The Alaska daily empire., 1915-03-17
SEATTLE VIEW OF
 ALASKA PRCBLEIIS

Here ia how J. J. Underwood, Al aska man and star reporter on the Selttie Times, sizes up the work be- fore the Alaska Legislature iu ,he Times of March l3.
 ''Wlth Chester x. Snow, representa- tive from the Lower Yukon. wanting to submit to the people of Alaska the question ol prohibition in Che Terri. tory; with Walter W. Geichell, repre- sentative from Nome desiring to put an end to the Sunday closing law in Alaska; with Martin Moran and Jim Daly or Nome, yearning to amend inc mining mws. with members from Southeastern Alaska afflicted with an obession 10 split the Territory in half and acquire statehood for tho pan. handle with the question of raising taxes and obtaining iun form Of territorial government to the front and with the collection Of mileage and ex- penses and 8 thousand other things to cali for time and comment it looks as though the second session of the Alaska Legislature would be a fairly busy one Under the law the Ter ritorial Legislature must adjourn at the end Of sixty days
 'At the last session Of Che Lcgisla- ture the government did not approp. rlate sufficient money for che mileage. Senators and Representatives are al- lowed the usual rate, and some Of them were compelled to expend about five times as much as they received in travelling oSpcnscs. One man in the present legislature. Martin Moran walked 500 miles to Nome. and then be was only beginning to start on bis journey Go Juneau But mileage and expenses will not be the first consid' eration of the Juneau solons.
 "The question of raising enough money to operate the Territorial gov ernment win receive first attention That is the important thing The last Legislature passed laws for the col- lection of taxes. but the attorney-gen- eral of the United States ruled that this law was invalid. An act Of Con. gress has since overruled the attor- neygeneral
 "After this matter is disposed Of the legislators win feel free to discuss the proposal to split Alaska In haii. lt probably will resut in the writing of @ memorial to Congress
 lt has been proposed to divide AZ aska at ihe Aleutan Islands, givine one.hail practically all Of the quarlz mining industry and the other half the placer enterprises. lt is claimed that the coast section could be made seIcsupportIng as state and that un- der state government. many new in. dusuies. such as pulp mills and ni. trate plants, could be established.
 Under present conditions ali of the land and water power in Alaska IS held by the federal government bu- reaus. and it is exceedingly difficult to obtain eide to chem. This has been demonstrated In Che coal hand cases and in the applications for water pow er sites. Most of the water power is included in the forest reserves and can be rented only rom year to year. With the possibility that the site will be taken away at the end of each year. capital win not invest Several million dollars are needed to develop the water power to It's full capacity, and there is no possibility of getting @ return on the investment in the first year In fact, more than year would be required in construction de- yelopment on many plants. The land and water power question doubtless win be one of the chief arguments for statehood.
 "The prohibition movement is not likely to get much support In Alaska About a year ago a census of the people was taken on this proposition and. with the exception of Sitka. ev- cry settlement In Alaska voted for the retention Of saloons.
 "Tho Northern contingent Is very strongly opposed to the Sunday clos ing law in Alaska-a relic of the fed eral laws-which was invoked about two years ego. As Nome enjoys only about 100 working days in the sum
 A Food and Nerve ifte
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