The Alaska citizen., 1915-04-05
WIckERSkAM AND STATEHOOD.

SoAu tii"t iS Ill ctii in the nex; congress asking for statehood for Alaska. It Is hard to believe that MT. Wickersham Is quoted correctly, for there is not school boy of any judgment in Alas ka that does not know what would be the probable result of such an act.
 The act of introducing bill ask ing for statehood for Alaska may be a harmless thing in way, but il will certainly have the tendency 10 discourage the federal government
 in appropriating funds for the de-
 velopment of the territory It is only by being territory that We can get congress 10 pay for our de
 velopment, and everybody who keeps
 in touch with political affairs knows that congress does not 30 out of it's way to aid people who do not ap- preciate such aid.
 There are about 60.0OO people in Alaska. including the Indians who are about half the entire population.
 This leaves probably 30000 white
 people do not own titles to land that can be taxed. with the exception
 of the people who live in incorpor-
 ated towns, and these are already
 taxed 10 the fullest of their capacity
 to support such towns.
 As soon as Alaska becomes
 state. the law will prevent congress
 from supporting our local govern
 ment. There will be no more money
 sent here for schools, no more for
 local courts. no money to support
 the legislature, no money for keep
 ing up trails and roads, no more money from the federal government
 for the care of our insane and our indigent charges. no money for run
 ming down ordinary fugitives from justice. no money to pay the gover-
 nor and other local officials, and, in short. there will be nothing doing" when 1t comes to federal expendi- ! ture. with the exception of main-
 taining probably one court. which will handle only such cases as in- volve federal laws
 Just at present there Is 50 much
 that Alaska has to ask for from ! congress that 1t is not quite clear why Delegate Wickersham should
 weaken his own influence in con eress and discourage the national
 government from further aiding us
 by asking for such an impossible thing as statehood. where there are not enough sources of revenue i, 1 the whole of Alaska to support {, modest city government.
 , One of the chief concerns of the present session of the legislatu. was to figure out how the revenues can be increased in order to give tie legislature money for carrying out it's various projects. It was first decided to ask for the revenues , from the forest reserves for building roads and trails, but as much of this money already goes to the ter. ritory, it seems tha, the plan was abandoned
 Since then bills have been intro duced for taxing people in order
 support the limited government We
 have now. The poll tax is to be enforced it seems from presen, in dications. and every kind of property that can be taxed will be force
 pay for the support Of our present legislature.
 When it Is remembered that con- gross already pays for all the neces. sary expenses of the territory. it is hard to understand how the people will appreciate this proposed heavy taxation. Certainly the average tax. payer, or even the man who must pay poll taxes and may be required
 to pay increased poll taxes In order to support the plans of our law makers. will not look kindly upon any suggestion that tends to increase
 his burdens.
 Delegate W!ckersham and the Ju-
 neau officials who are suggesting statehood should center their ener- gies in an effort to aid the people of the territory rather than to sug- gest placing on them increased bur.
 dens. and at the same time making
 congress believe that 1t made
 mistake when 1t appropriated 335.-
 100000 for building . road to develop this territory.
 If this IS an attempt on the part of MT. Wickersham to play to the galleries" and temporarily please a
 few cheap politicians in Juneau who
 want chance to spend public funds
 which arc not controlled by the fed.
 eral government. 1t will certainly
 do him no permanent good. He was
 elected because the people thought
 he was a conservative man of good
 political judgment. and he should en-
 deavor to maintain that confidence
 of the public