The Alaska daily empire., 1919-12-23
GOV, RIGGS URGES
 AID FOR ALASKA FARMERS

Many parts of Alaska contain land on which farming can be success fully followed, provided markets can be procured for the products. In the Panama aVlley farming has long since passed the experimental stage. In the Matanuska Valley splendid results, particularly with vegetables, have been obtained In Southeast ern Alaska vegetables and the small berries are grown Particularly near Fairbanks does one find we'll laid-out and productive farms. There are 93 homesteads in the dis trict, totalling 22,613 acres. For the year 1918 market for prac- tically all products was found in the vicinity, but with a diminishing population and increased acreage the farmers may be faced with the marketing problem. A small flour mill has been bought for the De- partmcnt of Agricultures cxpcri- | mcnt farm. and many of the farm ITS are availing themselves of tho opportunity of grinding flour from their own wheat. In a few years he Fairbanks district will be en- lbled to furnish wheat for the en- 1 tire Yukon Valley.
 The farmers, however, need assis- tance They need money on long, ! time loans with which to purchase equipment and to clear land. Some i form of the farm-loau act should be fn n i Alaska. should like to suggest | the Department of Agriculture | hat leoisl..ion be procured to en' l hie them to distribute beef and 1 milch stock to the farmers on long. time payments.
 There will always be d great de- mand for beef in the Territory, and perhaps the department could use their experimental farms as distri- outing centers and keep thereon bulls of the best breeds for the pur- pose desired. The technically ana practically trained officials of the States Relations Service in Alaska tell me that there is no better way to make farming profitable. Near ly all the homesteaders have start ed in with practically no money for investment, and so can not stand 1 the initial expense. There can be 1 little possibility of loss to the Gov ernment as the heads of the experi- mental farms can be designated custodians of the cattle until pay ment in cash or in kind has been made. Prosperous farmers do more toward stabilizing social conditions than any other class and should be encouraged to the utmost of our ability.
 i Markets should be found for those localities where mining population has not created local demand. l speak now more particularly of the anska Valley coal fields have been anuska Valley coal fields have been
 opened up to the employment of many miners, the farmers, unless supplied with cattle as suggested. will not be able to sell their pro- duct. In fact, many have already
 become discouraged and moved away. IT suggest that the Alaskan Ep
 gineering Commission grant such
 rates on the Government railroad
 as will allow them to ship produce
 to Seward and compete with Seat
 tie in the towns of Prince William Sound At the present time it + said that the railroad plus the steam ship rates will not allow such com , petition.
 The possibilities of dehydration, , the production of potato meal. can ming and other forms of preparing the raw material achould be care , fully studied and aided in conner tion with the promotion of traffic
 revenues
 To assist farmers. good roads
 should be furnished. The condition
 of both the Territorial and Federal
 road funds is such that the entire
 Appropriations are now needed for
 maintenance and little new work
 can be undertaken until larger sums
 are available. The farmers must have roads if they are to operate