The Alaska daily empire., 1921-10-29
ABOUT THE COST OF TERRITORIAL.
 GOVERNMENT.


 GOVERNMENT.
 naponents of self-goyornment Alaska sometimes contend that full Territorial form of government Wculd be too costly that Alaska has not yet enough producing resources to support it. etc The history Of Ie ritoria gov ernnents in the United States does not astfy the contention The fact is, generally speak ng d Territorial government need not cost more than rht people want it to cost To illustrate, the Ter Hory of Washington organized in 1853. The pupuation enumerated by the Territory in 1855, Was 3900. The developed resources of the Territory were loss than those of the City of Juneau. There were counties that organized and maintained County governments in the Territory for more than lorfy years before they had acquired 1000 inhab- tants. There Counties organized and doing bus- ness that did not have 200 inhabitants until long after their organization, and these Counties had no or little debt and the rate of taxation always low
 The writer has one County in Washington Terri tory in mind that organized by the first Terri toria Legislature. Several after it's organza ton the Federal census of 1860 showed the County with population of 149. In 1870, ten years later the Federal gave the County population of 374. It had grown to 63S in 1880. It's assessed val uaton in 1880 had not yet reached $2o0,000. Yet the County on cash basis most of this time and when the Territory of Washington became State in 18S9 there no Outstanding debt more than six months of age. The taxes in that County for County and Territorial purposes had never reached per cent. df the assessed valuation during Ter ritorial dayas
 Federal Census returns show that Washington Ter ritory, which organized as said, in 1853, had population of 1594 in 1860, of 23,955 in 1S70 and E5 116 in 1SSo 1879 the assessed valuation the entire Territory $22,o00000. The Territorial revenues were produced by tax of mills the dollar and 10 Der cent of the revenues from liquor licenses, which averaged from $50 $500 year for each retail dealer-the Terrtory's share being from $15 to S30 from each of the dealers
 Tine conditions of Washngton Territory was abort the same that of all other Territories. Arizona at the first after her organization had a popu lation of 9000 Arkansas had 1000; Illinois 12,o00i Indiana 5000; Mississippi 5000; Missouri 19,00e Montana 20,000; Michigan 4.oo0; Minnesota 6,o0t. Nevada 5000; Dakota 4,ooo; Nebraska 2s,ooo Utaa IL 900; oregon 13,ooo; Wisconsin 3oo00; Wyomirg 5000; Idaho 14.000.
 Alaska is incomparably better prepared than 5 Washington Territory to govern herself. She h 8 more people. better transportation facilities bet faa service, the of communication by te.e- graph and cable and far greater and wider pro : pfFfty; she produces millions where Washington Te 1tory and other Territories produced thousands h She first years of their history.
 In addition to their inferior positions Washingte4 and the other Territories had defend themselves ains the hostile Indians. An Indian war was thru aIon Washington Territory in 1S55-population 3@00-and she kept Territorial troops in the field fer iNo years until the war WAS brought successful conclusion and there real fighting and con ai"NAetpic
 The Alaska Organic Act does not permit the Te- ritoria Legislature organize Counties without thv get the approval of Congress If Congress would grat that permission it would not be necessary to divd he whole Territory into Counties. Counties cou, ' be formed in such parts the Territory as are ready 1or selt-government If Counties were formed the LeSislature, perhaps. would not make small coun ties Gov swineford of the stanchest of stLs supporters Of Territorial government in Alaska cora tended that four counties one for Judicial ID v!ion of the Territory, would enough Probably i would be better to have two counties in Southeastern Alaska, one with Ketchikan for a County Seat ard enc with Juneau and permit the other divisioh- 10 decide for themselves.
 At the present time the Organic Act provides for equal representation for each Judicial Division in the Territorial Legislature. and result the funds Of tee Territory are divided proportonaely among the four Divisions. Two of the Divisions contain three fourths or more of the people and pay practically all of the taxes. Under a Territorial and County gov ernment system most of the money collected through taxation would be expended through the local organ cations and in the sections of the Territory wherc the taxes originated
 This question has been too thoroughly thresheF granted that the people understand the advantages that would come from full Territorial organization II hes besn approved by the people Alaska in prac- tically every manner that has been given them to speak. '@
 Of cburse. if we had full Territorial form of