The Chitina leader., 1915-11-09
DELEGATES MAPS
OUT WINTERS
WORK

leave on the Admiral Evans for Val
DEE and Seward, before returning to
Washington to attend the opening of
Congress Monday, December 6.
Federal Building for cordova.
The bill which Congress passed ap-
propriating 100000 for a federal
build at Cordova, was introduced by
the Delegate and he has promised to
make every effort to have all objec-
tions removed that early construction
will be started. He will also endeavor
to get money appropriated for public
buildings at Fairbanks, Juneau and
one or two other towns in Alaska.
Additional Power For Legislature
Mr. Wickersham will work to give
to the Alaska legislature additional
powers, particularly in reference to
the fish and the game. There were a
few limitations in the Home Rule bill
as it passed the Congress of the United
States that were not in the original
bill. They were offered as amend
ments and they had to be accepted by
the delegae or the bill would have
been defeated entirely. 1t is to remove
these amendments that he is going to
work to grant to the Alaska legislature
the power to fully protect the game
and the fish of the territory. He will
use his every effort to restore to the
bill those original provisions which
had to be sacrificed.
Harbor At Nome.
The construction of suitable har-
Dor at Nome is considered by Dele
gate Wickersham to be one of the
utmost importance, as there is much
loss of life and property there annual
ly. At the last session of Congress he
got the money necessary to survey the
harbor at Nome and the Wrangell
straits. The money came out of the
Rivers and Harbors appropriation. A
report will be rendered by the sur
veyors and if these reports are favor.
able the delegate will fight to have
money necessary for the carrying out
of these two necessities appropriated.
Land Law Amendment.
According to his statement Dele.
gate Wickersham will seek to have
Congress enact law that will permit
men who have used their homestead
privileges in the states to have q
second right in Alaska, that is, if a
man has staked 100 acres of land in
the states, to allow him to stake an
other $50 in Alaska, or at least to
make up the difference between the
number of acres he filed on in the
states, and 800 acres, which, under the
id"s ue Is cutititu W HOHleStedu Ill
Alaska.
Statehood for Alaska.
A bill will be introduced in Con.
gress by the Delegate granting state
hood for Alaska. OF course a consti
tutional convention would be neces
cary Coporaec would hova 70 oppro
pirate the money to hold such an cleo.
| ton, and the money to take the duly
elected delegates to the scene of the
of the convention would also have to
be appropriated by the Congress of
the United States.
Local Development Board.
The Cordeva Chamber of Commerce
and other commercial bodies of Alas,
ka have endorsed Secretary of Interior
Lanes plan of a Development Board
for Alaska and Mr.. Wickersham will
be supporter of this measure
In addition to the governor of Alas.
ka and the territorial secretary there
would be five members of the board
three of whom would be bona fide
residents of the territory of Alaska
A great deal of waste, great deal OF
time, great deal of money, a great
deal of unpleasantness would be
avoided, and, above all, greater .un
Outstanding and closer knowledge OF
the needs of the country would result
if this bill were passed.
Although Secretary of the Interior
Lane is heartily in favor of the pas
sage of the bill, there are many who
oppose it. and who will oppose it tc
the bitter end. These are the forest
service men, and the men whose de
partments or business would have nc
more say about the affairs of Alaska
Money for, Trails and Railroad.
The Delegate will cooperate with
Secretary Lane to get as large an ap
preparations as he feels that is need
ed for the construction Of government
roilrnodc IN AIocko oo ho doairoc m