The Alaska daily empire., 1916-01-01

:, If one is convinced that Alaska has no farming possibilities. the apology becomes merely an explanation. In 1895 there were 40 Russians in Alaska: in 1920. 39l. and there were also at this time I44 Creoles. In 1862 there were 557 Russians, 1892 Crco!es and six "forcigncrs." '" Let II be noted also. that prior to the cesSion in 1867. Alaska was the property of the Russians and not iand of promise to anyone else. In 1862 nearly all Of the Rus sians and many of the CreolrS and Aleuts, often to the number of sever al hundred. were employees O! the Russian American company, engaged chiefly in the business of trapping and hunting. or occupations incident thereto.
 In the year 1867 over one thou sand employees and pensioners of the company were gathered at Sitka, pursuant to arrangement for the ces- sion Of the territory to the United States. and were receiving from the Russian American Co.,. salaries and pensions of from s4O.OOO to $50,0OO per month.
 Of the 800 residents of Sitka, at this time. there were but twenty in dividuais holding fee simple title 10 lands occupied or claimed by them. Most of the areas claimed were town lots or small areas. some having what was termed kitchen gardens. Other holdings were those of mere possession. except those of the church and the buildings of the company. The organization of the company had the aspect of an i'm mense business concern, whose op. erations were limited only by the limits of the territory, whereof the retainers.
 The early efforts of the Russians. at colonization, consisted in the es- tablishment of stations or forts for ipOoCS- oldllOlS, prior to 1799, were established by many different merchant traders and companies operating out of Osh. kosh. The severe competition, hap hazard methods of the several com panies, the necessity of the preserva- ton of the trade from total dcstruc- ton. the extraordinary ability and | shrewdness of Shelikof and of his manager Baranoff. together with the benign colonial plan of the Rus. sian empress, Catherine IT,. and Elm. peror Paul, all operated to produce the Russian American Company the octopus of the fur trading business of Russia.
 In return for the profits. and to establish a Russian dominion, the nobility of Russia, largely interested in the company. conceived a design of colonization of the new posses sions, which contemplated not only the christening of the Natives. but the development of the agricultural resources of the country. This pur. pose came of the shrcwd efforts of Shelikof, a merchant fur trader. who seemed to be convinced that he would never secure the subsidies necessary for the operation Of one large company, and the necessary privileges later accorded 1t. except by an assurance given by the com pany that the natives would be kind ly treated. educated and taught the principles of the Christian religion In return for It's exclusive trade privileges in Alaskc, the Company by It's charter granted In 1799. was obligated to secure to the future in habitants of the country, as we'll a: the untutored savage, peace, indus try, observance of the law. ,educa ton. churches. religion. towns. VII lages commerce., and knowledge and practice of agriculture. =. . Il We find, therefore, ample in
 functions by imperial ukase designed to uplit. most nobly, the Alaskan native and wo find instructions o Sheiikoi which, If they. were made in good faith. would show. him to bt a benign father of the Alaskan na lives. But there are those, impung ing the motives Of Shclikoi, who urge that his direction that the vii laee of St. Paul. or Kodiak, should have schools. churches. libraries