The Cordova daily times., 1921-04-23
A GREAT OPPORTUNITY

It rather seems as though this is to be great year for Alaska The government officials at Washington are attracting attention to the coun- try by their discussion of means to open up the rich resources of this northland. And in turn capitalists are beginning to look with investigat- ing eyes to opportunities that may here await the investment of big capital
 Newspapers are again beginning to pay more than usual attention to Alaska. With idle capital and idle men throughout the country inquiries are now directed toward Alaska, the land of golden promise. A very able and apt article on this subject recent ly appeared in the Seattle Times which will be read with interest and approval
 "The name of some president will be linked in history with the inau- guration of Alaska's greatest era of development.
 Wilson gave the territory a rail road stretching from tidewater to the interior and tapping potentially inn portant coal fields. In doing this, however, he merely prepared the way for development.
 At this time and under present conditions, the Alaska railroad will be drain upon the federal treasury, but it will not be the agency for de- veloping the country that it should and, under more favorable conditions will be.
 Tn order to open up the country capital must be induced to invest.
 "To make it's acres fruitful, settlers must be encouraged to till them.
 ITO build up its cities, there must be more trade, not merely in metals but in agricultural products.
 SIn brief, to make the railroad pay which is synonymous with the de- velopment of the country-men and money must be attracted to Alaska by deliberate act of the federal gov ernment,
 The territory has developed today in spite of the federal government, not because of any friendly assistance the latter has rendered.
 Had it not been for the discovery of gold, the northland today would be as much wilderness probably as when it was purchased from Russia.
 Salmon canneries might have been established on it's water frontier and fur traders might hve penetrated it's interior. But that would have been approximately the sum total of Ameri- can acquaintance with or interest in Alaska,
 "Yet, its resources are boundless. It has practically every known metal. It's coal measures are extensive. It's coastal regions streams are guscepta ible of harnessing for electrical en- ergy.
 Most important of all experiment has demonstrated that it's acres will produce many grains, root vegetables, berries and fruits.
 ''Its possibilities for cattle and rein. deer raising are appreciated by Alas kans if not by the government.
 Yet, the last federal census proved there were fewer white residents in the territory than in 1910.
 "The dead hand of bureaucracy has been laid upon the northland for years, throttliug initiative, driving away capital and discouraging settle ment.
 "A vain attempt has been made tc administer, from a distance of thous ands of miles, the affairs of a new country whose problems are peculiar to itself
 An effort has been made to apply in Alaska theory of 'bottling up resources which, had a similar policy obtained during the time when the west was being won from the wilder ness, would have halted American progress at the Alleghenies.
 "Yet, despite these discourage