The Alaska daily empire., 1924-12-06

available to organize searching par
ties for the rescue Of lost persons
An old age pension system sup
plements these helpful Territorial
agencies and further insure the com
fort of those in need. Originally
monthly allowance limited tC
$3.50 was provided for impoverished
men over IS years who had lived in
the Territory for fifteen continuous
years and a maximum allowance OF
$500 for women of 60 years like
wise qualified, but these amounts
were subsequently increased to
$500 and $4500 respectively and
today lS3-161 men and % women
are carried on the Territorial pen
sion roll. drawing various sums ac-
cording to their need. A substantial
addition to the annual appropriation
of 100000 is now required to meet
steadily growing appeals for aid.
The average number of inmates of
the Pioneers Home is S2. all men,
making a total of 265, who receive
Territorial bounty. Alaska in pioneer
days was essentially a mans coun-
try, which explains the small number
of women pensioners.
Charities and Education.
Approximately $250,O0O is expend-
ed biennially toward charitable ends.
Considering the Territory's scant
population, 10000 whites. and its
necessarily limited revenues. these
liberal public benefactions are rem
dered possible only by the simplicity
and utmost economy of administra-
ton. Every dollar appropriated for
relief goes to the beneficiaries with
out administrative cost. Whether
such liberal system of paternalism
could be maintained with growth
of population is problematical.
The, Territory is equally generous
in meeting educational needs. Its
public school system. although yet
in the formative stages, is main
tanned at a high standard and is the
pride of the Territory. A pairing of
the budget invariably excepts the
schools. With an enrolment of only
$500 pupils, the cost of educating
the children exceeds 500 per capita
per year. The sum total of ap-
preparation for the current biennium
was $S01, ,700.17. including $4,000
for the Agricultural College and
School of Mines at Fairbanks, in
addition to the annual government
endowment of $4,000.
Wards of the Nation.
Indians and Eskimos, commonly
called natives, who comprise almost
one-half of the population, do not
share in these Territorial benefac-
tions and educational advantages.
Occupying the status of wards of
the nation. the Government, through
its Bureau of Education, conducts
native schools and maintains hos
pitals. ana otherwise generously, if
not always efficiently or adequately,
provides for them. AS these wards
are scattered over wide domain the
difficulties attending their care are
manifold. and the aid given them
falls far short of the Territorial
care extended to the whites. whose
needs are under more direct super
vision.
Tribal customs are largely of the
past and native life has undergone
a transformation from savagery and
heathensm to civilization and Chris
tianty Notable progress has been
made in Southeastern Alaska. Kake,
Bayview and Hydaburg are model
Indian villages. They have local
government, with a mayor and coun-
ell, and compare most favorably
with communities of like size in the
States. At Bayview the natives own
and operate the cannery and sawmill
and otherwise exhibit marked enter
prise and ambition. Electric light
ing plants have been installed in
these villages and other modern con-
veniences provided. Motion picture
theatres are maintained and phono-
graph and radio apparatus are in
use. Each of these villages, as well
as Angoon and Yakutat. has a
Brotherhood Hall, built by the ma.
tives, which constitutes community
center where entertainments anc
athletic contests are held. Kake, or
lonely Kupreanof Island. with only
four white inhabitants storekeep.
err, two Government school teachers
and nurse-is an especially clean
attractive and well-ordered com
munity,
| The more progressive of the ma
I tive element, as typified in the vii
lagos named. believe that direct con.
tact and competition with the whites
would further promote the welfare
of the race and, therefore. favor the
opening of the island reservations tc
white residents and settlement. A
visit by the Governor to these com.
munities during the Summer wa:
heartening. Certainly native life a.
there exemplified is full of pormise.
llIiterate Voters.
A reverse side of the picture
however, is constantly in evidence
! Indians living in less favored local.
+, ties are still a primitive people
many of them densely ignorant. un
able to read or write. and eking ou
miserable. decadent existence. TIL,
community house, so-called, where
in several families abide in squalor
still exists in backward villages ant
such degradation naturally serves
while not typical. to create pre-
rdice AGAINST the natives as
whole. The fact that many of thi
class oxercisp the right tn vote with