The Cordova daily times., 1923-01-23
CONSERVATION RUINOUs

apex of it's development. Capital was falling over itself to invest in Alaska, several rail roads were under construction, oil fields were |being developed, coal mines were being opened and thousands of new enterprises were started each week. --.~- ...- --.--.>..
 Practically over. night the influence of eff ford Pinchot was felt, and Alaska was turned into barren waste All the, coal lands, timber and oil were withdrawn from entry, and busi- nesH stagnationa. ensued. At that time Alaska had 50,o00 white population, Today it has less than 15,000 most ofsthe origihal settlkrs becoming discouraged over Government dis elimination and leaving for ether fields. ' 1
 There is no question but that Alaska, was put back fifty years by the conservationists, and the rights of its people entirely ignored |Tuday the Government still owns over 99 per cent of the land and resources none of which have been scratched save the fisheries industry That the policy of conservation has been ruin ous' and short-sighted is shown by the results The people have been starved out and the Government, instead of drawing billions from the Territory, has received little revenue.
 Suppose, for sake of argument, that the states that are settled and prosperous conl- munities had run up against the conservation- ists at the time they were struggling. Take California for instance, whose resources have been exploited as mercilessly, perhaps, as those of any other save Pennsylvania, Pinchot's own state. Without the revenues from it's oil, it's redwood and its Waterpower, there would be no more people than are now in Alaska.
 PmchOt IS heavy owner in coal lands. II he believes in his own theories, why not ex- ploit them? Why not turn them back to the Government?
 The trouble is that many of the conserva- tionists are conservationists only in theory They wish to have the other fellow save for posteritv and use their own resources to the utternost. They wish market unhampered by competition. Alaskan timber, coal, oil and minerals should be kept off the market until their own products are exhausted. They are exercising a dog in the manager perrogativc delegated by a strong pull with capital. There is no doubt that the Government ; Ipolicy has ruined Alaska, and in running it has branded every capitalist investing in the Territory as interruptions, rapacious scound Irels, whereas capital has received less return in Alaska dollar for dollar, than in any other Icountrv in the world, owing to high wages Ihigh cost of transportation, poor roads, anG excessive taxes
 A local case or two may be mentioned tC illustrate the harm conservation has. done tc Alaska Up to the time the conservation bug struck the Administration, Seldova had ; fourishing coal mine owned by Michigan firm, Mr. McAlpine being in charge The company had built seven miles of railroad and placing coal at salt water at a low price. The coal is Ignite of a high quality, but not suf ficient to compete with coal in the States bat was a @odsend to AIaskans in that vicinity Following the conservation order the mine wspe forced to shut down, and the company went broke. Today Seldovia has no mine operatine at sufficient capacity to supply the country side
 Mr. ". c. Wholf, who owned a small bed If Ignite, and was mining in limited way following the conservation order, had the tc merty to ship a few tons of coal to Seward to relieve shortage. For this he was fined $500, and he also was forced to suspend de |velCnnlent. Shutting down these mines die the Government no good stopped substantial development of needed fuel and broke the |operators. These are but two cases of thou sand called to our attention
 It is time Alaska's resources were unlocked and tEe key lost.-Seward Gateway.
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