The Cordova daily times., 1920-08-17
SENATOR JONES GIVES ALASKA
 GOOD BOOST

SEATTLE, Aug. l7 (by Associated Press) .-"Alaska must be set free and the time has come to act along this direction," said Senator Wesley l.. Jones, speaking before the members council of the chamber of commerce at the Masonic club rooms. Senator Jones urged that a liberal develop ment policy be pursued by the nation and referred to the liberality of the governmen ent at the time it was opening up the uninhabited west following the civil war. In discussing the proposed Alaska board, in which it is aimed to center authority for the conduct of the government business in Alaska Senator Jones said that he liked the idea but saw difficulties ahead of the formation of the board and troubles for it when it starts functioning.
 Senator Jones expressed displeasure at the lack of results from previous efforts to get together on an Alaskan development policy and stated that it would be better for the board to be organized and not do everything just right then not to organize and do noth- ing at all. Congress he said was more in the mood to do something for Alas ka today than ever before and he paid tribute to the long continued efforts of the Seattle chamber of commerce under the direction of J. L, McPher- son, manager of the Alaska bureau, to advance the interests of the territory, and cited as proof of his assertion that congress was better disposed toward the territory than in the past and that the s17,O0O,000 required in connection with the government rail- road in Alaska was voted as soon as the facts became known.
 Alaska is a sort of the state of Washington and this state has a great interest in it's 56O,OOO square miles of territory" said Senator Jones. That is a trade prospect and a section which cannot get away from us for Puget sound is the natural inlet and outlet for Alaska. l consider myself a senator from Alaska as we'll as from Washington. I urged the building of the Alaska railroad, although I know that it would not bring about every thing that we had hoped for, but re- garded it as an essential necessity.
 ''The greater part of the 560,O00 square miles of Alaska is still public domain We cannot expect a railroad to pay it's own way and freight and passenger service. Its importance lies in the fact that it will make possible the development of Alaska. We must build feeders for this trunk line and enable people to get in and out of the country more expeditiously and cheap 1y than today. Col. w. P Richardson has been a great friend of the terri tory and has done much towards building the trails and wagon roads in the north.
 tI am in favor of practicing econ omy, but failure to spend money in de- veloping property and territory we own will call us to lose more than the cost.
 we must not be stingy with Alaska. It is territory rich in mining, furs, fishing and timber, but the great per manent asset there is it's agricultural possibilities.
 Senator Jones said he regarded the water power development measure as beneficial legislation for Alaska in that it would make possible the devel- opment of the wood pulp industry and plants requiring much power, and said the measure under proper admins tration should hasten the develop ment of the territory as well as be a boon to the entire west.
 l trust that tnlS measure TOT WHICH I worked so actively will have wise, careful and liberal administration. like the principle of the socalled Alaska board measure and Alaska and the state of Washington can do much to make the principle of government for Alaska successful if they will agree on the major principles"
 "One objection to this board comes from the departments which are inter- ested in the administration of the ter ritory and one thing that hampers eff