The weekly Alaska citizen., 1919-03-10

opinion of w. A. Ryan. who is a member of the office staff in Wash ington, D. C.. of Secretary of the Interior Franklin K. Lane, and who IS now in Alaska to investigate her resources and possibilities with llcw to bringing them to the atten- uon Of returned soldiers. MT. Ryan ias city editor of the News. in Ia coma, Wash, some twenty years gr when MT. Lane was editor of tho paper, and MT. Ryan's opinions and recommendations in regard to Alaska are expected to have a ma. terlal influence on the national ad- mi.-.stration's po-e.es toward the territory. His visits. in mid-winter, not only to coast cities. which are C. the regular routes of steamships, but to interior places, which can be reached only over long and difficult traiis, a-4 indicative that the ad- ministration wants quick IS well as trustworthy information about the Lorthland.
 In coming to Alaska, MT. Ryan made a brief visit at coast cities and disembarked from his steamship at Cordova From there he went by the Copper River & Northwestern aiiroad to Chitina, and thence by uaii to Fairbanks and Nenana. Af- tcr staying at Nenana for some wee'is, he travelled by trail and gov e:nment railroad to Anchorage. He gave particular attention to analys- ing conditions along the route of the government railroad.
 OF TIMlSTIC OVER CONDITIONS.
 MT. Ryan is very optimistic over the natural opportunities in the ter ritory.
 There is fine flavor of magniti- cence." he said, fin the slogan Alaska Can Pay the Nations War Debt which was originated by The Alaska Citizen of Fairbanks. In seven words MT. Caskey, editor of The Citizen, has summed up the lmitless resources and ambitions Of Alaska. The phrase conveys to the war-ridden world the hope. nay, the promise that Alaska can and will cres e sufficient wealth during the next two or three generations to minimize. if not to neutralize, the burden of debt placed upon the peO- pic tf the Uuited States thru the sfeat War.
 ITO anyone at all conversant with the potential wealth oi Alaska the ciaim viii not seem at all extrava- gapt, There will be those of course VI 40 will challenge the possibility, out tha! will he nen of small vision.
 "iwerty years ago the world looked upon the old Indian Nation as
 [ tile range Of little value for az ricU.:ure and of none for mineral production. Yet Oklahoma's coal lands. oil lands anu zinc mines have added untold wealth to the naG n. The wes-s.n half cf the United States was regarded as a des: rt by the majority of tho people or tue United States. The school books even in my school days re- lerred to tho Great American Des- ert' just US Alaska is now referred to as q land of snow and ice. The Llano Estacadoo was never dreamed of as region of bouu 1lcss riches, yet that Great American Desert is dotted with cities and towns and the oil production of the staked plains is enormous. Besides those regions once so inhospitable. 90 bleak and Harcen, Alaska is fruitful field. Wise and provident policies of the rational government, enacted into liberal laws. developed the latent wealth of the great West and made the burdens laid upon the people by tho Civil War easy to bear and easy l. pay. The West paid that debt mary times over.
 ALAsKA'S GREAT AREA.
 "In area Alaska nearly equals that part of the United States west of the Mississippi. It has as many square miles ss twenty.eight of the forty-eight states of the Union. It has as great a variety of resources aa the northern tier of states pos. sesses. At Fairbanks recently 8 banquet was given by the Agricultur. al Society at which every article of food. including the sugar. was of local production. Cattle and horses. wintered in the open in some of the interior valleys, come out in the