The Alaska daily empire., 1921-12-31

with little effect the nation is tried with crushing effect Alaska. Trust-busting, conservation, the leasing system for public lands and Government regulation and con trol of industry, have each in turn been ap- piled with full force to the infant industries of the Territory. The efforts of Congress, made with the best intentions in the world, often make the laws worse instead of better and the Territory is advancing backward in- stead of forward It is safe to say that sat isfactofy laws for a country can never be made except by those who reside in the country and are personally familiar with it's conditions and needs There is not doubt but that if the lands and resources of the Territory offered for sale and for use on the same terms and conditions which those in the Western States were offered, a booming growth would start immediately and continue indefinitely The taxes the Gov ernment could collect for the increased value and income of property in the Territory would probably far exceed the receipts from the rackrents and royalties under the leas- ing system.
 In 1916 Congress passed organic act for the Philippines. The act contains a complete set of laws for the disposition of the mineral coal and oil lands in the pub lie domain of the islands. Although Con- gress had the Alaska leasing laws before it at the time, it did not apply them to the Philippines but re-enacted the laws on these subjects as they had been in effect in the Western States for so many years. A few, but very few, notifications and improvements made to them. The Philippine Legisla- ture also authorized to legislate for the disposition of the agricultural and timber lands The act contains the following clause t" That all public lands except such as may have been heretofore sold and disposed of in accordance with the provisions of the act of Congress of July 1, 1902 shall be placed under the control of the government of said islands to be administered and dis posed of for the benefit of the inhabitants thereof, and the Philippine Legislature shall have the power to legislate with rspect to all such matters as it may deem advisable, but the acts of the Philippine Legislature with references to land of the public domain, timber, and mining, hereafter enacted shall not have the force of law until approved by the President of the United States"
 The Bureau of Insular Affairs doubt managed this legislation in Congress, while the Bureau of Forestry was responsible for the Alaska leasing legislation. The Insuar Bureau apparently preferred to adopt law that had been tried and proved successful rather than to experiment with a new and untried leasing system.
 To simpify and coordinate the government of Alaska, it would only be necessary to fol- low the principles of the acts of Congress es- tablishing governments for the Philippines, Hawaii and Porto Rico. The State of Ill- nois and the State of Washington also have each recently reorganized their governments and consolidated their numerous bureaus along the same lines very few changes would adapt the system of government in effect in the Islands to Alaska. This is pecially to the Porto Rico act which was passed in 1917, and is therefore the latest expression of Congress as to the pro- per form of territorial government.
 Briefly, this act provides that there shall be Governor appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate as the Governor of Alaska is now. The Governor is subject to removal by the President at any time. There about six departments the heads of which would be appointed by the Gov ernOr and confirmed by the local Senate. They would be appointed for term of four years subject to removal by the Governor. In Alaska these department heads might be as follows:
 Commissioner of Public Lands
 Commissioner of Public Works.
 Commissioner of Fisheries.
 Commissioner of Education and Health.
 Attorney General
 Secretary Treasurer
 To these departments the duties now ex- ercised by the various Bureaus and Commis- sions both at Washington and in Alaska would be transferred.
 These heads of departments sitting to- gether with the Governor would constitute an Executive Council local cabinet. This organization is very similar to that of the National Government itself
 In the Philippines act it is provided that the heads of departments have the right to be heard and the duty to questions in either house of the Legislature. It is also provided that the Legislature shall not create any new department or any bureau or board except subordinate to one of the established departments.
 The Act provides that the President shall designate some one department at Washing ton to which the local government shall re- port The Philippine and Porto Rican gov ernments report to the War Department in which the Bureau of Insular Affairs was created for that purpose. No doubt the Alaska government would be directed to report to the Interior Department which is most fam iliar with it's affairs.
 For the Islands the President also ap- points and may remove at will an auditor who has authority similar to the auditor for the United States
 If a government for Alaska could be ~es- tablished along these lines it would provide responsible system of administration within the Territory, but subject always to full control by the President and Congress It would give the Governor power and