The Cordova daily times., 1920-08-10
WHAT'S THE MATTER
 WITH ALASKA?

propriation and construction energy to Anchorage and the north thereof, when Anchorage will at all times be closed port during the winter.
 The csEle dispatches state that the secretaries were going to the Matan- uska valley and to the Susitna valley. We can imagine the reception com
 mittee showing them grasses and grains up to mans shoulders rut- abagas,, potatoes and other vegetables larger than the best from California, and even luscious berries. This is all possible and any person with a
 thorough knowledge of Alaska has not only enjoyed a meal largely from native products, but has seen these products growing luxuriantly. In cer- tain limited areas in Alaska agricul- ture for years has not only been feasible but it has been a demonstrat-
 ed success. In the summer of 1912, one farm across from Fairbanks har- vested products to a gross value of $23,000 But this was only made pos sible because Fairbanks was a popu- lated mining center and the goods were sold at prevailing Fairbanks re- tail prices of Seattle imported pro- duce.
 This shows that if you have a con- suming population created by other industry, the products of agriculture will find ready sale, but in the case of the Matanuska valley or the Susit- na valley the other industries must first be created whereby the demand for the agriculture products will be established. This industry must al most wholly depend upon mining. IL is hoped that this is made clear It is granted that there are agricultur- al possibilities and one might go fur ther and admit that certain products that can be grown in Alaska are of the best, but they must find a local market and that local market must be provided very largely by the devel- opment of mining.
 The vegetables cannot be shipped by rail and water 2,OOO miles to Seat tie to compete with Puyallup local products or even California products. Just as soon as Secretary Payne real izes that by throwing open the terri tory, by abrogating all of the Clifford Pinchot theories and regulations, by restoring the lands to entry for bene- fit of the pioneers on line with the rules and regulations governing the settlement of the Western states, then prospectors and investors may be interested, at which time the de- velopment of agriculture can progress simply because the farmers can sell their goods to the miners Whether a man discovers a small mine or great mining syndicate locates man. moth vein, as long as stringent laws, forest reserves, red tape and a dozen other obstacles confront him, exten- siVe development must of necessity be delayed
 One would hardly expect to com pare the richly endowed state of Cal ifornia with Alaska, but one compari- son provides an excellent illustration From about 17S0 to 1848 California had the same climate, the same rich soil as today, but aside from the small farms and enterprises conduct ed by the Indians under the guidance of the Franciscan fathers, it's agricuI- tural development, today regarded as one of the worlds marvels, was pure ly local, or confined to the tilling of an area adjacent to or immediately the mission. It was not until the discovery from the agricul- tural viewpoint. The primitive far mers found that they could sell their produce to the miners and prospectors at the ruling San Francisco rate, which to all intents and purposes was like the rate at Fairbanks, Alaska, in 1912, that is to say, the Fairbanks price was made by the expensive freight haul from Seattle to Skagway, thence over the White Pass, down the Yukon river and up the Panama, while the San Francisco selling price in 1S49 was based upon the long sailing ship voltage from New York around Cape Horn or the overland wagon trip across the plains from St. Joseph, Mo.
 But, from 1849 up to the good year of 1920, California as a whole has been petted and fostered and a no