Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1921-09-15

merce; in fact, he
will assume AUCTIONS that apparently touch prac-
tically every department.
Too much government! Well, Alaska does get
a pretty large dose. And, what's more, it's most
ly government at long range. Bear in mind that
nearly all of Alaska's directly or in
directly controlled by the federal government
About 80 per cent of the land is still in govern
ment ownership. The development of coal and
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 Alaska's resources is
vested in a number of departments and bureaus.
Rules and regulations relating to Alaska affairs,
under the existing statutes, must be made by
Washington authorities, who are also in large
measure directly charged with their execution.
This lOng-distance administration has been serl-
GUS handicap to the development Of Alaska. In
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 Deeh
a lack of coordination between various Alaska fed
eral activities.
TO be sure, it would take a Philadelphia lawyer
as the old saying goes-to figure out all the
ways in which Alaska is governed, but here are
some of them.
The interior department has a large part of
AIaskas 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
chnrpel with the cement and QiSDO-
sltion of the public lands In the national forests
(Iongass and Chugach, embracing 2O,OOOOOO
acres) he executes all laws relating to the
surveying, prospecting, locating and patenting of
public lands and granting of rights of way. Not
withstandng 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 no personnel. Any investigation is
done by the geological survey and the forest
service.
The department of agriculture has now control
over land fur-bearng animals up to last year
both the department of agriculture and the depart
ment of commerce functioned. Yet the bureau Of
fisheries department of commerce) is extensively
raising blue foxes on the Prlbilof islands The
game laws are enforced by the governor of Alaska
and the departments of agriculture and commerce.
The department of commerce has charge Of
the fisheries; it has Jurisdiction over merchant
vessels; it takes the census; 1t has bureau in
charge of lighthouses its coast and geodetic sur.
vey makes the charts.
The department of the treasury has charge of
the construction and maintenance Of public build
ings; its coast guard protects game and the seal
and the fisheries; it has public health service
The war department has charge of river and
harbor improvements. 1t has extensive military
cable telegraph and radio systems in Alaska
which everybody uses, nasmuch as the postoflice
department can hardly be said to function there
The board of road commissioners for Alaska
was created in 1905 by congress. The work is