The Alaska daily empire., 1923-06-12
FULL TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT-AND
 PERHAPS, DIVISION.

Tho greatest thing that Congress could do sor| Alaska would be confer upon the people tuii Territorial foIm of government. A great many Alasha problems that are worrying the lawmakers of the Nation could be easily disposed of by giving Alaska as great powers the other Territories of the country had their respective days, and the people Of Alaska those whose home and interests are here, could perform the offices better than can those who reside great distance from the Territory and whose direct interests elsewhere It is absurd to have the Congress a great Nation acting Territorial Legislature Il is than that because to us the Ioeal problems vital things; others they are more less benehcien theories.
 The people of Alaska, should have power over their own taxation and financial matters. They should be permitted organize counties or other smaller political divisions where they could do more local improving. They should have jurisdiction over their fisheries. game and lot Of other things.
 If it should be contended that there large sections of the Territory where the population is too scarce and nparsey scattered wide for such government it might be we'll to consider the division of the Territory Southwestern Alaska with that part of the Third Division which centers about Prince William Sound and the Copper River Valley is amply prepared to take of itself separate Territory IL should be organized into three more counties Ii could govern itself without any aid of any sort from the National Government except such it has been customary give other Terri tories in the past and to the separate States Ter ritory composed of Southeastern Alaska and the Prince William Sound and Copper River sections could build it's own roads. educate its youth and perform the other functions of Territorial Government with out help from the National treasury did Washing ton, Arizona Oklahoma and the other Territories in their days.
 Such division would be in accordance with the precedens of the past It has been the custom of Congress whenever frontier section developed to the point where it could take of itself but had not yet reached the point where it had sufficient population and wealth maintain a State govern ment to erect it into Territory Southeastern Alaska and the part of the Third Division mentioned have reached such point
 There is one other reason for such division as indicated and the creation of full Territorial form ot government for the portion of it mentioned While the First Division and the part of the Third Di- vision referred to care for themselves and would welcome the opportunity do so they too are frontier regions where pioneer conditions obtain They need what resources and development they have to support themselves It is fair that they should be loaded with the of 100000 or 500 000 square miles of undeveloped hinterland It is too big a load The people Of these partly developed regions who have an enormous task before them in working out their own destiny should not be starved to support Government railroad and scattered population ex- tending more than 2,O00 miles away
 The people of the First Division have never shirked duty. They were in the lead for the nght to secure the construction of the Government railroad for the Intericr They have exhibited fine generosity in helping sections of Alaska They have contributed literally taxes ands otherwise o ald the people of distant sections. But in fairness to all concerned they should be given the right to organize into counties and more of their revenues at home If Territorial division is necessary in order to permit this then there should be division Give this section of Alaska, if not the entire Territory the widest possible of sef-government under ful Territorial form of government and then pro- Vide as easy and liberal conditions to those who wonld develop the timber and other resources as are allowed to those who engage in metal mining anu southeastern Alaska will continue to grow and develop and soon we shall have popuous and pros porous Territory enc that will to the National wealth and glory