The Alaska daily empire., 1920-03-01
ALASKA SHIPPING BOARD HAS PLAN TO CURE TRANSPORTATION ILLS OF N0RTH-- MEASURE WILL
 IMPROVE RATES AND SERVICE
Governor Riggs in Statement
 Says Public Ownership I'm. possible, But Better Service
 in Sight. i

WASHINGTON, March l.--Gov. Thomas Riggs, Jr., has given out the following statement regarding the work performed and plans of the Alaska Territorial Shipping Board:
 ''The Alaska Territorial Shipping Board has completed most thor ough nine months study of the Alaska traffic situation. We have assembled data showing the num- Der of passengers and tons of freight to reach port in Alaska in each direction during every month of 1918 and 1919; also the costs of operation, going into care full detail on such subjects as mar inc insurance, fuel oil, wages, de- murrage, and every other factor. We have studied the routing of ships, handling of cargoes and other details and have presented the United States Shipping Board in Washington a statement which they congratulate us upon as the most complete and explicit ever submitted @s -<sisT !
 The statement was prepared un. der the direction of Maurice D. Leehey. as special counsel, and R. M. Semmes. as traffic advisor, both of whom have had intimate knowl- edge of the territory for twenty years. Mir. Semmes is steamship man of lifelong practical experi- ence, especially familiar with the Alaska situation.
 Tt is utterly impossible at this time to secure any authority from Congress for Territorial steam ship line on account of the oppo- sition to public ownership. as evil denced by the vote on the railroad bill. Even the labor unions. which favor the government ownership of railroads. are opposed to the pub lie ownership of ships.
 Enough Business for Good Service
 at Lower Rates
 Our traffic study shows that there is enough Alaska business to give the Territory splendid serv- ice at lower rates If that business can be properly co-ordinated so as to be economically handled. I believe that very few of us realize. though, that more than 75 per cent. of the Alaska ship tonnage is in private service. This is one of the astounding items which have been definitely established by the figures we have compiled. These private carriers are less expensive to operate .and usually take full cargoes. They serve only large con cerns, owned by non-residents. who are thus enabled to handle the great bulk of their traffic at lower cost than the independent lines. which must meet all the require ments of our navigation laws. and which give the Territory its year. round service. besides taking care of the unprofitable traffic at out of-the-way places.
 "The largest interests in the Ter ritory should not be denied the right to carry their traffic by tho cheapest method, but they should contribute something to the com- mon service of which they receive the benefit in many ways. The en- tire Territory is dependent upon the common carriers for local year. round service, for mail and express matter. for law enforcement, trans portation of witnesses and jurors, provisions for medical relief. and all those necessities of life which benefit the larger interests as we'll as the smaller operators. We would not deny the larger interests the right to handle their traffic by the cheapest methods. but on the other hand they ought not object to contributing something for the maintenance of the year-round service by the independent carriers. Have Developed Plan
 We have developed a plan which will provide this without unjust burden to anybody. The present annual license tax on shfD9