The Alaska daily empire., 1915-05-03

ried on correspondence with three
 different departments for several
 months for the purpose of asccrtain-
 ing which one of the departments had
 power Go grant such lease on behalf
 of the government It was finally de.
 termined that none of them possessed
 such Jurisdiction
 "In the administration ol justice the
 laws confer jurisdiction on the local
 courts of the Territory and they have
 power to pass on all matters pertain.
 mg to any controversy within their
 Jurisdiction. If expert testimony is re-
 Quired it is the duty of the litigant
 whether it be the government or g pri- vate individual 10 submit such testi-
 mony to the local court, and II any par
 ty Co the litigation is dissatisfied with i the result in the local court such par
 ty has a right to appeal Co whatever appellate court the law provides for Jhe final determination of such con- CroYersies But in each instance of such appeal the. appellate court deter mines the controversy on the record sent up from the trial court
 Rules Need Not Be Followed
 "lt is not necessary that the admin istratve board adopt the technical pro cedure with reference to the admissi- bility of evidence which court of justice follows, for it may irequently occur that the liugants before 1t are financially unable or may not see lit to employ a man learned in legal pro. cedurc, but the general practice ob. timing in courts Of justice with ref erence Co the submission of all ol the evidence Go loco tribunal should be followed invariably
 Objection may be offered Co sucb a system because Of the functions Of the board would be administrative and Judicial, but the same may be said of nearly every commission that was ev- er organized Certainly the duties Of tnc interstate commerce commission are Of this dual nature Fine.spun theoretical objections may be made Co almost any commission organized Tor the administration of the law. but the serious question to be considered is, could such a tribunal render more efficient service to the people and the government than Che various divis. Ions and bureaus which now have iur sdiction oi such matters
 The encouragement of the develop nent of Alaska not only requires req 0onable. appropriate aud practicable aws. but also properly equipped e0- dent and competent tribunals by which such laws may be satisfactorily md successfully administered thiuk n who are familiar with the present | ystem Of administering tho laws gov rnine the acquisition of private own rship of natural resources in Alaska 'ill concede that it is cumbersome. dil- tory and inefficient and that the only justification for it's existence is the act that better system has never cen seriously advocated until the f resent secretary of the interior urged E he organization of resident admins -atiye board. empowered by law 10 ssume and exercise at least a DOT on of the Jurisdiction now conferred E law on various bureaus and depart E ients at the national capital E "l submit that the creation and or Z anization of such appointiye adminis- atiye board is in perfect harmony E ith the idea of local selfgovernment its powers and duties would in no ay conflict with the jurisdiction of iy tribunals created by the territor- legislature. lt seems to me that 'cretary Lanes plan is bolh- pract!c. and constructive. that it would safe lard the government against fraud Id relieve the people from endless de- a and needless and burdensome ex- nse.