The daily Nome industrial worker., 1916-07-03
WICKERSHAM'S CHARGES.

It will not do to dismiss the charge which Wickersham makes to the effect that the Guggenhcims control the Alaska transportation industry by just declaring that rne matter is po- litical move upon teh part Of the Delegate. That does not affect the case in any way.
 The important matter is that transportation is the key to the si- tuation in Alaskan development and it's control by any interest is a serious matter. Moreover, the shipping transportation is what more intimately affects the development of this section, as well Gs all that the development involves, than any other question, and. it is important as well as interesting to know il this section of the country is in the control of any one interest.
 The Industrial Worker years ago took the stand that the real key to the Alaskan situation is the water transportation. You can have rail- roads built and rebuilt over the face of the territory, but until the people or the government control the transportation to and from the outside, railroads will not help at all.
 It is obvious that the transpor- tation along the Yukon by careful management can be made cheaper if not more expeditions that by rail- road, and if the government took charge it could give interior sections of the territory better and more extensive and more satisfactory service than it can expect to do with Q railroad.
 The railroad of course means that certain amount of money is spent in Alaska and that this pay roll will be annexted bySbusiness inter- ests in the natural order of things, but even at that by far the larger portion will finally reach the coffers of the transportation agencies espe- cially the steamship companies.
 One of the boasted facts which are striking in regard to Alaska is that most striking of all and so emphasized by the various booming agencies which expect to benefit by advertisement That is the fact that year after year there is handsome balance of trade in Alaska's favor; that the exports in gold, copper, mineral fish and so forth are great CT than the imports. What becomes of that balance of trade? It doesn't test in Alaska. That's certa'nty. Alaska is short of money for roais, for schools, for this, that and the other thing. When an attempt is made to tax, the outcry is immense. Yet someone, some interests, is pro fitting millions by this condition.
  the fishing interest comes first, but it is a certainty that the transpor- tation interests do not come last by any means. It would be interesting and valuable to know out of the to- tai gold production of the Tanana how much the Northern Conner. cial or connected companies col lected. We believe the amount would be considered astonishing. Yet, Cearly enough, the Seward Peninsula is very little better of while it should be much better off The Panama has to share overland or Yukon rates with rates to the outside, and there is no such rela- ;ivc increase in price in Fairbanks or relative decrease in Nome.
 It may be true that the steamship companies are acting with great moderation and that their conten- ton that they would, by the rates which prevail along other routes, be justified in raising those to Sew ard Peninsula considerable. That may be all true enough; but in thar event isn't it just possible the real control which the steamship compa- nies possess over the situation would then be so strikingly revealed that governmental attention would be unavoidably directed to it; that the peope and the press could not help but direct attention to situation