The Alaska daily empire., 1922-04-04
EXAGGERATE IMPORTANCE OF
POLITICAL PROBLEMS.

People are always in America at least, prone to
exaggerate the Importance of political issues. We
have listened with to declarations that the
fate CT Nation hung in the balance on the result
of the voting a high low tariff on the ques-
ton of large or small army and navy, on the
question as to whether United States should
retain The Philippines, intervene in Mexico, give
Cuba her independence, have free silver, retire the
greenbacks resume specie payment, permit the
recall of judicial decisions, have prohibition and
dozen other questions, all important enough in their
time. And have witnessed most of these issues
voted up and voted down, and no matter which party
what the decision the United States has gone
forward from great achievement to another.
The fact is that the fate of the country rarely is
involved in political controversies On those political
problems that deep vitality to effect the
country, rule the people are so nearly united
that there be controversy. Political issues,
therefore, in spite of the exravagant enthusiasm of
proponents opponents, usually involve matters less
than fatal in Importance.
And the people of Alaska not immune from
this tendency exaggerate the Importance of polit
ical problems, Just there is a campaign of
doing. The fate of Alaska is by no means involved
in the fight as which Department at Washington
is going to control couple of the Federal agencies
that operate in Alaska and many of the statements
that made in behalf of the other side of
harmful for many people all the country &C
cepting them as facts, and may very easily become
leary of investing in this Territory.
Read this, for instance, from the excellent and
very highly esteemed Cordova Times
: Alaska is taxed to death in way
another. Its resources tied up with
red tape and fantastic restrictions
that capital and labor both afraid
touch such limited opportunities
1t will be admitted of course that Alaska Is
highly taxed, but she highly taxed as people
who live in the States In many of the large cities
of the States in addition to the income
have here, there is property tax that reaches as
high as per cent. In no town in Alaska have
property tax in excess of per cent. We have the
occupation tax, it is true, but it is nearly
high the property in of the States
And it is not true that capital and labor afraid
to touch the limited opportunities in Alaska be-
cause they tiled up. Labor capital
touching them in many places and, if do dis
them as soon general conditions improve there
are better markets for products
Alaskans would the Territory better if they
would say more to encourage capital to invest in
Alaska and less about terrible conditions" that re-
suit from political surroundings. That does
that the fight for home rule the concentration of
Federal agencies in Alaska under central head
operating on the ground and more liberal policy
in permitting people to acquire title to lands and
other resources should be discontinued
We should not paint things black that it will scare
people away, when the conditions not warrant It,
AS is frequently the case many Alaskans are lay
ing too much stress political problems
paying sufficient attention business and economic
matters.