The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1921-09-16

merce; in fact. he
will assume AUCTIONS that apparently touch prac-
tically every department.
Too much government! Well, Alaska does get
a pretty large dose. And, what's more, It's most
ly government at long range. Bear in mind that
nearly all OF Alaska's resources are directly or In
directly controlled by the federal government.
About 80 per cent OF the land Is still in govern
nent ownership. The development OF coal ana
Oil deposits is under government leases. Water
powers and fisheries are under federal control,
and nearly all Alaska timber is in government
ownership.
The federal control Of Alaska's resources Is
vested In u number OF departments and bureaus.
Rules and regulations relating to Alaska affairs,
under the existing statutes, must be made by
Washington authorities, who are also In large
measure directly charged with their execution.
This lonR-distance administration has been q seri-
Gus handicap to the development of Alaska. In
many instances regulations have been made which
did not meet the local requirements, and unjust
decisions rendered because those making them
were not familiar with local conditions. This sit
uation has worked a particular hardship on the
operator with small capital, who could not afford
to make the long journey to present his argument
In person to the Washington authorities. Owing
to the divided authority and the limitations placed
by statutes and appropriations, there has also been
a lack OF coordination between various Alaska fed
eral activities.
To be sure, 1t would take a Philadelphia lawyer
AS the old saying goes-to figure out all the
ways in which Alaska is governed, but here are
some Of them.
The interior department has a large part OF
Alaska's government. The secretary has general
supervision over the work OF constructing the
government railroad from Seward to Fairbanks
by the Alaskan engineering commission.
The commissioner Of the general land Office is
charged with the survey, management and d,snoA
sitinn Of tho Duhlfp lnn10 Tn tho inflow Ao.ocA.
{Yongass and Chugach, embracing 90 OOO.OOO
acres) he executes all laws relating to the
surveying, prospecting. locating and patenting OF
public lands and granting OF rights Of way. Not.
withstanding this, the forest service, 4 bureau OF
the agricultural department., has charge Of the
national forests.
The secretary OF the interior Is a member. with
the secretaries Of war and agriculture OF the new
water power commission. The commission has
no funds and no personnel. Any investigation Is
done by the geological survey and the forest
service.
The department OF agriculture has now control
over land fur-bearing animals; up to last vaar
both the department Of agriculture and the denart.
ment Of commerce functiOned. Yet the hurean =,
fisheries department Of c0mmerce) II extan.ivol,
raising blue foxes on the Prbiloff islands. Thu
game laws are enforced by the governor OF Ai..L.
and the departments OF agriculture and commerce
The department OF commerce has charge ~
the fisheries; It has Jurisdiction over merchant
vessels; 1t takes the census: 1t has 4 bnreen ~
charge Of lighthouses: its coast and seodetic snr.
,ey makes the charts.
The department Of the treasury has charge .,
the construction and maintenance Of public build.
ings: its coast guard protects game and the ~,
and the fisheries; It has q public health servica
The war department has charge OF river nnd
harbor improvements. It has extensive military
cable. telegraph and radio systems in Alaska
which everybody uses, inasmuch as the postonice
department can hardly be said to function there.
The board OF road commissioners FOR Alaska
wss created In 1870 BY congress-. The work l.