The Alaska daily empire., 1919-05-31
Territorial Division
(Ketchikan Times)

Each time the Legislature meets, thing is clearly and more clearly demonstrated that the Ter rory of Alaska ought to be divided. The panhandle of Alaska should be one Territory and the great mainland the other.
 interior and Seward Peninsula have little in com mon except that they are all pioneers trying to de velop a country of wonderful wealth. And in the tardy development of that country, Southeastern Alaska is paying the bill
 There can be no question that the people who have spent and spending their lives in building up the great Interior country entitled to assis- tance in building roads and trails and in Keeping up their schools. Southeastern Alaska will agree with them that but it will not assent to the doc trine laid down by the first four Legislatures that the panhandle must pay the bills. The proper place for the great mainland to aid is from the Ma tiona Government if it can not raise sufficient reve- nues of its own and not from Southeastern Alaska
 There is natural geographical division of the sections In the matter of industry there is nothing in common, except portion of the Third Division that binds except that forged by Congress- and which could be broken by the same body
 Talking of self determination of peoples, let the Government give the people of Southeastern Alaska an opportunity say whether they wish to work out their destiny separate Territory from the of the Northand and what they will do. They will be almost unanimous in favor of the split
 the Federal Government give Southeastern Alaska it's freedom from the financial burden of the whole Territory and it will never need cent from other Improvement It's financial condition will be better than that of State in the Union And the Alaska has paid the lions share of the Territorial government expense for years. Neither can it be denied that the burden is shifting more and more to the Southeast.
 Another why there should be a separation is that Southeastern Alaska should have Delegate of it's in the National Congress, who his position only to the people of the panhandle. As affairs stand, Delegate to Congress does well if he secures favorable action two important in any session. With the many important matters that should be got through for all sections, it is embarrassing to the representative to make choice to whether he shall devote his greatest energies to one project or another, knowing them to be of equal importance, from the standpoint of the constituents interested.
 Even the mainland of Alaska could have just reason to oppose the separation of the Territory. The only excuse they could have is that they would want Southeastern Alaska to continue to foot the bills, while they send legislators to Juneau to dole out the funds to their hearts content
 Let constructive, progressive program be formu- lated in Southeastern Alaska. Let convention be held at Ketchikan Juneau elsewhere with rep resentatives from all sections of Southeastern Alaska Let the duly elected Senators and Representatives of the Division be there with delegates also from the civic, financial business and labor interests Let them then memoriaze Congress to provide for the separation. Let representative delegation be to Washington by that convention to work for the desired end. Let them put forth in a straght-for- ward manner, without coloring the facts. No other argument will be needed.