Iditarod pioneer., 1914-02-21
SECRETARY LANES
 PROPOSALS IN DETAIL
Plan for the Development of Aka Resources for the Benefit of the Teory-Boad Have Control of All That the Nation Owns, Cares for or Regulates in the Territory
 Plans for Leasing of Coal Lands to Operators


 report of Secretary of the Interior Lane relating to Alaskan affairs. The report was submitted to the President on December 23 and has been the subject of much favor able comment. There is little doubt that the recommendations of the secretary, showing, as they do, comprehensive grasp of Alaskas needs, had great influence with congress in its consideration of the railroad bill just passed.
 lected land in the United States is Alaska. It is now nearly half century since we !odsy iess s shan % toooo white inhabitants. less than 1000 for each year it has been in our possession. The purchase was made ss . means of protection against the possl. without the hope that It would be self supporting In the intervening 46 years we have given 1t little more than the most casual concern. yet its mines. fisheries and grand sum of $5O0.00O,0O0:
 For almost a generation iI was the rich harvest neld of single company. lndi, country larger than the price paid to Rus, sia for the whole territory. How rich its waters are we know. because they have Detu pTOttu, Duk lU" LiSh us Aohuo oiS i. gold and copper. coal aud oil. iron and xlnc. no one knows. The prospector mas gone far enough, however. to tell us that no other section or our land today makes culture the government itself has demon strated that It will produce in abundance all that can be raised in the Scandlnavian countries the hardy cereals and vegetables. the meats and the berries off which 9.O00.- 900 people live in Norway, Sweden and Fin land. It has been estimated that there are make homes for people as sturdy as those of New England. Whether this IS so or not, 1t would appear that Alaska can be made self sustaining agriculturaliy.
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 This vast and unsurpassed asset lies almost undeveloped territory one nth the size Of the United States contains less than a thousand miles of anything that can be called a wagon road. It has few inconsderable stretches Of railroad which wilderness or at private industry. only the richest of its mines can be worked. ana one of its resources Of greatest immediate value to the people--tts coal lands-lies un- worked.
 The one constructive thing done by this government on behalf of Alaska in nearly half century was the importation or rein deer for the benelt of the EskimoS on the border of the Arctic ocean. For the white man we have done nothing-so little, in fact, that to mention what We nave done is matter for chagrin ana ,, numiiis.ioh; ns' ,,. have thought that perhaps the scandals that have developed in Alaska have been Tn some part the result of feeling that II was no mans land. where the primal instincts and powers were the only law.
 o,Imats is Temperate
 This unfortunate condition cannot be explained on the ground Of the inhospltall!y of tsothermal lines shows that some Of southeastern Alaska has climate more this city. while much Of the greater DOT lion to the north has a kndller climate than Stockholm or St. Fetersburg More over. our people are not stayed m Inelr a long winter. The spirit and purpose which brought them from Europe to fir- ginia and to Massachusetts take them today to Montana and Saskatchewan. The United States lately opened to entry tract of land in Montana for which there were 46.000 applicants for registration. and only 1000 of these could be given an 'a opporsaahht,y, h,,t 70 ing 500 miles north Of the Canadian border than there Is for the same distance Souah
 Why has not this land been developed! The frank answer Is that we did not realize until within few years that it was worth developing. AS soon as we discovered its value as 6 national asset we became alarmed and drew back arrishsed at the thought that we might lose 1t. or at least that 1t would become the property or those who would exploit # without respect to the pub lie interest. Since then we have been wait ing to make up our minds as to what wisely could be done. We have hesitsted and halted out of the very keenness of our ap. has rather been in compliment to Alaska than in derogation Of her value that we have done 50 litsle for her in late years.
 wss ne" snd 1o De opensd sd. uhaee here snd there we did not wish to repeat But now after a long pause 1t would seem to be the sense of the people that we did not wish it would seem to be the sense Of the people that we shall proceed at once and in a large way to deal with the problem Of Alaskan development.
 peopossl AdmINistsasivs Board We have withdrawn Alaska from the too aggressive and self serving e1ploiter. What Of public interest. To this question l have given much thought, and my conclu- ston Is that if We are to bring Alaska into 1 the early and full realization Of her pos. abilities we must create a new piece or government machinery for the purpose. We should undertake the work in the spirit and after the method of 0 great corporation Judgment the way to deal with the problem of Alaskan resources is to establish board of directors to have this work In charge. sioa would give all the national assets in that territory, 10 be used primarily for her improvement--her lands. fisheries. Indians. Eskimos, seals, forests mines, waterways. railroadS-all that the nation owns. cares for or regulates. Congress should deter mine in broad outline the policies which this board in liberal discretion should elaborate and administer. such as is done | as to the Philtpnines. This board would. or course have nothing whatsoever to do with the internal affairs of tho organized terri tory of Alaska, for 1t would exercise no powers save such as congress granted over the property Of the United States in Alaska. Rsasons foe oeasA
 1 There are several reasons which appeal to me as supporting this suggestion: 1. Such board could advise congress as to what should be done, without prejud. :. | Ice, out Of deep national interest and with flrst- hand knowledge ofl conditions. 2. Such board would CO., ordinate the present enterprises Of the government tn Alaska. AS 1t is now the control Of lands Is in one department, Of forests tn another. of roads in another. Or fisheries in fourth. of railroads in still another. The care Of black bear Is in. one. department and Of brown bear in another.
 g. There can be no satisfactory admin tstration Of land laws nor any other laws at a distance Of 1000 miles from the point of action. Much less is this possible where l the two sections of the country are sep l,arated by an ocean and the land calling for ] attention is closed to the world one -hall of the year. The eye that sees the need should be near the voice that gives the order