The Nome nugget., 1932-10-15

and the control of this resource
 turned over to the people of the
 Territory where it belongs.
 Road Commission
 come now to matter which
 is of vital importance to every body in this region as well as to the people both here and on the coast along the Richardson high way. The subject to which I have reference is the bill which was passed at the recent session of Congress and approved by the President on June 30. 1882, where by the functions and duties of the Alaska Road Commission have been turned over to the department of the interior and that depart ment has been given authority to impose tolls on the federal high
 ways in Alaska. Judge Wicker sham mentioned this act in his Fairbanks speech. and the part of his speech having relation to this matter was most amazing to me. I have in my hand copy of the speech and I shall read to you from it part of what Judge Wickersham said about the transfer act. This is 1t:
 q have copy of the act and I want to read it to you. It is as follows: Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- tives of the United States of Am erica in Congress assembled: That from and after the passage of this act the duties authorized and auth N,-tx To- board of road commissioners in the Territory of Alaska, and up on the Secretary of War, as pro vided for in the act of January 27, 1905. as amended by the act of May IA, 1906. and acts supple mental thereto, and amendatory thereof, are hereby transferred to the Department of the Interior, and shall hereafter be administ- cred by the Secretary of the In terior, or under his direction, by such officer, Or officers, as may be designated by him.
 "Now you can see it doesn't change the law at all. It simp- ly changes the administration fror the War department to the Inter for department"
 Didn't Read all of Hearing
 Now would you not think from reading the speech that what Judge Wickersham quoted as the act in question was the entire act? He says: "I have a copy of ths act and I want to read it to you It is as follows:" And then he reads, and after reading what pur ported to be the law, he goes on and says, Nov you can see it does n't change the law at all. It simp- ly changes the administration from the war department to the inter for department" But Judge Wick ersham did not read the entire act: he read only the first section of it and he deliberately refrained from reading the second and third section, as you will see in a min ute. is of vital importance to the Teople of Alaska. In this part of his speech I can reach no other conclusion than that he was in tentionally trying to conceal from the people who were listening to him. the one feature of the law that was most serious. Let me read you Section of the ac,. Here it is:
 "Sec. 3. That with the approval of the President. the Secretary of the interior shall have the pow CT by order or regulation, to dis tribute the duties and authority hereby transferred. and appropria- tions pertaining thereto, as he may ceem proper to accomplish a more
  tion thereof, and to make rules and regulations r>v;lring .h4 use 2: reads, tra!;s. a,.d other woras, l"cluding the fixing and collection of tolls where deemed necessary and advisable in the public inter est"
 Now you will observe why Judge Wickersham didn't read Section 3 because Section 3 gives to the sec retary of the interior the right te fix and collect tolls where deemed necessary and advisable in the pub Nc interest. You and will have to pay those tolls if We use the high ways of Alaska. and you may be sure that the amount collected each year will be far. greater than the salary and prerequisites that are paid to Judge Wickersham each year for his services at Delegate to Congress from Alaska.
 Practically the only reason for making this transfer from the war department to the interior depart ment was for the purpose of i'm posing tolls on Alaskan roads and particularly on the Richardson highway. I have here a govern