The Daily Alaska empire., 1927-10-18
ALAsKA's sIxTIETfs ANNIVERSARY

Today is Alaska's Diamond Anniversary It was just sixty years ago at Sitka that she was united to the United States The Russian flag was pulled down and the Stars and Stripes flung to the Northern breeze October 1s 1867.
 The treaty providing for the purchase of Rus sian America. urgently sought by President Andrew Johnson and his great Secretary of State William H Seward, had been signed in the pre- ceding March and later ratified by the United States Senate and the Russian Imperial Govern ment
 Many reasons for the transfer of Alaska have been advanced but, behind all of theh. was the Russian desire to let Alaska go to the United States rather than 10 hold it as prize for an English naval attack in of war with that country. Russia sold Alaska for thes same reason that Napoleon sold Louisiana. It due to desire not to contribute to further expansion of Great Brtains colonial wealth.
 However, whatever may have been the inter- national complications that led to the sale and purchase of Alaska, sixty years ago was great day for Alaska. Fortunate. indeed were her resi- dents of that time and those who since have become residents that President Johnson and Secretary Seward possessed foresight.
 While Alaska long neglected by the Federal Government. different from the experience of far flung possessions of other countries, she was not footed or abused. and now for many years the Government has been making amends for early neglect. She has even gone further with her fostering than is good for self-govern- ing race. The present development of the Ter ritory and the progress of the native races are living witnesses of benefcient interest of a gen- erous Government.
 The Government often has been unjustly abused for the slower growth experienced by Alaska than that of other of the country's from tiers. The great cause for the tardiness of popu lation growth, however, rests on other things than legislation lack of it. Geographical posi- tions, their topography and other conditions 1T other frontier sections encouraged settlement People could enter them with wagons. and lis' stock and few implements, live off the soil ant wait for the deyeopment of the natural resources Tn Alaska it was different. Here conditions mads it necessary to develop natural resources before population would follow. Large families, immi grafton and economic conditions, in the day before American occupation of Alaska, made emi grafton from the older States necessary, and peo ple gradually moved farther and farther West When Alaska was purchased practically the who region between the Missouri River and the Pacih Coast was great virgin country awaiting set tiers There were only four States in that vas empire - California Oregon Nevada and Ne braska And only California among those hat any considerable population less than 5bO,0O0 Nebraska was next with 120,000, then came Ore gon with less than 9O,000 and Nevada had no yet 10000 Colorado, the most populous Of th' Territories had about 35,000 population ant Washington. which next, about 2o,ooo Montana was considerably smaller. Arizona Idaho, Dakota tpow two States). and Wyomini had T GOO or 5000 each. Oklahoma was not ye open for settlement and Texas had more thai 4.0o0.O people to get. before becoming tn great State she is. It is not strange that Aask gained people slowly.
 However, there was never an American frontier in which so few people accompllshe as much as has been done in this Territory M similar population ever sent back to the state anything approaching the vast wealth of product that has been shipped out of Alaska In n other frontier covering the same length of time was there so little poverty as has existed T this Territory In of them was there great progress in prosperity and development among the Indians.
 Indications are unmistakable that Alaska < sixtieth birthday finds her at the beginning greater growth than she has yet experienced south Alaska, if the signs of the times ar authentic ought to multiply her population be fore Alaska as an American Territory, shal have reached three and ten