The Nome nugget., 1939-04-14
OFFICE OF A. J. DIMOND Delegate from Alaska
 Especial to the Nugget)

When the item in the Interior Department appropriation bill providing $1,070,000 for the pur- chase of all reindeer and rein deer equipment in Alaska owned by others than natives was taken up by the House on March 15, objection was raised against the bill on a point of order and the entire item was stricken from the bill. Efforts made by support CTS of the item when the bill was under consideration the fol- lowing day to have it inserted as an amendment, revised to avoid the vulnerability that had Jet it fall under the axe the day before, were without avail. The amendment was rejected by a vote of 151 to 113.
 Background for the appropria- ton goes back for a number of years to the time when conflicts began to arise between the orig inal Eskimo owners of the rein deer and others who later ac- quired herds in the Territory ov CT reindeer ownership and range rights. The conflicts grew in pro- portion to the increase in the size and in the number of herds. Var ious solutions to effect a perman ent settlement of the constantly growing problems were consider ed by Congressional committees charged with the welfare of the Eskimos and other natives of AL aska. Study of the record of the testimony on the subject shows general agreement that, in view of the fact that the reindeer had originally been brought to Alas ka for the benefit of the natives tO replace a subsistence that had been lost to them by inroads made by the white man on the whales, walruS, caribou, and oth- CT indigenous game from which the Eskianos had obtained a liv- ing, the natives were entitled to first consideration in any plan.
 Delegate Dimond took the stand that the best course to fol low to find permanent solution was to purchase all of the rein deer and reindeer equipment for the natives that had been acquir- ed by others. He held such action to ultimately place many natives on a self-sufficient basis would. in addition to the benefits pro- vided for the natives, actually prove to be a definite economy in Government expenditures. At present the Federal Government is spending in excess of $1,000,000 a year on the welfare of the nat ives of Alaska.
 In carrying out this plan, Dele gate Dimond introduced a bill in the House in 1886 to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to purchase, or acquire by power of eminent domain, all the rein deer and reindeer equipment in Alaska not owned by natives for distribution among the natives. Assurance that the settlement would be permanent was guaran teed by a stipulation prohibiting ownership of live reindeer for more than 30 days by other than natives after the general pur- chase was made. AS a safeguard in the expenditures of the mon- ey authorized for such purchase this bill carried a provision that not more than $3 per head should be paid for the deer AS finally enacted in 1887, minor amend ments were made in the legisla- tion, including removal of the $3 per head price limitation, but in general it followed the text and purpose of the original bill he sponored.
 In 1888 when an appropriation for the purchase was under con- sideration of the House Commit tee on Appropriations, the Com mittee rejected it on the ground tn at additional investigation should be made to determine the economic desirability of making the purchase. A special commit tee, the members of which were