The Daily Alaska empire., 1928-01-23
The Truth About Alaska.
fNew York Times.)

Before the era of debunking to it's heralded close place shall be made for Colonel Wlds P. Richardsons article in the current Atlantic on Alaska. Out of the wealth Of his experience in the Territory, to whose develop ment he gave loyal service for twenty years Colonel Richardson makes a plea for less bonn bast and more understanding. The American people have been led to believe that the purchase of Alaska from Russia was a great business par gain" he notes. It is true that the original purchase price was only $7,200,000. Congress men often allow their imagination to play with that incident to the exclusion of the equally historic fact that the United States has in the interval expended some $200,000,0OO on the Ter ritory with commensurate return yet Tn ln- dustry or population. There are only about 3o,- 900 white residents in the Territory today ana they have been dwndng. Colonel Richardson contrasts this bargain" with the Louisiana Fur chase whi cost $27,0Oo,0oo, and today supports 21 ,OO0. 900 people, with an estimated wealth oi more than $60,000. .000,00
 Colonel Richardson believes that Alaska has suffered directly from over-enthusiasm whether born of romance or commercial propaganda EA- aggerated statements of it's wealth and opportuni- ties led, among other things, to the launching of the Government railroad, that Great White Elephant of the North. To it's exactions Governor Parks pays unconscious tribute when Tn the course of his latest annual report he remarks that flor the first time in the history of the pro feet the deficiency for operation was less than $1 100000" When the Territory did not grow as fast as they had expected. the enthusiasts blamed the conservationists and. the politicians They said that Clifford Pinchot and his friends were trying to Flock up' the resources of the Territory and that the bureaucrats at Washing ton had its progress tied in red tape. Develop Alaska" became the popular slogan, which found a champion in Secretary Fall. In fact, President Harding himself when he set out on ms vlsit to the Territory in 1923, leaned toward accept ance of that doctrine.
 He learned better He with his own eyes that what holding the Territory back was not so much either extreme conservation policies or Government neglect, but 1nexoraDle economic law: the exhaustion of the placer mines, worldwide shift in the value of the gold which was the Territory's great mineral resource, high labor costs Economists too, have shown the difficulty of establishing permanent civilization on the precious metals alone. Alaska suffers from what they would call aggravated case of mar gnal utility Her oil will be exploited when other supplies low, her wood pulp will be sold in larger volume when the forests more ac- cessble to the Atlantic seaboard are exhausted; her reindeer will come into the market in larger quantities when conditions allow of more profit able competition. She will come into her own some day but only with the march of natural economic law.
 If man cannot force the hand of fate in AL aska he can at least hope to guide it in some measure and take full advantage of it's decrees. Already Secretary Hoover, with the help of Con- gress has taken steps to restore the nsherles
 the Territory's greatest resource. The Forestry
 Bureau is actively seeking the legitimate ex- poitation of the Terriorys rich forests. It speaks well for the development of the Territory as a
 whole that it's commerce is on the increase Colonel Richardson advocates larger measure of home-rule, and he thinks that there is still room for relaxation of various hampering re- strictions. But he is penetrating enough to see that the Territorys material resources do not stand alone Scenery is Alaska's one i'm pershabe asset,' he writes, and what man or woman who has traversed the inland passage or seen Mount Mckinley rise like sovereign out of the clouds will choose to disagree with him?