The Alaska daily empire., 1917-03-12

the Board of Trustees Of tho Homo, to- gothor with the report of the super intcndcnt, will be transmitted to you in due course.
 lishcd the Second Legislature passed n law "To provide allowances for certain ages residents Of Alaska, and Tor other purposes" the maximum allowance be- Ing $l260 per month. Tho number or persons receiving allowances on January li Inst was 109. This law should be amended ln several particulars so nS 10 eliminate, 1B far as possible, the oc- curTencc of fraud, which, at all times in the pension history Of the United
 States has been more or less prevail ent An amendment that may be sug. gcstcd is the requiring or medical examination by qualified physician, SO as to determine the degree of physl- allowance, and more complete ycrili- cation Of tho statements made by the applicant Tho board which pasSes up- on the applications for allowances has found that there is belief current that when a person hns reached the age of co years and, having attained the residence i'm tho Territory required by law, is entitled Co an allowance, no matter what his physical or financial circumstances may be. The fact that these allowances have increased mater lally during the past two years should serve as a guide to future Legislation of this kind. and emphasizes tho im- portancc of adequate safeguards which. while permitting the worthy to secure allowances will prevent the granting of allowances to those who are not fairly entitled to them.
 Territorial Revenues
 Chapter 7G. entitled An Act to cs- tablish q system of taxation to create | NAV lNn nlI ton thereof. for the Territory of Alas; ka. and for other purposes" approved | April %, 1915, has been the subject or ! litigation and stlll ls, for that matter. | Payment of taxes levied under this act and also the revenue act approved May II. 1913, was refused by certain salmon carnery corporations and also by cer- | tain mining companies, and an agree mcnt was entered into by the Tcrritor- lal Counsel. with the approval or the | Governor, 10 submit test cases for ad- | Indication by the courts, in which the Territory was Succcssfcl, the Circult Court for the ninth circuit, having at- | nrmcd the decisions of the lower court. A writ of ccrtiorari asked for by the appellants was denied by the supreme Court of tho United states In January last, but action on writ or error. sued out in the Circuit court is now Court I am advised by the Attorney | General for the Territory that, in his opinion. the writ of error will be dc- nicd. and the right Of the Territory | to lay the taxes specified in the above law will be finally established. Notwithstanding the litigation that has ougucd the Territory hns received | a substantial amount of taxes from various sources, and the present reYe- nuc laws when actually in full opera tion, will, in my opinion, produce an amount of revenue sufficient for all reasonable needs Of the Territory Tor the next two years. The receipts oi inc Territorial TrCasurcr's office. from all sources. from January l. 1915. to December 3l. 1916, were $347,l43.1O The disbursements during the same period
 were $2O3, ,2D2.97. Tho balance or cash on hand on December 3l, 1914, was hand January 1, 1917, was S2lI'O2b.Jb. The report of the Territorial Treasurer, showing in detail the transactions or | tho department will be submitted 10 won. may be permitted to express my satisfaction with the financial con ditlon of the Territory, notwithstond- ing the delay in payment or taxes whlGh l ] have referred to above Tho eNpchul- . lures have, In all cases been kgpS ,i well within the appropriations, and the strictcst economy, consistent with eIilc- leuCy, and the needs Of the Territory has been exercised. and in some Of the funds, substantial balances will be not
 The Mining Industry Alaska keeps well up in the front rank of mineral producing countries and while the gold output has remain cd practically stationary during the past two years. a tremendous impetus has
 been given to copper production que 10 the great. demand for this metal caused by the European war. Ihc com plotion Of the government rallroau to the interior should greatly stimulate
 mining operations, both lode and plac- or, especially in the interior Of Alaska and in the region tributary 10 the rall- road. ,,-.,., ,.,. Or of mines for the years 1915 and l9lb will be laid before you.
 Farming In Alaska
 The Territory Is making progress
 tho past two years. many homestead
 entries have been made, especially m inc Cook Inlet region. Every en-
 cOuragcmcnt should be given 10 thoSc
 who are seeking lands in Alaska for
 ncricultural and stock raising purpOs-
 "s We have land suitable for farming i'm abundanCc and stock raising offers excellent opportunities; and, 1T the Ter
 ritOrial revenue will permit, believe
 that an appropriation should be mace by the legislators to furnish accurate
 Information to intending settlers. The
 Federal government furnished free ln- formation of various kinds concerning
 the resources Ot Alaska, but this work could Dc well Supple"tHt'u Dg NI'
 Territory in a more concrete and prac-
 ticrI manner, perhaps than by tho
 Fedora! government. Alaska needs pub- Iiciiy of the right kind in order to
 induce the right sort of immigration.
 Tho more people that can be Induced to
 come to Alaska and attach themselves
 pcrnnnontlv to the soil. engage In fish
 ing and other occupations, the greater
 vii be the growth, development and
 permanent prosperity of the Territory ; ,,,,I T ,s,1h,,,it that the I.cEislatuTc could dn splendid work. 1T finances will
 permit. in cooperating with the Fcdcr- aI government in giving the right kind
 of publicity Co Alaska and the oppor-
 vcgtmont of both labor and capital.
 There arc other matters which l