The Alaska daily empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1912-1926, 1920-04-27
GOV. THOMAS RIGGS
DISCUSSES ALASKA
MATTERS TODAY
Continued from Page One)

| IL the 1GeSlu6HI anu Une secretary
of the Interior could not be made to
see the wrong-doing of the board,
| the Territorial Legislature could abol-
| sh the board. 1t would be up to the
| board to better conditions instead of
making them worse.
Fisheries
The committee having charge of
the drafting of the fisheries bill.
did good, hard work We all agreed
upon a bill, compromise bill, to be
sure wherein, for the sake of pro
tecting the ficheries, | gave up a good
deal | thought we should have, but
still there was brought forth what
considered a workable measure.
Il left Seattle for Washington in
the full belief that the bill would be
written as agreed upon. My main
contention was that the Territory
should not receive less from taxation
and that the conduct of the fisheries
and that the conduct of the fiCheries
should pass to the Territory at the
end of four years. In the rewriting
of the bill, taking the 1918 pack as
basis, the Territory would receive
100000 less revenue per annum than
now received, and instead of pass
ing control to the Territory at the
end of four years, there was ap
pended a provision that Congress
should so provide by additional leg
islation. This killed the intent of
the act as almost anyone can block
measure to give Alaska any new
powers There were minor difficult
ties regarding taxation, which could
probably have been ironed out, such
as the provision limiting taxation
to shore property thereby eimin
ating floating canneries and all
other floating equipment The res
trictive measures were good, and aC
cording to the Bureau of Fisheries.
the best ever suggested. Delegate
Griggsby objected to the other pro
visions of the bill which he con
sidered too much in the Interests
of the packers but | believe these
features could have been all adjusted
to meet his objections.
THE Bureau also interposes some
minor objections.
81 have received several letter.
of criticism for not having the fish |
cries bill introduced Immediately. |
but by the time the committee for
warded the bill to me in Washington. |
there was absolutely no possibil |
ity of having it considered at thi: |
session, also the Bureau did no. |
want it introduced until Henry O
Mally, of the Bureau stationed in |
Seattle, could be brought to Wash |
ington in consultation. 1t is nee. |
essary to bring all factions into ac-
cord if any legislation is to be eff |
fectual. | hope we can rewrite por-
tions of the bill so as to make It
a workable measure If this cannot |
be done, then the only bill | can
support will be Mr.. Grigsbys bill
to give the Territory full control
which, after all. is the best solution
if Congress could only be made to see
it.
The Red Menace
Bunk. ! am not responsible TO;
reportorial imagination any more
than | am for the reported inter
copied message from Petrograd stat
ing that an attempt would be made
to establish Soviets in Alaska. Tha
we have |. w. w. and Bolsheyik |
in Alaska, none can deny. Tha
they are not likely to run tn
Territory, everybody knows.
Floating Fish Thaps
81 am advised by the office of the
Chief of Engineers that floating fish
traps will be considered a menace
to navigation and their distance fror |
shore restricted.
Game
THE game conservationistS of the |
East are very much perturbed owe
the suit | have asked the Attorney |
General to bring to determine wha
is a brown bear. I have been be |
seeched not to let the brown bea |
become commercialized and thus ex |
terminated DR.. William T. Horna |
the Wild Life Protection Fund, Is |
really ludicrous in his attacks on AL |
askans The people of New York |
seem to think that the principal de
sire of Alaskans is to exterminate
game. They object strenuously tel
Alaskans having any voice in the
making of game laws, and one
prominent conservationist admitted
to me frankly that he did not think
Alaskans were capable of making
such laws Laws are advocated
which practically withdraw game
from use even for the native and
which must be administered through
an appropriation of only 1000 for
the whole Territory. In all fairness
however. TO the Eastern sportsman
who is fine fellow when he gets
ahead of his egotism. | must say
that DIR. Hornaday's attacks have
been repudiated to me in writing
as not representing these opinions
by the Boone and Crockett club.
the Geological society and the Con
| ~. aF IL, L>t,.a