The Nome nugget., 1922-01-28

times today for Alaska is the awak ened interest in Washington in tho opening of this rich domain and the expressed determination in both the Executive and Legislative depart, ments of the Government to coor, dinate and simplify the methods and system of administration and meet the manifest needs of the Territory the rich natural resources of Alaska should be unused, Nature never intended it so. The gold and silver and other precious metals. and coal and oil. clearly are intended for the use and benefit of p,ankind. So. too, the countless acres of untitled soil |. The fact that more than half a cell tury has elapsed since the purchase of the Territory with so little done toward developing it and making it's resources available for the public good is past understan nding to those, who know and comprehend Alaska g richness, Now. with the completion of the Government Railroad. a sys- tematic course of development be- comes doubly incumbent. It is the part of wisdom and the part of actual economy as well
 Following the consolidation under ono directing head nt Washington O: the many bureaus whose activities reach Alaska. which. it is assumed. will be brought about by early Con- gressional enactment. 1t is thorough ly advisable that representative of each of these essential bureaus be stationed in Alaska and empowered to act upon matters under their jur- isdiction which constantly arise. Juneau should be the executive headquarters of these necessary agencies. if administration business is to be expedited and delays avoided The annual visitations of bureau officials to Alaska to famil. iari2e themselves with conditions and make reports are not conducive to the dispatch of business and d satisfactory administration of affairs. nor are they conducive to economy Most of them are unnecessary and improbable. Too often they partake merely of the nature of holiday trips. not to call them junkets. with only prefunctory inspection of coh- ditions and chronicling of facts already well known. The money that may be saved by curtailing useless trips of bureau officials across the continent and along the shores of Alaska would easily maintain execu- tive offices in Juneau and make for action and results Similarly. and for like reason. officials who deal with Alaska affairs from headQuart- CTS in Seattle and Portland should be transferred to Juneau. In short. the business of Alaska should be conducted in Alaska to the fullest extent possible consistent with con tinued governmental supervision at Washington,
 Two governmental agencies in AL aska-the Engineering Commission. which is building the railroad, and the Alaska Road Commission, which is constructing roads and trails. are functioning smoothly. efficiently and successfully, These are free-handed and simply organized, having big work to do. they are doing it in practical, husiness-like way. unob- structed by slow circumlocution and long range direction. and unhamp- cred save when waiting upon appro- pris,ions. The achievements of these organizations in pioneer development bespeak eloquently the wisdom Of further centering and centraliEing authority and responsibility in Alaska
 Coordination cannot be effected at long range and with bureaus operat- ing from various centers. especially outside of Alaska.
 Hearings affecting the fisheries should be held. not in Seattle, or Portland. or San Francisco. but in Juneau. Then citizens of Alaska and the fishermen themselves, as well as the cannery men and bureau offie- ials, would have opportunity to be heard Moreover. such an arrange ment would mean that authorized representatives or the great canning industry would necessarily be within reach, whereas now. under s chaotic system. the management of such in- dustry is directed largely iron, B dis tance and the responsible heads