Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-04-02

Postal Banks mails were rushed by
stage, guarded by men
III Alaska. armed to the teeth.
through the Indian country" of the
great plains, post offices have been
placed in almost every nook and cor
ner of all the states. and have been ex-
tended to Alaska. The rapidly growing
population in the United States proper
has demanded and received more and
more complex services from its big
postal system, and the needs of the
lusty northern territory have been lit
tie behind those of it's elder sisters
among the commonwealth. Now one
of the final steps has just been taken in
making the postal facilities Of equal
value in all territory under the Stars
savings system was extended to half a
dozen post Offices in Alaska.
This will give to the residents of the
territory for the first time the oppor-
tunities for government safeguarded
thrift that are now taken advantage of
by approximately 100000 depositors in
the United States. Aside from its gen
eral value to all classes of the commu-
mites. the openings of the postal saw
!
|lieved by officials of the Post Office
Department and the Interior Depart
ment alike. be of special value to the
Alaskan natives, who in great many
communities are just learning to take
their first steps in industry, commerce
and finance. 1t is believed that these
natives, like the European immigrants
of the states. will take more kindly
to savings system that has the pres
tige of the federal government behind
to v,~i,- oil or ha n
may allow greater interest rate.
Exactly the same regulations and ar
engagements that characterize the pos
tai savings system in the United States
proper will hold good for the Alaskan
banks in spite of the somewhat higher
commercial interest rates.
The depositors will be paid per cent
interest and the money in turn will be
deposited for 21a per cent in Local
banks that qualify to receive it. 1t is
probab BILE that just a in Porto Rico no
local institutions will care to qualify.
In that case as in the West Indian
territory the deposits Will he placed
in the nearest government depository
and will then he, constructively, in the
United States Treasury.
That the people of Alaska will make
use of the savings system is consid-
cred as good as a certainty. because OF
the interesting way in which they have
utilized the parcel post since its facll-
|
ritory several years ago. Native trap
pers were quick to grasp its advan-
tages as a means of communication
with better market than had been
afforded them in the past by local fur
trading agencies.
since the United States bureau OF
education stands practically for the
government to the Alaskan native. some
of the graduates of the government
schools began shipping their furs nv
parcel post to Seattle to William T.
Lopp, chief of the Alaskan division of
the bureau of education. For several
years. merely as a friend Of the natives
and for their accommodation, Mr.. Lopp
attended to sales in Seattle and re-
mitted the proceeds to the shippers. or
more often made purchases which they
desired and sent the goods. This serr-
ice has now been recognized to be SO
valuable to the natives that the bu-
reau of education has made it's per-
Torrance part of the division chiefs
official duties and has placed him I'M
der bond for it's discharge.
This use of one branch of the postal
service has been Of tremendous eco
nomic Importance to the trappers, some
of whom send their furs In this way
even from the arctic coast Of Alaska.
They formerly received only a dollar
or SO for furs that now bring from SIS
to $40 or eveA more in the Seattle mar
ket. Instead of being under system
of practical peonage, continually in
debt to the local traders. the trap
pers. thanks to the parcel post, are
now becoming prosperous.
Certain amateur economists. with the
worthiest of motives. but not the most
dependable of facts.
Increase of have been asserting
Acre Outputs. Americans are
steadily becoming worse and worse as
land 1ooters," and that our farms. be-
cause Of slipshod methods, are return
ing steadily decreasing crops per acre.
This was exactly the situation a gem
Grafton ago when farmers were rapidly
exploiting lands and moving farther
westward.
Now, however, it is found by Uncle
Sans own economists of the crop re-
porting bureau of the Department of
Agriculture. there is a gratifying in
crease in acre outputs all over the
country. and since it has been steadily
in progress since the early nineties the
Improvement over the old footing
days is marked The increment to the
yield from each acre has been approx
mately 1 per cent each year, the gov
ernment crop reporters find.
The findings of the crop statisticans
Indicate that the United States is over
coming the errors of its youth with en-
ergies unimpaired. for 1t now has
greater yields Of wheat per acre than
France had 100 years ago. though that
| country had then long been developed
extraordinarily. The French yields are
still increasing, but at much lower
rate than ] per cent year.
Though presenting the facts about
our increasing yields and so correcting
the false Impressions that acre yields
| are falling, the Department Of Agricul-
ture is far from being boastfu1 over the
| situation. 1t is emphasizing rather the
tremendous yields that might be had II
the productiveness of every acre were
brought up within measurable distance
even Of the yields that the best farm
ers are now obtaining. The depart
ments of boy agricultural club mem
bers promise that acre yields may
| take a still more rapid rise in the years
| in the immediate future.
With spring drawing measurably
| near the weather bureau is engaging
at number of scattered
Snowfall points in one of it's most
interesting field activities,
| survey the intensive survey of
| the accumulated snow cover of the
winter months in the high mountain
l