The Alaska daily empire., 1916-12-16
Congress Is Asked to Grant More Power to Legislative Body
 of Territory.
PEOPLE KNOW RIGHTS
Formation of Militia in Alaska is One of
 Points Made
 by Governor.

In his annual report 10 the Secre. tary of the Interior Gov J. r. A.
 Strong discusses the Alaska Legisla
 ture, Alaska Pioneers Home, mail service and several other interest
 ing subjects. Several emphatic boosts
 for Juneau are given. In commenting
 on the Territorial Legislature, Gov
 Strong says the Alaska Legislature
 was created by an act of Congress
 approved August n. 1912. and the
 first session was held in March,
 1913. The Legislature meets bien-
 nially and the next session will con
 yene on the first Monday in March.
 1917. The legislature is vested with
 limited power. In fact, the limita-
 uons are such as to make its legis-
 lative powers partake more of shad- ow than of substance. While Con- gress extended 10 the legislature [ the authority to alter. amend, mod fly. and repeal laws in force in AL l aska," such authority naturally does 1 not extend to the customs. internal ! revenue. the primary disposition of ! the soil, postal. or other general 1 laws of the United States; but such | purely local or Territorial matters ! as the game and fish, and laws re- { lating to fur-bearing animals of the United States, applicable to Alaska. or to the laws of the United States for taxes on business and trade. or 10 the establishment and of schools. are under tue exclusive control of Congress. Further. the Territory is prohibited from creating any bonded indebted ness, and so are the municipalities: the Territory may not levy for Ter ritorial purposes a tax in excess of 1 per cent in any one year, upon the assessed valuation of the prop erty therein. Municipalities are linn tied to per cent. per annum. The above are some of the limitations that should be removed and the powers Of the Legislature extended SO as 10 provide Alaska with the ,ull form of Territorial government" which was granted 10 every Terri .ory by Congress, Alaska excepted. In his message to Congress. in De- ,ember, 1913, President Wilson rec that the full form of Ter ritorial government be so extended, but no affirmative action in this respect has been taken. although bills with that object in view have I been introduced in Congress.
 An enlargement of the powers of { he Legislature should be welcomed )y Congress. If the Alaska Legisla-
 ure were permitted to legi5late up- )n all matters bearing an intimate 'elation to the Territory and, there Ore, not general. Congress would be 'elieved from legislation covering matters of purely local concern. It 8 to be presumed, therefore, that
 he legislation thus enacted would )e better adapted to the immediate reeds of the Territory. If Alaska s to receive the full measure of and growth to which it is airly entitled by reason of it's com handing pre-eminence in the matter ,f great natural resources, a liberal extension of local self-goyernment is imperative. As at present consti- uted, Congress and the Territorial egislature can not cooperate in a manner, and conflict at ( ines will be inevitable. It is not .sked that Congress waive it's right U O control those subjects of legisla- E ion that are national. and not local q n their scope, and arguments should | lot be necessary in support of the = 'erritory's right to control all its ocal affairs. If the full form of 2 Territorial government were accord / d to Alaska, no doubt the legisla- ure would make mistakes; this is O be expected of any legislative ,ody, but the mistakes would be hose of the direct representatives
 f the people of Alaska. end those would be remedied in time.
 This statement is made in the full
 elief that the people of Alaska may
 e fully trusted with the government
 f themselves. It is hoped and ex-
 ected that Alaska will one day be- ome State, or perhaps several itates may be carved out of the territory as at present constituted. ,ut in my opinion the time for State
 T [