The Daily Alaska empire., 1935-01-17
TOURIST TRAVEL

TOURIST TRAVEL
 The Territory ought in every way possible to en- courage tourist travel in Alaska It is constantly ing and profitable industry which is bringing and can bring much more money into the Territory. Our and British Columbia have incorporated organizations for the sole purpose of promoting tourist travel to their sections.
 Available figures show the splendid results that these have and profitable industries that have been built up in those sections Some of these organ zatons receive assistance from State and municipal ernments to further travel business.
 Alaska is unique and stands out one of the great tourist areas of the world Properly developed the tour list business become of most important industries In addition to the direct benefits received from increased travel many who come tourists later invest money in the Territory and build industries to develop and utilize natural resources, producing employment; The famous resorts of Europe Florida California, Hawaii and sections of the United States and Canada are examples of the importance of the business While not making any specific recommendations on this subject wish the Legislature would give serious attention
 LIQUOR
 One of the difficult problems confronting government in Alaska is regulation of the liquor traffic The last Legislature provided for handling beer and light wines ation in effect when the Liquor Board created to make rules and regulations to handle socaed hard liquors whenever Congress would repeal the Alaska prohibition law into being The Liquor Board creature of the Legis ature, thought it would not be in good taste if Legislature had done in the premises, it confined its efforts to providing rules and regulations for the sale and necessity first of all to provide system that would make
 liquor accessible to all the people at reasonable price of the hrSt objects attained the Board to make liquor readily accessible and prices reasonable that bootleggng would be unprofabe The Board felt that it was desirable that illicit liquor be eliminated by making it that people could get egazed liquor easily and inexpensivey. For that reason, it made nominal fee for liquor licenses enough to provide for for extra police costs in the municipalities but without large profits either to the Territory the municipalities At that time pressure brought the Board to provide for public owned liquor stores The Liquor Board dis carded that plan and adopted the license system for reasons
 1 One was that the Board did not have in it's control nd set m blic control of the business;
 The other was the purpose of keeping the Terri tory and it's municipalities out of the liquor business The policy of the is to keep of business except as last resort If it is possible, the liquor business ought to be in the hands of private individuals the extent as the grocery hardware drug other business.
 Generally speaking, there have been very few con- plants about the handling of liquor in the Territory Such complaints have been received have been nection with the beer parlors and have to do with the enforcement rather than the regulations. still of the opinion that the Territory would make mistake if entered the retail liquor business The license system has made 1t that manufacturers dsters, brew CTS permitted to sell directly to retail dealers That puts the wholesale business competitive basis It practically places the sale of quor the quality brands of the goods etc. and the prices charged in the hands of the trade and its customers Naturally the consumer becomes the judge and largely controls the selection of
 Territorial stores would throw open the doors for That something that could be- of course guarded against through selection o the proper people to handle Govern would lead to charges of graft on the part of those Who | might be unable to get their goods handled through the public dpensaries think it is important to avoid as much controversy possible of nature that could not fail to embarass the governmental officials in their work It is my conviction that the liquor should be handled as nearly the basis groceries and other products as possible do not favor monopoies of any knd public monopolies otherwise if they be avoided truly believe that the Legislature ought to provide for sort of licensing system and that the hard liquor licenses and beer licenses should be handled by the authority
 Most of the troubles that have arisen connection with the sale and distribution of iquor hard and light have been on account of failure in enforcing the laws and regulations That is something that is outside of the of the authorities who have had to make the rules and regulations The only law enforcing agencies that we have had United States Department of Justice officials and municipal governments in the incorporated towns Those agencies have been gradually working effective plans and enforcement has been improving believe it will continue to improve The Territory has beer functioning this subject less than year and it takes time to work out problems such as this The Legislature might with profit consider the ad- Instability of having Investigating and enforcement organization directly responsible to whatever liquor author Iity creates This organization could be small probably one to Division distribution based on population Tor the number of licenses issued This organization should Inc