The weekly Alaska citizen., 1919-10-06
AN AI,L-AI.ASKA AGENCY.

congress Is being prot to a realization that s constructive policy Is needed to bring this about, as told by MT. McPherson Saturday on his arrival at Seattle, will revive conf. of the north who believed ill its future when the years were fiat" and who have not abandoned either hope or residence in the ''lean" period that has come upon 1t.
 Under the present form of government that the territory has congress alone can adopt such policy. Sitting thousands of miles away from the land for which it must pass laws that will make development pos sible, most if not all of it's members almost totally ignorant of what manner of land it is they legislate for, its knowledge of con- ditions obtained by hearsay, and its infor- nation about resources and the obstacles which must be overcome before they can be utilized at best but second hand, unless the people of Alaska have an audible voice in the establishment of the new policy, and a hand in the method of its application, nothing less than miracle will be performed if any more material benefits are obtained from it than under the policies which have been pursued ill the past. And this it not necessarily reflection on either the sin cerity or the desire of congress to enact helpful legislation or the intelligence of its members. But no body of men, unless it be infalible, which congress is not and does not claim to be, can enact laws that will meet conditions about which it's knowl- edge is limited.
 It Is absolutely necessary for Alaskans to be intimately and directly connected with any ''poicy of development" adopted by congress. This fact is realized by the officials of the department of the interior under the present administration, which de- partment initiates practically all Alaskan legislation at the present time. That it does so realize 1t was stated positively by MT. John White HallOwel who, as assistant to Secretary Lane, has charge of Alaskan affairs In meeting with representative business men of Fairbanks Mr. Hallowell declared that it was the desire of the de- partment to cooperate with Alaskans for the upbuilding of the territory, and want ed to receive suggestions from Alaskans as to how this could best be accomplished.
 It is out of the question for the de- partment to work with Alaskans as indi- viduals. In individual suggestion, however,, may rest the solution of many problems. There should be some manner of getting such suggestions and transmitting them to Washington. MT. Hallowell, in the course of his remarks. intimatcd that a central Alaskan agency of some kind could best perform this task, acting as clearing house between the department and the entire ter rtory.
 Undoubtedly the establishment of such an agency would facilitate matters The formation of an agency of this kind also has it's problems. It must be able to keep in close touch with all parts of the territory, to receive and transmit without delay any information it receives that is required by or that can be used by the department or congress; it must be strictly an Alaskan Ebody and thOrOly representative of all Alaska. Its establishment entails a certain expenditure of funds for which there is no immediate provision. If established as central Chamber of Commerce. as sug- gested by Mir. Hallowell, kind of super body to the present commercial organiza- i tions in the various Alaskan towns, it would make it necessary for those con- mercial clubs to foot the bills, which they are hardly in position to do at this time. They might, however, attempt 1t if they had the assurance that the territorial gov ernment would give them financial assist ance at the earliest possible moment. The business men comprising the membership of the commercial clubs of the territory realize the importance of keeping the north in touch with congress and the department and are willing to make sacrifices to ac- complish it, but they are entitled to and should have the support of the rest of Alas kans of all classes. It is strictly business proposition, and if handled properly should bring returns hundred fold on every dol lar expended in it.
 | There is no reason why the territory