The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1922-08-17
NOTHING IS DONE
To HELP alaska
CONGRESS HAS BEEN DEAF, so
FAR, TO THE ARGUMENTS OF
GOVERNOR BONE.
SELFISH BUREAUS PREVENT
tiberaIixed Laws and Concentration
Of Authority and Responsibility Are
Requisite to the Successful Opening
Up Of the Great Territory.
BY JAMES p. HoRNADAY

Westinghouse looks now as If
Alaska would go along In the same
old way. When Scott G.. Bone, an In
diana man. governor Of the territory.
left here last April after having put
In many weeks arguing Alaska's case,
he carried with him assurances from
both the executive department and the
legislative department that before
midsummer the territory would re-
ceive proper attention. Governor Bone
now knows that not a thing has been
done In the way Of simplifying the
territorial government and that there
IL small prospect of anything being
done during the present calendar year.
Indeed, there Is not much likelihood
for the territory during the life Of
the present congress.
What Governor Bone wants, and he
Is of course speaking for the inhabi-
tants of Alaska, is liberalized laws
for the territory. more flexible rules
and regulations under such laws, with
concentration of authority and re-
sponsibility and an administration CO.
ordinated and brought closer home.
First OF all. the governor would like
to see consolidation of the some
thirty federal bureaus that deal with
Alaska under one department head
here at Washington. Such cOnsoli.
dalton he feels would be logical ini-
tial step toward the ends desired. In
attempting to take this forward step
the administration was confronted
with the dlsinclination Of any bureau
affairs of Alaska to surrender Its au-
thority. This Is the same spirit Of
seltishness the administration encoun-
tered when II undertook n general re-
arrangement Of the administrative
branches Of the government.
Wants Alaska Opened UP.
Governor Bone is ambitious to open
up Alaska during his term of Office.
He realizes that this cannot be done
successfully unless the present chaotic
system of territorial government is set
aside, and modern methods substi-
government railroad from the coast
into the Interior. from Seward to Fair.
banks. a project that is now approach
ing completion, should, Governor Bone
feels, mark an epoch I'm Alaska's his
tory. The governor feels that coinci-
dent with the completion Of this road,
Alaska's natural resources should be
unlocked, not to be squandered hut to
be developed under wise regulations
for the benefit of the people Of the
United States.
Governor Bone intends TO keep up
the fight for co-ordinated and sim
plfied system of government for the
territory. for more liberal mining and
land laws for colonization plan to
be worked out In conjunction with the
operation Of the government railroad
for improved transportation facilities
for more liberal mail subsidies and
for an appropriation. for the construc.
ton Of an administration and execu-
tive building In Juneau. He is plan.
ming to come back to Washington
early In the fall armed with additional
arguments In support Of his program
Wood and the Philippines.
The Harding administration has, of
course, decided that Philippine indie
pendence must wait. Having reached
that decision. the administration looks
to Leonard Wood. the governor gem
eral Of The islands. to handle things
In his own way. All the reports from
Manila indicate that the governor
general is making an excellent record.
But his stay In the islands Is to be
temporary-the understanding now Is
dean of the University o; PEN syl-
yanla next spring and IL Is Admitted
here that the things he has accom-
plished AS governor general may not
all last after he comes away.
The Philippine parllamenta, mis-.
sion which came over to plead for i'm
mediate II Independence for the islands
Is still In this country. II announces
that the campaign for independence
will be maintained here at Washing.
ton and that another parliamentary
mission may be expected early In 1923
Porto Rico, which has been on the
warpath most of the time since the
Harding administration came In. is.
according Ia the latest reports from
the island. in better frame of mind.
The native population that took ex-
cepti0n 10 the appointment Of l.. Nom
DAtl Of
becoming reconciled 10 the Kansas
politician. Some of the governors
official acts that were questioned have
recently ! zen upheld by the Porto
Rican courts, aud II now seems prob.
able that Governor Reilly will stay on
the job. There Is at oil times 4 good
deal OF agitation In the island in favor
of local self-government, but obvious,
ly that is a long way on