The Wrangell sentinel., 1923-01-18

l 10 the lllnlI OI COuSuHptlou py
 your own people you already have | the best market on the continent. The high freight rates which prohib-
 it you from shipping most forms of agricultural products from Alaska l into the markets of the States will
 be just as potent in keeping products from the States out of the Alaska market. Furthermore, there is one class of agricultural products which | il appears probable can ultimately be shipped from Alaska and compete successfully in the markets of the cheese and butter, worth from $500 to : .000 a ton. can stand the trans portation charge, if produced on free 1 land, and be sold in competition with similar land costing s200 to 1 $500 per acre. nor is there any dan ger of the national demand not being sufficient to absorb the Territory's production without a disastrous break in prices. There is nothing to prevent Alaska from becoming the greatest dairy state of the Union if her people are willing to face the same yicissitudes of pioneering that were faced by our ancestors and compatriots who cleared the hard wood lands of Ohio and Indiana, drained the swamp lands of Illinois and Iowa, conquered the grasshopper pests. of Kansas and Nebraska, learn ed the secrets of dry-farming in Montana and Wyoming, and irriga- ted the desert lands of Utah, New Mexico and other western states.
 After all is said and done the des- tiny of Alaska rests not so much on the knees of the gods or on the bland, sweet smile of our dear old Uncle Samuel as in the vision, am- bition and hands of the Alaskan. He must see the Territory first as per manent abiding place. not treasure house from which to wrest a stake to be taken back to the States and there invested and enjoyed. He must see it also as the abiding place of his children and their children on to the end of time. His hands must be willing ones, working not only for immediate personal gain but also for the permanent improve ment of the property which his loved ones will remain to enjoy and appre- ciate when his hands are forever stilled, the same as the pioneers clear across the continent have ta- ken part of their compensation in the Zest of life in a new land and the knowledge that their footprints make easier the ways of those who follow later He will have neither pride in accomplishment nor glory in achievement for growth which comes from federal aid. His great est pride and real triumph will be in the realization of the improvements which he himself has planned, and the results earned by his own labor and initiative.
 The Alaskan has already to his credit one notable achievement. He has been metamorpdosed from booming gold-seeker into a perma- homo ht1ildnr T,,t 1tr the Territory has been transformed from land of bachelors and bunk houses to land of families and bun galows: from country of a few big temporary camps to one of many small permanent communities. In proof of this the 1920 census reports 100 females residents of Alaska to every 1885 males, as compared to ratio of 100 to 2479 in 1910. It also reports 1S4 towns and villages in 1920 where there were but 79 in 1910, and only 39 in 1900. Unques- tionably Alaskas population is today more stable than ever before in it's history. There are more people in the Territory today who in their hearts feel it to be their permanent home, come evil fortune or good, than ever before.
 The nation may confidently leave to these people the solution of the Alaskan problem. The first thing I expect to see the true Alaskan do is to establish the foundation of a state 1 and ask permission to add the 18th star to our flag. I expect to see this state embrace about 200, 900 square miles, or that part of the Territory south of the Arctic Circle, and east of the 152nd meridian west. ex- pect to see a constitution adopted by the new commonwealth assuring security and fair treatment to out side capital to the end that such cap ital will have no legimate excuse for