The Alaska daily empire., 1920-12-16
ALASKANS AS MENDICANTS.

IL often ia contended that the people of Alaska expect too much from the Federal Government. It i said they are self-relian like the people Of thi other Territories were but want the Government tl furnish them everything build roads to their doors 10 maintain schools everywhere for them at little or nc costs local people, do all sorts of things that were not done for other frontier peoples. Thos people who thus contend frequently call attention tt the fact-and it is fact-that the Government does do more in the way of bearing the cost of public improvements institutions in Alaska than it ever did for any of the other Territories
 There is truth in this contention, and there is a very direct for it. In all the other Amer ican frontiers the Government permitted people tc acquire the lands and natural and develop them themselves And people came into the Terri tories and utilized natural and they quickly built up great States which able to care for themselves and became very valuable Natona assets. Tn spite of all the National aid to Alaska she has grown more slowly than the other Territories grew. That is because she is poorer in natural resources. It is because the Government withdraw the resources from entry for private ownership and development The fisheries and metal mining devel- oped in Alaska because the people could utilize those resources, but the coal and oil and timber resources of the Territory have remained undeveoped and rail road building discontinued and immigration ceased because Of the fact that these resources with drawn from entry and If these resources had beeH Pil sFalldDie Tor use, people would nave come into the Territory and developed them, and the result would have been greater development in all lines
 If the resources of Alaska had been as free for appropriation by those who would them they were free in other frontier countries their people the Territory would have and the people would have been able build their own roads and rail roads and to care for their own schools The minut the title to property passes from the ownership ol the Government into private hands it begins to work Tor the people If il is not immediately developed it can be taxed and thus aid in the maintenance of the local Government. As long the title remains in the Government it is untaxable and idle It does not serve the public. The property that makes Alaska worth while, that bears the cost of government that furnishes the of all sorts of public reve- hre market for Government securities, is that meagre portion of the and resources of the Ter rtory the title 10 which has passed into private hands
 It is said that 9S Of the resources of Alaska ere Government porperty If that is true it is the two Der cent Chat is private property which keeps Alaska on the map.
 Conscryationsts urge of course that the re sources of Alaska were withdrawn from entry to prevent their falling into the hands of monopoies While that end could have been, reached in another way, mo permanent injury could have resulted from that source if the people had been given the power 10 control their own Government as other pioneer people controlled governments. When the Federal government parts title to property that property nghtfuly becomes subject to local jurisdiction The leople oi tAe West have proved that they cap able of protecting themselves against monopoly T., fact, events have proved that the people who are on the ground are better able to protect themselves than the soeitous Federal Government has protectea them lf for instance. the people of Alaska had been given jurisdicon over the fisheries of the Territory Is there any one who questions but that we long ago would have had fair regulaye measures for inc per pctuation of that industry?
 Under the circumstances what else is there for the people of Alaska to do except 10 ask the Federal Go'ornLsenl 10 bear the of road building. of schools and other development in the Territo~y2 The Todcrn Government has made reservation of Araska The w -9'c Of this Territory have heen' confined to certain areas Of tine public lands and certain indus tries They have been treated largely as were the Indians who confined to reservations The technical difference being that instead of being placed On certain reservations nest the Territory has been reserved and the people have been forbid the right t) go on and develop the reservations. |, il any wonder that tho result has been impair he frontier spirit of the poope2 Is fl a wonder that there is s leesenng of the sef-rcsnce that characterized the frontiersmen who led civilization across the Aeghap nics through the Middle West over the Pains and beyond to the Pacific?
 II would be strange if this course did not make cs the people more or less mendicants I is but natural that they should develop a certain extent inc attitude of the Indians who herded on res-