The Alaska citizen., 1915-07-12
Phone 262 Phone
THE "JUNEAU SPIRIT"

Money received by the govern ment for the sale of timber in the forest reserves in Alaska was turn ed over to the legislature 10 be used as that body of local lawmakers should desire for the good of the Territory in general. There was nothing in the law that provided that the money should be spent in any special section of the Territory, but when the legislature attempted 10 pass a bill providing that { should be divided equally between the judicial divisions of Alaska fo- road purposes. there was protest made by the people of the First division.
 IL seems that the legislature re fused to be controlled by the people of the first division when it came to disposing of this fund. given the Territory by the government, and passed the bill providing for it's dis tribution among the four divisions.
 A few days ago Road Supervisor Ross received telegram from the Territorial treasurer, in which he was informed that legal action had been taken by the people of the First division to prevent the eNpendi- ture of the forest fund outside of that division.
 r. hn of h.a First division hold that they are en- titled to the whole fund, for the reason that a large part of 1t came from forests in that division. In other words, the people of Juneau, and the other towns of Southeastern Alaska, want the exclusive use of all Territorial funds collected there, in addition to a big share of all funds collected in other sections of the Territory and of all the other appropriations made by congress for the benefit of Alaska as a whole.
 Any school boy or girl knows that one part of a territory cannot lay claim to the funds appropriated by congress for the Territory in general, and that the action of the people of the First division must end in defeat for them. But this ''hoggishnes5" of the people of that part of Alaska must certainly arouse the contempt of the people of all the other sections of the Territory.
 Appropriations made by congress and those now pending for buildings at Juneau and other improvements total approximately S1,000,000, or more than has been appropriated for similar purposes in all the rest of the Territory combined. But in spite of this, the people of that to keep all other appropriations for their own good.
 Indeed, there has been a ten dency all along on the part of the people of Juneau and others in that vicinity, to look upon themselves as sort of favored community, far superior to the other people of Alas ka in intellect and natural ability. Not only that, but they seem to feel a sort of paternal responsibility for the rest of Alaska, something after the attitude that Seattle takes toward the whole of the Territory.
 If the people of the First Divi- sion think that the Territorial gov ernment is being maintained for their special benefit, they will sud denly awaken one of these days to the fact that they have been deluded in that respect. The Juneau politi- cal machine will find serious ob stacles to overcome if it tries to run things to the extent of retaining in the First division all the Territor- ial funds.
 The fact is that geographically and otherwise, the First division is the most insignificant subdivision of Alaska It's resources are limited to some big mines, the profits of which go to a limited number of
 
 room for agriculture or stock raising The rest of Alaska would be very willing to have Juneau and other towns along the peninsula annexed by Seattle, or allow the First divi- sion to become a separate territory, with full territorial form of gov ernment"
 Certain it is that the rest of Alaska will have a tendency here after to send to the legislature men who will check the selfish instincts of the First division, and when it comes to appropriations, the "fa vored few" will have to take what they can get.