The Alaska daily empire., 1918-06-26
Amendment Alaska Road Appropriation Finds Fa- vor with Former
 Head of Work.
IS VERY IMPORTANT
AIaska's General Says Amendment Most Im- portant Thing for Alas
 ka in Long Time.


 most sincerely on securing passage of estimate by House on appropria tion for Alaska Military and Post Roads and in getting amendment au thorizing future estimates. This last is most important thing for Alaska could be increased in Senate il would be great benefit to work al ready constructed and now in pro gress"
 So wired Brigadier General WildF P. Richardson from his post at CamI Beuregard, Louisiana, to Hon. Chas A. Sulzer, Delegate from Alaska when he learned that the House of Representatives had passed the Mill tary Appropriation Bill, carrying with it $100,000 for Alaska roads and trails, and including an amend ment introduced by Delegate Sulzer providing that the Secretary of Wal be authorized to make estimates fol the work to be carried on by the I Alaska Road Commission By adop ! l1OH LII lulS IL Nitl pN impossible in the future for any mem Der of Congress to have the item for road building thrown out on 8 point of order, as was done several times in former years.
 Obstacle To Road Appropriation
 From the organization of the Alas ka Road Commission up to the pres ent time, the Secretaries of War year after year, at the earnest soli citation of Brigadier General Wilds P. Richardson, made estimates foI road work in Alaska and asked Con gross to appropriate sums varying from $1OO,O00 to $500,000 This was done notwithstanding the fact that there was no Congressional authori zation for such appropriations. Each fear of having the item stricken from the Military bill on a point of order, and several times this was done, but, fortunately, always was restored later by the Senate. lr view of this circumstance and the fear that the appropriations would not be made, the Alaska Road Com mission at all times was handicapped to the extent that it could not plan ahead, even though it had the ap proval of the War Department, could not contract for supplies or antici pate any funds until the appropra tion was actually made.
 For years the Road Commission wanted Congress to make provision to authorize these estimates but was unable to secure the desired result until Delegate Sulzer succeeded in getting through the amendment, on the floor of the House. and in the face of some opposition which, at times, threatened to be serious or positively fatal.
 Department Shuts Down
 In 1917 the War Department asked for an appropriation of $50O,O0O fol building roads and trails and fo1 maintaining those already construct ed in Alaska When the matter came before the House in the Milf tary Appropriation Bill the road ap propriation was stricken out. on 8 point of order After an uphill cam paign among his Senatorial friends MT. Sulzer succeeded in having the item restored in the Senate and the money ultimately became available, But, the point of order had it's ser ous effect, for the Secretary of War served notice on the President .of the Road Commission that he would refuse, in the future, to make any except to ask for such funds a. might be necessary to maintain the existing roads and trails.
 The present Secretary of War was greatly discouraged by the contin ued opposition to the Road Com mission appropriation and had reach ed a point where he was almost ready to disapprove the continuance of any work along this line by the Department.
 In making his estimate for the ifs cal year 1919, Secretary Baker asked for only s10O.O0O for maintenance. an amount entirely inadequate tc carry on the work which the Alas ka Road Commission hoped to carry on, and virtually prohibiting the un dertaking of any new work.
 The amendment which Mir Sulzer introduced and which the House adopted reads:
 Provided: That hereafter, so long as the construction and maintenance of military roads and post roads in Alaska, and of other roads. bridg es, and trails in that Territory shall remain under the direction of the Secretary of War. he be authorized to submit such estimates for the consideration of Congress as are. in his judgment. necessary for a proper prosecution of the work"
 In appearance the amendment does not seem of such great i'm portance. yet 1t means a very great