The Alaskan., 1928-02-17
Open Letter to Members of Congress by Dan
 Sutherland, Delegate from Alaska
sUTHERLAND's MEMORANDA FOR SEN WILLIS
 RE PROPOSED BILL

propriated by the Legislature of Territory of AL aska on account of additional duties imposed upon Territorial Officers.
 Be resolved by the Senate and House of Repre- sentatves of United States America in Congress assembled:
 That neither Section 1855 Revised Statutes (U.sC. 1645, 1457) any other of Congress shall be construed to for clerk hire. office rent and other expenses of executive offices of the Territory of Alaska including additional compensa- tion not to exceed $2OO0 annum to the Secretary of the Territory under appropriations heretofore made by the Legislature Alaska for said purposes"
 The Act of Congress which this proposed measure would repeal in it's application Alaska as lows:
 Revised Statutes, Section 1855.
 No law of any territorial legislature shall be made by which the Governor Secretary of tory members officers any Territorial Legisla- ture paid compensation other than provid by laws of the United
 This proposed measure would not only repeal the above quoted section of the Revised ap- pcation to Alaska but it would repeal portion of Section II of the Territory which reads follows:
 No person holding commission or appointment
  gisIature, shall hold any office government of said Territory"
 The purpose and of this bill would be to modi- fly and repeal certain statutes for Territories which enacted by Congress during period nine ty years The Congressional Act to suppress the activities of Federal officers in the Territories writ ten in 1886 and Congress has repeatedly time reafirmed it's attitude, and strengthened and made explicit the Statutes bearing on this subject,
 The specific Act which this would repeal (sec. Is R. s. submitted to Congress by Hon. James A. Garfield of Ohio. January 8 1873 and promptly passed without dissenting vote
 Now come the Federal officials of Alaska have Congress repeal those laws which through years of our governmental history have been developed for the purpose of safe guarding the rights of communities of free people in their efforts establish govern and up independent as provided for in the Constitution and by Congressional Statutes particularly those designed to pre- vent encroachment by on admins trative powers of a Territorial people.
 The history of those laws are so much a part of the history of government itself would look for respect for them and the traditions that associated them. but modern Fed eral officials desire get Terri torial Treasury or respect for tradition is swept aside.
 The incentive behind this briefly. follows:
 For years certain Federal officials and employees Alaska have received payment for administrative vices the Territory This strictly in violation of the laws that they propose to have Congress peal. These officers we'll the Territorial Legs- lature have been advised by Attorneys General in submitted legal opinions this practice is violation of the Organic Act well of the Statute quoted Sec. 1855 R. S), but they have persisted in the practice until private citizens brought enjonment proceedings in the They propose to have Congress legaze practice that the hold to be illegal
 The responsibility for this situation rests largely with the local Legislature which has acquesced in the practice of permitting Federal officials to draw pensation from the Territory addition their guar Federal salaries.
 Thes practice recognized in the past pernicious. During President Grants admins tration he prompted Federal officials against holding Stae Territorial Municipal office. The language which Secretary Hamilton Fish issued this warning Executive order of Jan IT, 1873 sets forth clearly just what the result of repeal of these might be that 1 quote it you
 'The holding of such offices by the same per- son is incOmpatible faithful discharge