The Seward gateway., 1923-01-13
CONSERVATION RUNioUS

In 1909 the Territory of Alaska was at the apex of it's development. Capi- tai was falling over itself to invest in Alaska, several railroads were un- der construction, oil fields were be- ing developed coal mines Were being opened and thousands of new enter prises were started each week.
 Practically over night the influence of Clifford Pinchot was felt and Alas ka was turned into a barren waste. All the coal lands, timber and oil were withdrawn from entry, and bus mess stagnation ensued. At that time Alaska had 50,000 white population. Today it has less than 15,000 most of the original settlers becoming dis couraged over government discrimina- ton and leaving foT other fields.
 There is no question but that Al aska was put back fifty years by the conservation lists, and the rights of it's people entirely ignored. Today 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 runious and short rt-sighted is shown by the results . The people have been starved out and the government, instead of drawing billions from the territory, has receiv- ed little revenue.
 Suppose for sake of argument, that the states that are now settled and prosperous communities had run up against the conservationists at the time they were struggling. Take Cali fornia for instance, whose resources have been exploited as mercilessly, serhaps as those of any other save Pennsylvania, Pinchot's own state. Without the revenues from its oil. its redwood and its waterpower, there would be no more people than are now in Alaska.
 Pinchot is a heavy owner in coal lands. If he believes in his own theo- ,ries, why not exploit them. Why not turn them back to the government?
 The trouble is that many of the con seryationists are conservationists only in theory. They wish to have the oth- : CT fellow save for poste.ity and use : their own resources to the uttermost. They wish a 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 dog in the manager prerogative delegated by a strong pull with capital.
 There is no doubt that the govern ments policy has ruined Alaska, ana in running it, has branded every cap- italist investing in the territory as unscrupulous, rapacious scoundrels, whereas capital has received less re- turn in Alaska, dollar for dollar than in any other country in the world, ow- ing to high wages, high cost of trans portation, poor roads, and excessive taxes.
 4 local case or two may be mention. ed to illustrate the harm conservation has done to Alaska. Up to the time the conservation bug struck the admins tration Seldovia had a flourishing coal mine owned by Michigan firm, Mir McAlpine being in charge. The company had built seven miles of rail- road and placing coal at salt water at low price. The coal is Ignite of a high quality, but not sufficient to compete with coal in the states, but was a godsend to Alaskans in that vicinity. Following the conservation order the mine was forced to shut down, and the company went broke. Today Seldovia has no mine operating as sufficient capacity to supply the countryside.
 MT. w. G. Whorf, who owned a small bed of Ignite, and was mining in a limited way, following the con servation order, had the temerity to ship few tons of coal to Seward to relieve shortage. For this he was fin ed $500, and he also was forced to suspend development. Shutting down these mines done the government no good, stopped a substantial develop ment of needed fuel and broke the operators. It is but two cases of a thousand called to our attention.
 It is time Alaska's resources were