The Cordova daily times., 1921-10-17
TOO MUCH LAW

It is not only the thirty weight bureaus op- erating in Alaska that rctard progress, but the responsibility lies equally, if not to even a greater extent, with the present day disposi- ton to regulate everything by statute. Get ting the natural resources of the country into the hands of private individuals Is constantly becoming more difficult, and every session of congress adds additional restrictions.
 Restrictions always work hardest on tEc man that is least able to comply with them A great corporation can meet almost any require lncnts, but the real pioneers who blaze the paths of progress are usually individuals who supplement their lack of capital with an ab- undancc of courage and an optimistic spirit.
 The new federal water act cNcmplltics the point, but in the preparation of tine law con urcSS does not seem to have realized that con ditions in Alaska are radically different from those existing in the states, and more partlcu- IarIy in the east.
 This difference is found mainly in the fact that in the states the streams available for the generation of power fIOw in at least many instances, through areas more or less tmckIy settled. and it is no doubt entirely proper to require minute detail respecting the proposed utilization of any water power in order to pro pcrIy safc-g guard private and public interests. The law may be in every way desirable one mdcr such conditions.
 Water power development in Alaska has been confined largely to projects as adjunctS to other enterprises, principally mining, and to less extent for furnishing lights and power to the small towns. As a rule there is but a single user of water from any given source, and many of the powers developed for indus trial purposes are remote from any settlement except such as clusters around that particular industry. It is generally true too that all of the people in such settlements are employed in the industry using the power.
 In the development of mining enterprise, the first step frequently is the utilization Of available power. usually in small way at the beginning, for the driving of compressors supplying air to drills This is frequently ac compIishcd by the simple diversion of d quan- tity of water, without the construction of a dam for increasing storage, followed lated, if the mining enterprise is successful, bv more elaborate construction for d fuIIcd utilization of the available power.
 It may be that thorough prospecting of the mineral body shows that it could not be operated profitably, in which event the en- tire enterprise, water power and all. is abar- doned. Under these circumstances ii k d decided hardShlp to be compelled to comply with the stringent requirement of the federal power act
 The feeling is general in Alaska that the law should not be made applicable to an un- developed country We have noticed in this country that most all laws passed by congress which could be of use to us, contain the words excluding Alaska" when prescribing the ter ,ntory m which they are to be operative, but ho one seems thoughtful enough to insert these two words in legislation that words Q hard ship upon us. 70 .~.'--' a"'~-' S,s~ s,7sN' '""-
 What we would really like is the old min crs' water law, whereby the first user in point of time is the first in right and his possessorv title to the water is good so long as he uses it, the right reverting to the public when aban- doned. To initiate the right required simply the posting of notice at the intended point