The weekly Alaska citizen., 1919-01-06
BEGINNING THE NEW YEAR RIGHT.

ise of great things, of great opportunities to those who are to take active part in the de- velopmtnt of this territory of Alaska. It IS the time to look the issues squarely ln the face and to take steps toward making this year the greatest in the history of the coun- try.
 We are all here living in this country. If you don't believe in it, it would be well for vour own sake as well as for the sake ot the future of the interior for you to get out and go to the place in which you do believe. Alaska is bound to develop. It has the re- sources, the possibilities, the opportunities that will attract bona fide settlers and investors, both of whom are needed to open up and de- velop the interior. But those people must be informed of the promise that this land of gold holds out for the future. There is no other country in the world about which there are so many wrong impressions and so many ignor- ant and erroneous opinions as about Alaska. And how will they know anything different unless they are informed by those who do know the truth about the territory and what can be done here. Everyone knows that it pays to advertise, whether it be business or something to buy or sell. The govern ment demonstrated beyond all question, the possibilities of advertising the need for sup port in winning the war, for the publicity cam paign carried on by the Committee on Public Information was extremely successful.
 What can be done in advertising coun try has been amply shown by the development of the Pacific coast There was time when :ne idea that the State of Washington could ever become leading apple country was scof- fed at and met with derision on every hand. But those men who believed in the proposi ton put their shoulders to the wheel and by the sheer force of their boosting their adver Using brot that section of the country to a position where, for the year 1917, actually surpassed New York state, the leading apple producing state of the Union, in the number of bushels of apples produced.
 In the same way the other states of the west coast have developed, largely thru the boosting spirit of the people who live there and believe in the future of the country
 The same course of action should be fol- lowed by Alaska We who live here must see the possibilities of the interior-we must see the good points and the advantages that come from living here and, believing in the future of the country, we must boost and boost hard for it, that 1t may have the development as rapidly as possible that it deserves. Those who sit back and knock the country, and all the time are earning the good living here that they would find it difficult to secure any where else, had better change their tactics, or else they will find themselves very unpopular and undesirable. They are spongers, and in the development that is bound to come they will find that they have no share because they bit the hand that fed them. If they really be- lieve all the things that they say about the un- desirable features of this country, why in the name of all that is sensible, do they remain here? Why don't they light out and go to that country which they like better, and which, according to their tale, is so much more a desirable place in which to live? It is hard to understand their viewpoint, and to the per son who really is interested in the future of the country, it is inconceivable.
 Alaskans must boost for Alaska, and since the interior is the big mining country, and the big agricultural country, it is up to those who live in the interior to boost for it. We must believe in it, and then convince others of the advantages that are to be found here, spreading the spirit as much as pos sble. Did you ever visit the coast country and hear those boosters tell of the wonders of their country? Every one boosts there, cnd~belicve what they say, too. Perhaps t made you little tired, because you knew that you came from country that had even greater possibilities and far greater natural beauties. But they gained results from their boosting. It paid.
 There are three organizations in this community that are working for the same end-thc development of the country. These are the Commercial Club, the Mining Con- 'gress, and the Farmers Association They are representative organizations, and should receive the support of the people of the in terior, each one the support of those especially