The Cordova daily times., 1919-10-21
ALASKA IS AN ASSET
 AND NOT A LIABILITY
Continued from Page Three)


 gest operating in Alaska, reports a net profit for the year 1918 of nearly S2O- 000,0O0 of which, under existing rev enue laws, the government takes nearly one-half. Another company re. ports having paid tax of $84,0OO for the year 1917 and another company paid $60000. These two latter con- cerns represent only small propor- tion of the industries of the territory. For the year 1918 our exports amount. ed to $S3, ,56S-some trade for 30,- 900 people, eh? And yet to get any constructive legislation for Alaska through congress is fraught with the same hardship as confronts the pro- verbal rich man when he essays to enter the kingdom of heaven. In this connection it must not be understood that Alaskans are without gratitude. Far from it. We are thankful for what the government has done for us much more so than for what the government has done to us-and we 1 still have confidence that needed gov ernmental action in our behalf will be taken as soon as congress awakens to the fact that Alaska is an asset rather than a liability.
 What the Government Has Done for Us
 It has given us minimum amount of self-government.
 It has authorized the construction of railroad from Seward to Fair banks, to cost $52,OOO,OO0 Splendid construction work.
 It is slowly giving us greatly needed aids to navigation.
 It is slowly charting our coast ! About 9 per cent of the coast of Alaska is now charted, as against 6470 per cent of the coast of the Philip pines.)
 It has, through and under the war department, established a self-sup- porting cable and telegraph system,
 It is appropriating (this year) $1O0,. 900 for building wagon roads.
 It maintains two coast guard ships | for 26,000 miles of coast during the summer months and for the past two years has maintained a naval patrol of two small vessels during the same period, or, as the orders read, until the close of navigation" Navigation never closes in the territory covered by the patrol)
 It maintains courts and the various offices in connection herewith It contracts for the care of our in sane.
 It does excellent work in investigat- | ing the mineral resources of the ter ritory.
 It maintains an experimental sta tion at the bureau of mines in Fair banks which is verey helpful to the miners.
 It maintains five small experimental farms in different parts of the terri tory, which are of mighty benefit to l the farmers.
 It spends yearly an inadequate sum through the bureau of education for 1 the maintenance of schools, hospitals and the reindeer service among the natives.
 It gives an insufficient appropria- otin for the suppression of the liquor traffic and the enforcement of the game laws.
 It has established the Mount Me | Kinley national park, but neglected to make any appropriation for it's main tenance.
 It has set aside the Katmai national monument, which no one will ever be | aDle to Vlslt'
 | What the Government Has Done to Us It has withdrawn all oil lands from entry and declines to reopen them.
 It withdrew all coal lands in 1906 and kept them closed until 1915, when they were reopened with leasing law that no one wants to'work under. It has withdrawn into national for ests 34,O00 square miles, an area nearly eqeual in size to the state of Indiana. Capital steadfastly refuses to undertake development of any kind within such forests on the terms ex- acted by the government)
 It has withdrawn all water. powers | from, uSe eycept in reyocahIe DermitS