The Alaska daily empire., 1921-12-31
FALCON JOSLIN SAYS SELF-GOVERN
 MENT IS THE REMEDY.

FALCON JOSLIN SAYS SELF-GOVER
 MENT IS THE REMEDY. Falcon Joslin offered his remedy for the bett ment of Alaskas government in very strong spec delivered at the last session of the American Mini Congress at Chicago in October, and the speech Il been printed in pamphlet form for distribution by t Congress. MT. Joslin very little hope for i in governmental conditions in Alas until this Territory is given even more self-goveI ment than is provided in the usual full Territor form. He believes that Alaska should be given co trol of her own resources. subject to the approV of the Governor and the President, and always sr ject to review and reversal by Congress, just as t Philippines Porto Rico and Hawaii have control theirs He little hope for improvement in New Bill.
 After reviewing the history of government Alaska and fixing, to his satisfaction, responsbil upon it for the lack of development in the Nor he offers the following remedial suggestions
 In seeking for the real one cannot escape the conclusion that it is not lack of resources but msgovernment and bad policies in handling those resources. Too much gov- ernmental control of industries and system of leasehold or permit titles instead of free holds Nothing is clearer than that the form of government of a country has much to do with its prosperity. This is especially true in Alaska where the government is both sovereign and proprietor. More than ninety eight per cent. of the land there belong to the government and not to individuals. Of course, the terms and conditions on which this land is offered for sale or for use con- tr0is the development of the Territory.
 For many years after Alaska was bought from Russia it had government at all What it has is almost or quite bad except that there courts and peace off and the criminal laws are enforced. No other state territory ever had govern ment like that of Alaska.
 Congress created a Legislature for the Territory years ago, but prohibits 1t from egislating most subjects of any real importance. It is a Legislature almost without power. At the same time Congress continues to legisate all subjects great small which really affect the welfare of the Territory
 We thus have two legislatures, sitting in Washington and acting upon hearsay and reports the other sitting in Juneau composed of citizens of the Territory, familiar with its problems and needs but without power to remedy them. committee from Congress visited Alaska about fifteen years ago and much good resulted from its trip, but there have been visits since.
 The Alaska Legislature, however, has power to impose taxes which collected and disbursed through the Territorial Treas urer. Congress also levies taxes on Alaska for local purposes, which are collected and disbursed by the United States Treasurer In addition there the general Federal internal revenue and income tares. We thus have three systems of taxation with two treasures to collect and disburse them.
 The administration of the Territory Is absurd. It is administered not in Alaska but from Washington four thou sand miles and more away.
 The administration is not centered in one department and in one bureau, it is for the Philippines and Porto Rico, but it is distributed through all ten of the depart ments and divided among than thirty boards, commissions and bureaus.
 Naturally, this form of government is sufficient to deyastate province. It is cer- tainly returning the Territory to the bears.
 Various measures have been proposed to remedy the situation. The Curry bill now pending proposes to establish a development board in Alaska and transfer the administra- tion from Washington to Juneau. The board as proposed, however, would not be properly subordinated to other authority and there fore would not be a responsible executive body. The Cummns bill proposes to author }. ize the President to consolidate the bureaus in Washington redstribute their functions. The New bill proposes to consolidate the bureaus in Washington in the Interior De- partment. All of these measures propose to consolidate the bureaus which is certainly desirable, but is only step in the right direction. It may be, however, all that be attained at present.
 It seems just essential to place the ad- ministration in Alaska as it is to consolidate it in one department. But no administra- tion, whether consolidated in Washington in Alaska can make unavoidable laws work, or induce the owners of capital to invest in an enterprise which would immediately come under some other control than their own. Some machinery to revise the laws is just as necessary to revise the administration.
 It hopeless expect any satis- factory legislation from Congress It is too far away and too unfamiliar with conditions there, and it is impossible to get the truth about the country from irresponsible or n-