The Cordova daily times., 1920-03-12

ton. the Lroposal being ably set forth in written statement of con- dd'ons and suggested len,ed!al ac- t'C.. thr.n,gh which it may he nussi- ble to secure larger measure of The club will submit a plan to other commercial bodies throughout the TtrEitory and endeavor to secure CO., operation in putting the proposed re- form across The plan is as follows:
 If the assumption is warranted that Alaska is enormously rich in it's possession of great stores of pre- cious and the more useful metals, of immense tracts of timber, coal, and oil lands, of forests plentifully stocked with game and fur-bearing animals, and waters containing what under a system of reasonably sane conservation would constitute an in- exhaustible supply of the finest fish, why is it that it's population is de- creasing and it's prosperity as steadi- ly waning?
 What has happened to make Alaska the unfortunate exception from that progressiveness which has character iged, during the past twenty years, every other portion of the United States?
 Why has it not received from the United States Government more of that intelligent and efficient patcrnal- ism such as, retaining immense tracts of prolific orchards and grain fields from waste acreage, has re- turned big dividends in national wealth and the well-being of millions of it's citizens? Such paternalism as, if it were as intelligently bestowed in Alaska as it has been in the des- erts, would vastly increase the an- nual output of the Territory
 Possibly the answers to these ques- tions may indicate a remedy for the unfortunate condition they imply.
 To those in touch with the Alas. kan situation the richness of the Territory will be admitted without mental reservation, and they are equally sure that it is being depopu- lated. Others interested in the truth of the hypothesis are referred to Government reports as to the poten- Dialities of the timber, coal and oil lands, the development of which has htrdly commenced, and to the cus- toms reports as to the exports of metals, fish, and fur From these latter they will learn that the value of the gold, silver, copper and fish from Alaska during the past twenty years was more than one hundred times the $7,200,000 paid Russia for the Territory On the other hand, the census reports will inform them that the white population of Alaska in 1910 was approximately 40,0OO, while the most reliable figures available to- day indicate it is now less than 3O,OOO.
 Before essaying answers to these questions it would be we'll to con- sider what would be the procedure of big corporation handling Alaska as a development project
 It may be assumed that it's first 3tep would be, by investigation. to estimate the prospective financial returns-immediate and continuing Than would be determined the cost necessary to insure these returns. If the Investigations indicated that there would be certain profits, and that these profits warranted a large preliminary expenditure, there would be no hesitancy on the part of the corporation in making the outlay. The work would then be initiated under the most capable management ctVclIIoUlC. put, duu utitlu tu0 cor poration's policy would differ from that of the Government, that man. agement would be conducted on the ground instead of at long range by interested workers conversant with local conditions and problems rather than, 5000 miles away, by bu- reau officials handicapped by lack of technical knowledge.
 And it is this difference in the system of management, spelling for NAlaska stagnation instead of progress, that largely accounts for the decrease 1A population and prosperity and the small measure of intelligent help that has been bestowed by the Govern ment. For, unless we have little or no faith in our system of government through representative elected by the