The Alaska daily empire., 1921-10-18
ALASKA'S BIRTHDAY AND PROSPECT.

Today is Alaskas fifty y-fourth birthday It on the 18th day of October 1S6z that the Russian en- sign was lowered at Sitka the Stars and Stripes flung to the breeze the emblem of sovereignty.
 A vast quantity of water has passed under the bridge since memorable occasion, Alaskas white population at that time very meager and was almost wholly confined to few points along the Pacific Coast fact the whole American Pacific Coast contained scarcely 900 inhabitants, of whom about 500o00 in California, about 80,ooo in Oregon and 20 900 in Washington Territory. It was 22 years that time before Washington Territory became the State of Washington The coast had not yet been connected with the East by rail.
 Today there are about 6,oooo0o inhabitants on the American Pacific Coast. A half dozen great transcontinenta railway systems the Rockies and Coast range and traverse the valleys of the great States to the South of us.
 It be admitted that the settlement and de- yelopment Alaska has not kept pace with the States of the South. We have made much progress, but not as much as ought to have made in that time A larger percentage of the millions who have come to the Coast should have Aaska-and many thousands of them would proftted had they done so. Alaska was, it is true, developing fairly sats- factory pace until about fifteen years when her resources withdrawn and many opportunities for Investment cut of. ttt1 8aN s4 <
 However, the very fact that the States at the South have grown their present proportions augurs well for Alaskas future California has grown until her popuaton is fast approaching the 4,000 900 mark Washington, in which there were a scant 82o, ,000 when Alaska became American. has about a million and half population now. and Oregon probably S00,000 or more. This large population within easy distance of Alaska constitutes great reservoir to draw from whenever Alaska's hour shall strike
 And Alaska's day is coming Make mistake about that. The present Administration has given it's pledge that it is it's purpose it's level to do all that the Federal Government may toward removing the barriers which have held the countl y back It has given every indication that it means to keep the pledge.
 And time is working in Alaska's favor While people were few and scattering in the North when this Territory became American, and they are toe few and too scattering yet, those who have have shown wonderful results. Fifty years aeo there was little shipped from Alaska aside from fur and whale oil and bone Since that time hay than $90, 900. worth of merchandise gold and silver shipped from the Territory ina sngl In the last four years, since fftieth birth day, the shipments from Alaska have amounted t5 $313,0O0, ,000 It has been claimed, and probably co rectly,' that no similar number of people anywhers have produced much for export in similar spaot of time.
 The conditions that have made possible such ,; showing this carry its lesson those peopl along the coast and everywhere who may be seekin opportunity better their conditions
 Alaska is land of opportunity, and the day i not distant when people will see it. One of thes days they will be coming in large numbers and wit them, or ahead of them, will capital for in yestment. Alaska will experience many mol birthdays before she will begin share far greate measure than she has shared in the past in the won drous growth and development of the Pacific Coast