Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1921-09-22


will assume fuctions that apparently touch prac-
tically every department.
Too much government Well Alaska does get
pretty large dose. And, what's more, It's mosl-
ly government Mt long range Bear in mnd that
nearly all Of Alaska's resources are directly OF lh
directly controlled by the federal government
About 80 per cent of the land is still in govern
ment ownership The development OF coal anu
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 Alaskas resources Is
vested in number of departments and bureaus.
Rules and regulations relating to Alaska affairs,
under the existing statutes, must be made Dy
Washington authorities, who are also In large
measure directly charged with their execution
This long-distance administration has been a ser1-
GUS handicap to the development of Alaska. LII
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 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
era activities.
To be sure 1t would take Philadelphia lawyer
ways in which Alaska is governed, but here are
some OF them.
The interior department has a large part of
Aaslza'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 dispo-
sition of the public lands In the national forests
(Tongass and Chugach, embracing 20O0G,0OO
acres) he executes all laws relating to the
surveying prospecting locating and patenting of
public lands and granting of rights of way Not
wtthstanding this the forest service, bureau of
the agricultural department. has charge of the
national forests.
The secretary of the interior is member with
the secretaries of and agriculture of the new
water power commission. The commission has
no funds and 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 year
both the department Of agriculture and the depart
ment of commerce functoned Yet the bureau OF
fisheries department of commerce) is extensively
raising blue foxes the Pribiloff islands The
game laws enforced by the governor of Alaska
and the departments of agriculture and commerce
The department of commerce has charge o.
the fisheries; it has Jurisdiction over merchan
vessels; it takes the census; it has a bureau IL
charge Of lighthouses; its coast and geodetic sur
yey makes the charts
The department of the treasury has charge O
the construction and maintenance of public build
iugs; it's coast guard protects game and the sea
and the fisheries; 1t has a public health service
The department has charge of river an,
harbor improvements. 1t has extensive militar
cable, telegraph and radio systems in Alaska
which everybody uses. inasmuch the post0fic
department hardly be said to function there
The board of road commissioners for Alask
was created in 1905 by congress. The work