The weekly Alaska citizen., 1919-02-03
SENATOR JONES SUPPORTS AIR MAIL SERVICE FOR ALASKA: IS
 MEETING GREAT OPPOSITION
(The Associated Press)


 WASHINGTON, Feb 1-Senator Wesley L. Jones' of Washington opened discussion Alaskan affairs the senate this morning in which he spoke of several mat ters ot importance to that territory Chief among his ideas tor the bettement of the condition of the people the far north the betterent of the mail sevce which he stated deplorabe condition This present inadeQuacy of communication with the Outside world chiefly respon sbe for causing the depression of travel that country and was great hdrance to settlers of the nation taking parcels ot the productive land of Alaska The decline of population among the whes he declared caused chief by their being isolated from the of the world their only of keeping in touch with the progress of the times was in receiving information thru the medium of the press, which of ancient date by the time reached them.
 SENATOR THOMAS IDEA DIFFERS
 Senator Charles S. Thomas, of Colorado interrupted the speaker long enough that he did not consider the mail the chief factor in preventing people from settling in the north but that the governments restrictive policy re- gardng mining mad considerable to do with it. Without liberal mining policy the people could be expected to make their homes in the north mining the backbone of Alas ka.
 PREDICTS GREAT FUTURE
 Continuing in his address Senator Jones predicted that great improvement would be noted that northern country when tEe pec who attracted to the states by the promise of better conditions would return to their homes n Alaska. general revival of industrial conditions would be noted many would be induced o set tie and acquire of the millions of acres of land that was open to settlement marked improvement in the in dustr1al condition of the north would also be noted
 ADVOCATES USE OF AIRPI.ANES
 Passing on from the industrial and agricultural phases ot hs remarks the senator gave staun support pro- posed appropriation for aerial mail service to the nort that seapanes be used in those portions of Southeastern Alaska which traversed by waterways and aipanes for service the interior The Alaskan mail service of the vital considerations for the settle ment of the country, he stated
 UTAH SENATOR OBJECTS
 William H. King, senator from Utah and William F Kirby senator from Arkansas both objected to the proposed aerial mail service for Alaska stating that tthe maintenance ot such system would be too costly considering the num- Der of white people living in the districts of the north In support of their both statements ot Governor Riggs which placed the total white population ot Alaska at about twenty-five thousand having dwnded to that number from sixty thousand.
 NAH. CAUSED DECREASE
 In answering the arguments of both senators Senator Jones stated that if the truth known poor mail Ser vice would be found to be the main of the whites leaving country with which they had become enamored and not special desire be located somewhere else H characteristic of the white to have comforts and they could not te had in the places of their adoption they would go where they obtainable.
 The to inc