The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1921-10-08

merce; IN fact, ne
will assume AUCTIONS that apparently touch prac-
tically every department.
Too much government! Well, Alaska does get
q pretty large dose. And, what's more. it's most
ly government at long range. Bear In MIND that
nearly all of Alaskas are 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 anu
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 Alaskas resources is
vested In a number of departments and bureaus
Rules and regulations relating to Alaska a1alrs
under the existing statutes, must be made Dy
Washington authorities, who are also in large
measure directly charged with their execution
This long-distance administration has been "a ser-
GUS handicap to the development OF Alaska. III
many instances regulations have been mace winch
did not meet the local requirements, and unjust
decisions rendered because those making tnem
were not familiar with local conditions. Inls SIT
uation has worked a 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 mas also Deeh
a lack of coordination between various Alaska leu
era activities.
To be sure 1t would take Philadelphia lawyer
--as the old saying gOes-to figure out all the
ways in which Alaska is goVerned' Dut mere "e
some Of them.
The interior department has large part or
Alaska's government. The secretary has general
superyision 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
charged with the survey, management and disp0-
Ito land In 10
fTonrass and Chugach, embracing 2OOOO,OO0
acres) he executes all laws relating to the
surveying prospecting, locating and patentng OF
publta lands and granting OF rights OF way MOI
withstanding this, the forest service. bureau Of
the agricultural department. has charge OF the
national forests.
The secretary of the interior is a member, with
the secretaries Of war 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-bearing animals; up to last year
both the department Of agriculture and the depart
ment OF commerce functiOned Yet tie bureau OF
fisheries department of commerce) is extensively
raising blue foxes on the Pribilof 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: 1t takes the census; it has bureau In.
charge Of lighthouses; its coast and geodetc sur
yey makes the charts. z
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 q public health service
The war department has charge Of river arn
harbor improvements It has extensive military
cable, telegraph and radio systems in Alaska
which everybody uses, inasmuch as the postofice
department can hardly be said to function there.
The board of road commissioners for Alaska
was created In 1865 by congress. The work Is