, constructed and operated railroad in Alaska "'The majority of the people, in our opinion ere opposed to the principle of government ownership.
 It is true however, that in order to prevent the depopulatlon of Alaska we are in favor of any plan or system that will result in the immediate construction of trunk line railroads in Alaska, as an i'm perative necessity to the development of our vast mineral resources and extensive coal fields
 We consider transportation the key to the present situation in Alaska.
 Yours respectfully,
 "L. " RAY,
 President of the Senate
 "ELWOOD BRUNER,
 ctudlOI h'tCtlIN b4N4SIOll.
 "'B. F. WILLARD,
 Senator Third Division.
 "'H. T. TRIPP,
 "'Senator First Division
 "'HENRY RIDDEN,
 "'Senator Fourth Division.
 "'CONRAD BREEDING,
 "'Senator Second Division Hon. Franklin K. Lane,
 Washington D. C."
 Mir Wickersham continued:
 T call the attention of the house to the fact that while this letter is signed by one who styles himself to be president of the Alaska senate. and six others who sign themselves as senators from different divi siCns of Alaska, the document does not pur port upon its face to be an official act of the territory. Every man who signed this letter was a member of the upper house of the territorial legislature. Not a single mem Der of the lower house, or the popular branch of the legislature signed 1t. < Out of the twentytour members of the legislature, seven of them have sought to prevent the passage of the Alaska railway bill by sending this communication to Wash ington to be used in debate, at the moment when it would do the Territory of Alaska the greatest amount of harm, by the op- ponents of the bill.'
 Remarkable Statement by Ray Further on in his speech Delegate Wick ersham read the following telegram signed by Senator Ray:
 Seward, May IA, 1913 Hon. Key Pullman, Chairman Senate Com mittee on Territories:
 Alaska people oppose government owner ship of railroads. Fear extension pernicous system, stitiing individual enterprise. Pre- fer private ownership. Government aid open coal "L. V. RAY,
 ''President Alaska Senate" FOR sALE-Complete roadhouse and fix lures, located at Forks of Flat creek; a