The Cordova daily times., 1921-10-12

1 misleading information has been put
 forth with regard to Alaska, some
 of it for the purpose of breaking
 down the methods of the govern
 ment for the protection of timber
 and other resources, that the report
 of F.. A. sherman. United States as
 sociate forester, who has just re
 turned from making an exhaustive in
 vestigation of conditions in Alaska
 has peculiar value.
 Part l of Mir Sherman's report
 follows:
 Everybody l met on my recent
 visit to Alaska was worried about
 the territory excepting the people
 who live there. The resident popu- l lation of Alaska is prosperous and optimistic. Of course, that part of the country is feeling the present
 business depression the same as else where, but the average Alaskan is prosperous. busy and optimistic. and isn't looking for sympathy, or as- sistance
 "I went to Alaska in the dual cap acity of a special representative of the forest service and a general rep i resentative of the department of agri- i culture. AS associated forestor l am deeply interested in the development of the forest resources of the coun- try, and as the representative of the 1 department of agriculture on the in | departmental Alaska board I am also interested in the other lines of work which the department is carry
 ing on in that region.
 "I think the most interesting fact about Alaska today is the AhsKan himself Somehow the impression seems to have goLe aboard that the Alaskan is doomed to follow in the footprints of the Dodo and the two- | toed horse. The public has been giv- en to understand that Alaska is rap idly becoming depopulated anu is | led to believe that the 'sourduugh' will soon become extinct. A visit to Alaska, however. will soon convince them that this is not the case.
 The typical original Alaskan came to the territory a young man in search of gold. He expected to strike it rich. get a trunkful of the yellow metal in a few months, and return to the staes. Sometimes he did. in which even he ceased to be an Al askan and passed out Of Alaska's life. Usually, however, he cyper- fenced the same disiusionment that is expected to make fortune simp- ly by picking out of the guttcrs in New York City the $2O gold pieces that careless Americans have thrown out with other trash. He finds that in Alaska making fortune is usually a lifetime job requiring experience initiative and industry. Thus dis ilIuSioned or rather enlightened, he settles into the harness and proceeds to help develop the country.
 If you will examine the census re turns for Alaska for 1920 you are certain to draw from the figures re newed faith and confidence in the future of that region. It is true hat in 1920 he population of the territory was 9457 less than in 1910. a Ge- crease of HAY per cent. But let Us examine the nature Of this de crease. In the first place there were 1909 Chinese in Alaska in 1910. as compared with only 56 in 1920 decrease of 1153 Chinese. During the same period the Japanese part of the population of the territory decreased 6Ol-a total Oriental decrease of 1754.
 Furthermore. it is interesting to note the increased proportion of na- tive born whites in the territory. The foeign born whites during the past u''ddc uetIedSeu boii. rms, added to the decrease in the number of Orientals, accounts for a total of Sl2l, or all but 1886 of the decrease In other words. the real American whether born in Alaska or in the states, has had confidence in the ter ritory, and, geneally speaking. has stayed by it.
 There has been some shrinkage of the goss population during the