El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-04-01

JUNEAU. Alaska, April shall the
tail wag the dog? This is one Of
the questions that is agitating
Alaska.
The dog is the main body Of the
country. It has more than nine-tenths
of the territory and potentially it is a
world Of the future. It embraces all
the land west OF the long line OF the
International boundary. that runs north
and south between US ana BRUSH
Columbia. coming almost to the Pacific
ocean. where the Malaspina glacier
slopes off from Mount St Elias into the
sea.
The tail is southeastern Alaska, COM
prising the strip of coast and the Alex
ander archipelago lying south and east
of the boundary extension. This sec
ton contains much less than one-tenan
Of the land, but, just now IL has the
most people, and its industries are pro
ducinR more money than any other
part OF Alaska OF quadruple its size.
Southeastern Alaska may be said to
begin at the Malaspina gracier, or
Mount St Elias. and it runs TO the
southeast from there along the coast
to Dixon entrance and the Portland
canal. 10 includes a strip of coast line
which is 30 or more miles in width.
and is three or four hundred miles
long 1t has I'm addition about one
thousand islands, a number OF which
are Of considerable extent These Is
lands border the coast They are sepa-
rated by narrow channels and they run
for a distance OF 100 miles or more
out into the Pacific.
FOur Times Large rs Massachusetts
The proposed territory Is All tolu
about four time the size OF Massa-
chusetts. or three times as big as YER
mont or New Hampshire. It would
make six or seven Connecticuts, or a
couple Of Switzerlands, and leave some
10 snare. Nevertheless, il compares in,
size TO the rest OF Alaska as a postage
stamp does TO a bank note. and as far
as area is concerned Il would seem that
the dog could not help but wag the
tail.
The matter has come UP in connec
tlon with the apportionment Of the
taxes and revenues Of Alaska. The
most OF the revenues are derived from
this section Of the country and the
larger part are from the forests.
Southeastern Alaska is heavily wooded,
Uncle Sam charges a dollar thousand
as stumpage for all the timber that IS
cut on the government reserves, and
the receipts are supposed TO go back to
the people for the making Of roads.
Such revenues from southeastern
Alaska last year were about $4,000,
but the legislature, a majority of which
comes from the body of the territory,
has so divided the money that three
fourths OF il goes to road work which
is outside this region. and the people
object Indeed, the feeling is so In
tense that n party has arisen which adj
vocates that southeastern Alaska break
away from the main body Of the terri
tory and become a territory Of It's own
II demands that Il be a separate politi-
cal entity. A committee OF six has been
appointed 20 investigate the subject
and Il will probably be brought UP be-
fore congress this session.
Eventually VIII BE Separate.
There are many reason why south
eastern Alaska will eventually be
separate territory. In size IL com
pares favorabfy with Indiana or South
Carolina. ] have already shown that
its is larger than some very important
states OF the Union. It is cut off geo
graphically from the rest Of Alaska;
and e has interests which are different
from those OF any other part of the
territory. II has its own climate. and
in comparison with the country north
% the Yukon river II might be called
tropic or temperate Alaska.
The japanese current, the gulf
stream OF the Pacific, sweeps through
IL and forms great hot-water plant
that holds Jack Frost in check and sell
dom allows him 10 approach zero. even
in the midst OF winter. The coolest
weather OF the region is as mild as
that Of many Of our states south OF the
Mason and DiXon's line. Juneau, where
] am writing. has Januarys warmer
than those Of St Louis, and the climate
Of Ketchikan is like that OF Seattle.
Summers are Pleasant.
Throughout the whole region the
summers are pleasant and the rainfall
IS so heavy that the land is green all
the year round. Indeed, there are but
few signs Of winter except the snow
on the mountains The slopes Of the
hills near the water are so warm that
the snow melts as Il falls and the sled
ding OF the children is due TO the
heavy frosts which cover the board
walks Of the town, and not TO the
snow.