The Alaska daily empire., 1921-11-25
ALBANY BANKER HAS REMEDY TO
 AID TERRITORY
Advocates Repeal of Slrang- ling Laws and Freedom
 from Carpet Bag Rule.

l creased shipping and modern ships 1 md last, but not least, freedom of
 Alaska under separate administra l tion is the remedy advocated for Al askan ills by Colonel James H. Man hing, banker of Albany. N. Y. who 1 was an Alaskan visitor last summer l Colonel Manning gave his views in an article appearing in the Knicker-
 booker Press, of Albany, on Octo- | Der 16
 This article follows in full: Government encouragement of private enterprise, particularly in transportation, coal mining and oil production, and assistance with gov srnment credit of the broken down economic system, are the remedies which will save Alaska from 'immin- ent dissolution" according to Col. James H. Manning, president of the National Savings Bank, and former mayor Of Albany, who returned re- gently from a trip through the North west.
 Free and open handed encourage nent of Canadian business with Al lskans, rather than it's present legis- lative restriction, is necessary for Americas most important territory to pull itself out of it's present if 1ancial, economic and industrial rut, Mr Manning said.
 'At present the federal govern ment has so restricted Canadian trade in favor of American trade that it has reacted unfavorably to the best interests of the Territory, so that Alaskans are virtually in the same position that the American col onies were in 1774, when England re-
 ;trcted trade with other nations in favor of her own commercial develop nent," the Albany bank president
 declared
 Goal mining, for instance, is un- profitable, in most cases, if shipped to the United States" he added. Yet Alaska has plenty of coal. In some parts, it fairly protrudes from the soil, waiting to be dug up. "Within a short distance. Cana
 Hans are seriously considering burn ing the vast oyersupply of wheat for fuel, because of difficulty in get. ing coal. This condition should not exist The federal government should remove it's strict provisions.
 Alaska needs the investment of capital and expects investors to fig- ire on profit thercfrom, but we want ,1 Ay,- ment and a square dead for the peo- pie of Alaska as did our forefathers when oppressed by commercial greed. The carpet bag reconstruction of the South was not a success, and is not relished by any resident or faction of Alaska.
 "It is regretted that, because of it's geographic situation and proxim- ity to, the Arctic circle. Alaska is
 considered by many officials high
 in authority as not worth wasting money on It is considered solely
 IS a land of snow ard glaciers, con
 tinual darkness, cold and dreary,
 with only a few days of summer and
 sunshine.
 Repeated political blunders, through ignorance of true condi-
 ions and requirements, is ill my
 opinion, gradually but surely bring ing Alaska to a state Of dissolution. It is being starved and strangled
 Capital has been withdrawn, and la.
 bor and the population in general
 IS. to put 1t mildly, being rapidly ] forced out of the Territory.
 ''Oil and coal lands are tied up by
 the government in such a manner
 that where many thousands of dol
 lars have been and are being expend
 ed in development, neither oil nor
 coal can be produced or exported
 out of the Territory.
 Extremely high freight rates, both
 on coast steamers and railroads, arc
 big factor in not only increasing
 the high cost of living but in the
 transportation of heavy machinery
 making the initial cost of opening
 properties almost prohibitive.
 'It costs more to produce a dollar
 Tn gold than the gold is worth. Mines
 and industries along the coast are
 being closed down. At Juneau the
 Alaska-Gastineau gold mine the larg
 est in Alaska, is almost closed down
 Also the additions and improvements
 on the cold storage plant, which have
 been contemplated, have been can
 celled, solely on account of tht
 Jones bill, which prevents fish beins
 shipped on Canadian ships to Van
 couver in transit to the States. "I make bold to say that, in m, opinion. the remedy for the ills Al aska has suffered from is as fol lows:
 Repeal of the Jones bill dealinl with shipments to Alaska; repeal o the conservation laws governing coa and oil; reduction of freight rates
 increased shipping and moderl
 ships, and last, but not least, free
 dom of Alaska under separate ad ministration."
 GROCERIES FOR LESS MONEY I wish to announce to the peopl