The daily Alaska citizen., 1919-03-18

It is not an idle boast, uttered in spirit of bravado. It is slogan adopted by the territory, based upon sound facts and figures. Alaska is one of the greatest and richest lands in the world. The statement has been made many times that Alaska is the richest land that is yet to be developed. We take exception to that statement, for it is one of the richest lands ever known, and it is only because of ignorance that its vast resources have been left undeveloped.
 Alaska's hills and valleys are full of min eral bearing ores; its coal fields are among the most extensive known; its agricultural lands compare favorably with any in the United States its fisheries are source of en- ormous wealth; and the vast and rapid grow ing forests of the southern part of the ter ritosy arc ready remedy for the increasing shortage of paper pulp.
 If Colorado and California, the leading gold states; Nevada and Montana, the lead ing silver states; Arizona, Montana, and Michigan, which produce the most copper, should all combine and say that they could pay tne Nations war debt, no one would doubt t''':r ability to do so In fact if any one of these states should make the statement, it would not be beyond belief And yet the known resuorces of Alaska compare favor ably with the total mineral resources of these states, while the indications of the minerals that have not been actually discovered give promise of wealth that will far surpass that of these states
 The coal fields of the Appalachian sys- tenn are less in magnitude than the vast coal and ignite fields of Alaska, yet everyone knows what a source of wealth are the coal mines of Pennsylvania, Alabama, West Vir- gi12ia ard the other states in this mountain region.
 The agricultural possibilities of Alaska are unlimited. It is estimated that there are enc hundred thousand square miles of land in the territory that are suitable for this pur- pose. This is all area equal to the combined area of the states of New York, Maryland Delaware, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Ver- mont and New Hampshire, yet no one would treat the standing of agriculture in these states lightly. The farms of Alaska will make tlic territory self-supporting, and will thus free money for the development of its other resources that will help pay the war debt.
 The fisheries of Alaska are second to nore in their output and in the wealth derived from this source And this is in spite of the fact that they are hampered in their de- velopment by the lack of safeguards for navi- gation in the treacherous waters of the coast. They alone could pay the war debt without undue strain.
 The vast timbered districts of tine states have been an enormous source of wealth. Yet Alaska is not slighted in this respect. There are vast forests in the southern portions of the territory that will furnish great amounts of paper pulp, an assurance against the shortage of pulp that has existed the last few years.
 If the districts in which these resources are found in the states should make the state inent that they could pay the Nations war debt, they would command belief. Yet Alas ka has not just one of them, it has them all in 2 ,.uch higher degree, promising much great CT wealth, simply waiting for development Is i: my wonder then, that Alaska claims that she can pay the Nations war debt!
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