The Alaska daily empire., 1915-07-08

school at Sltka, contains the memor- inl Day speech of Representative Ar thur e Shoip. in which he declared for the. separation of Southeasiern Al sska irom the remainder Of the Terri tory. Incidentally he against declar. ed. as be did at Juneau during the Legislative session, that Alaska has not the sanie full Territorial form Of government" that other American Territories had, and he fayors the es- tablishment of such a form rom the Firsr Division.
 That part Of Representative shoup'a speech referring to local matters, aa set forth in the Verstoyian. follows;
 "But this doy Is not set apart in celebration of war but of peace, and it seems to me that we can pay a much more fitting tribute to our her oic and patriotic dead by giving our attention to domestic matters-mat- ters in which the principles of our own government are concerned. We have local problems here in Alaska in which is vilally enyolved the fu' ture of this great virgin empire prob Iems which very soon win demand the attention and decision of every citi' zen of Southeastern Alaska wish the native portion of this audience to understand that they are included. The way has been opened for you na- tives to take your part in public af- fairs of this country as rapidly as you can qualify.
 Notwithstanding everything that has been said to dispute it. tn elimit ations against self-government in Al. aska are more numerous than have ever been found in the organic act of any other American Territory
 Southeastern Alaska is composed of some fifty thousand square miles Of wonderfully favored country. TO the stranger who enters this scenic wonder Of the world for the first time the beauties Of nature unfold iu a panorama of unrivalled splendor- Fas cInation for the country grows upon people who live here.
 "Wheu one Dauses to consider the marvellous bounties which nature has heaped upon this region he naturally feels that he is especially favored by the privilege of living here He sees no poverty in mass; ee sees no poverty in mass; ho sees no con gestion and greedy strife-but every where rich land. occupied by a hlgh-minded bighearted and demo cratic people; a land supplied with natural arteries of commerce such as can be found nowhere else on earth; land in winch the potential resour ces are SO abundant that no mind can fully realize their magnitude He understands vaguely that our present mineral industries. which challenge the attention of the world are but an incomplete index to those which are yet uncovered. In fancy, he sees our untouched water powers convert ing the great forests into paper and lumber and other products. working the many vegetable and mineral re- sources Of the sea into the useful commodities which science tells us they are subject Co and reducing to state of usefulness our iron and copper and other riches of the earth The resident Of tbis country knows that # the many varieties of spleu did fishes in these waters have prop CT protection they win furnish great measures of food to many generations yet unborn. He knows that this country is vast repository and a storehouse of untold wealth. waiting to pour forth It's treasures to free and Independent people
 What is the situation in this Di vision todayg The interests of all of Southeastern Alaska are identical and we are permanently settled. An astonishingly large percentage of the taxable property of the Territory is found within lts borders Approxi- mately fifty per cent of all public funds collected in Alaska during the year 1914 came from this Division.
 It is almost entirely foreign to the rest of Alaska in climate. resources and needs. It is isolated by vast na- tural barriers. It has none of the characteristics which are usually as- sociated with Alaska It and It's peo- pie are regarded by the other parts of Alaska with Jealousy and suspic- ion. It is precluded by it's very vir- tues from any hope Of ever obtaining direct representation In Congress SO long as present conditions exist
 Ladies and Gentlemen: If South eastern Alaska is granted the separ. ate autonomy to which it is rightfully entitled. we win be able to maintain an American Territory with all the rights and privileges to which the people of this nation are accustomed. We will be able to do this cheaper than we can pay our pro rata of op- erating the present unwieldy Terri tory. ander an imperfect and unsatis- factory law. We win be able to de- velop a sovereignty that will soon be welcomed to the American Sister hood of States
 Tn the meantime, we must make the use we can og such instruments