The Daily Alaska empire., 1941-01-29


 emphasize that the Federal Government has by ana large done it's part Take the Weather Bureau for instance 1882 it was S39 2O3 In 194O $12352S and in 194l This year will be $292 500fourteen times what It was 1 the appropriation for the Office Indian Affairs in Alaska double what was in 93o Tor l94 Iecss atme high with s since tns ,r Dou this Federal agency has taken over fura schools formerly operated and maintained py the thus annually the sum o $aooo inc e unea era States Forest Service expenditures in Alaska last year were five times what they were egh years ago. loo4 " 1883 against $928,SO7 in l94o.
 We have not always gotten from Washington everything we have asked It is certainly secret that we nave batted unceasngy, and at times etfectVey ana sh co lime to see that Alaska gets its rghfu share o various including public roads mones However let us grant that all things considered the Federal in he eght years has treated Alaska handsomely And so when needs arise for which Federal finds are not obtanabe it seems that should be our duty as well as our pleasure to do these things for ourselves
 have been impressed in reading through the messages of my predecessors to legislature and their annual reports by the uniformity with which they have urged % torial government In his first message to the first eg ture back in 1913, Governor Walter Clark so urged ana m his last report to the Department of Interior last year Governor Troy so urged With this desire am in complete sympathy and in complete accord wish to do everytnng in my mower to speed advent of the fullest amount o terriiora control of territorial affairs and of the fullest amount territorial selfgovernment But supmt t,a the first steps necessary that direction and the simplest and most direct way achieving that desirable obectVe first to of such as Congress mas granted us second to and more on our own feet ana reach out in good old pioneer fashion, and secure for our selves by own efforts what we neea ana we f to have That the to establish our rom such remote controls consider disateul or ob iectionable and no longer Justified.
 Taxation Studies - -
 That we can afford these things and great many more which our various communities need and seek IS beyond controversy Over two years ago. long before had any boupht that should be honored with appointment to the Covernorshp my predecessor Governor lroy requeseo m
 s panning Council to undertake survey of taxation in Alaska This was done and most excellent preliminary study comprising 94 printed pages was issued m te a. t fall of 1888 The Territory was fortunate m securing T h M | Rptt National Resources Planning Board attached to the Pacc Northwest Planning Commission in Portland mat a IFS, M publication has been available and think that most o you have had the opportunity read it. The investigation con-
 nued and publication prepared by the staff ana approved by the whole Planning Council was issued last monh It was evident to Troy and to earlier Gov as their messages reveal that such tax legislation as in various respects which tax structure should be adequate and that should be fully hIormeo OH us subject to be able to meet any exlgences 'na' is"
 Believing that the information we could have on ths vital subject better and that several views were better than asked the Treasury pepafemeh & .o lend an expert make study Of Alaskan taxatlo ne Assistant Legislative Counsel of the Treasury Department one of the Treasury Departments experts on tax of it's draftsmen on revenue pills ne came & o f M Territory last spring and spent over two months o lowing careful study of tax legislation Tn Washgton and continuing that study after he returned =, ..
 MT Lusk has submitted recently lengthy ana com prehensve report of which am having several copies aae and which will shortly be available to members of the % egls atre or anyone else interested There have been other studies by qualified tax experts In number of states tax
 have been made considerable to the state involved Alaska been fortunate in having several studies made and available without to the Territory itself.
 Present Tax System - addition to that which into the treasury the unanimous opinion of all those who have studied AasKa fay svstem-opnions arrived at wholly ndependently-s that Aaskas system of laws patchwork the complete overhaul of which overdue In 1889 almost M inc territorial revenues derived from direct taxes upon the fishing mining industries These taxes beng based almost wholly upon value of the product or upon the number of units produced the territorial revenues fa and rise with the variations in the salmon pack and the mineral output. Alone among all Amercan states terores and possessions Alaska levies no tax for errl tora purposes land other property While most pro fessons and business enterprises are licensed TOT revenue purposes many of citizens conduct profitable business enterprises the Territory and contribute either nothing at all or $5 poll tax to maintain the territorial under which they live and successfully pursue these activities where the present laws do affect them
 the methods provided by present statutes Tn the amounts which each contributes lack scientific founda tion All experts agree that apart from it's nequtes the revenue secured by the existing tax system IS between