The daily Alaskan., 1922-04-11

mGul dEOuuu AuGINOAabN AANNa stand. growing out of the Woman, s club endorsement of the Sterling Towner bill and Oar school princi- pal's-Professor PSrish's-advocacy of that measure and the writer's temerity in saying anything against either the endorsement of a few of the members of tie Woman's club or in the semi-professional advocacy Of our principal.
 I am convinced that if the body of women who make up the Woman's club of Anchorage really under stood the terms of he bill that they would be against the same, and as for our teacher, wLo unQuestionably is qualified to speak on the measure his opinion is not coincided in with a great many of the best educators in the United States.
 The fact cannot be questioned that the people of the United States are just now experiencing too much fed eral government and not enough of local government, and the question is often asked whether the people rule Washington or Washington rules the people.
 Everyone will admit that yearly the federal government is assum- ing more power. There was a time, not many years ago, when this bur den was not seriously felt by the people, but since the war the income tax has made nearly everyone feel that somewhere a whole lot of mon ey was being collected, and natural ly those who pay wonder at what advantage the moLsy collected was and will be expended
 In so far as city taxes, We can all with very little trouble and inves- gation, learn what is becoming Of the money that we pay for taxes, but 1t is entirely different with the mon ey that is collected for federal ex- penses.
 The further your business and in terests get away hom home the harder it is to properly look after same, and the very fact that our school taxes would be spent under federal direction from Washington, under the SterliLg-Towner bills provisions if the game should be- come a law Is sufh sient to condemn it in the eyes of every person who believes in local self-gOvernment.
 The federal government, or rather bodies oG men who work for the fed eral government, aIe constantly try ing to get more power for them selves or their bureaus.
 Certainly We here in Alaska have had ample experience with govern ment at distance. Has the same been satisfactory? It would appear that the jubilaticn Of the people over the granting to Alaska of To- cal legislature by congress a few years ago should amply answer that question.
 Ask nearly every thinking person in Alaska what is the principal req son why the territory is not in a more prosperous condition and you will be told that 1t is on account of our affairs being handled, misman- aged or whatever you may call it from Washington instead of from Alaska.
 And here on top of all some of our women are petitioning congress that still more power shall be en- trusted to them ard taken away from ourselves locally.
 You will not find this sentiment prevalent among Cld-timers nearly so much as you will among the new corners, many of whom came to AL aska with positions assured from the power of outside influence.
 As an example of what we might expect under the provisions of this Sterling-Towner bill; how many of us know anything aoout the amount appropriated or how the federal money is spent for the education of the natives of Alaska? We believe that it is being properly expended for we have confidence and many of us are acquainted with the men who are expending 1t, lat as far as the detail is concerned you have in no wise the detail that you can easily secure from the territorial managed and city managed schools that the local people have direct control over.
 Now do you want our public schools to be placed in the position of the schools for natives; if teach CT does not give local satisfaction, do you want to be placed in posi- ton that virtually an act of con-