The Wrangell sentinel., 1943-06-25

anee. The question of the effects on our road building program is de batable. l believe by the time the war Is over that We will have a basic road program completed far in advance of anything We could have ever obtained as Territory or a state and that they will be part of a national defense program and maintained by the Federal gov ernment with the result that We can build feeders and develop other parts of Alaska with road system that will be relatively inexpensive Incidentally. a gasoline tax on our road system after che war would bring in much more revenue than people realize. The other factors can be fairly closely computed. My estimate, including eyefytn n g. would be around three quarters of a million dollars per year. If that were increased 25 per cent and made a million dollars per year. which l believe would be more ade- quate-it could be easily raised OIL the basis of our population. And it would not need much increase in taxes. but merely an equalization of the tax burden l spent three weeks at the last Legislature and believe that have somewhat of an understanding of Che finances of the Territory and have discussed this matter with members of the leg islature and they all believe it is teasible-those with whom l have discussed il.
 Regarding the second objection: The amusing thing is that We would not lose many of these agencies. l have talked to some of them down here and they function about the same in the states as they do in Alaska, so 1t would really not make much difference
 They have also raised the ques= tion of handling the natives. l be- lieye that We could do a better job than the present department but you could bet your bottom dollar that they would not relinquish very much of their authority as they are really topnotch bureaucrats
 There would Seem to be one thing that could be done in Alaska that would be a revelation to other states and that is doing away with counties, except for judicial and elective divisions. We would have no need for county taxes nor county police. We could use a state police and state tax system and do away with the overlapping features Of county government that are such a drain on our political and social government of today. We would only need county geographical di- visions for the purpose of electing under a proportional plan and the assignment Of judges and prosecut- ing attorneys It is the system we are using in Territorial government. The objection is that the first and third divisions would be paying taxes to support the other two di- visions-but they are doing that now, and who are we to say that such will always be the ease? With the reapportionment bill in effect, that will make some compensation for that fact Besides, our future as a state would seem To be on basis of the development of all and entire Alaska and if people in these two divisions have to bear some of the burden of development of the other two divisions it is no more than right. You can also argue that the state of New York should complain because too much of their money goes into development of Alaska for national defense.
 We have alreaoy been a ter ritory too long. The day has passed when the development of Alaska should change with every change of administration or change of Sec retary of Interior. We are entitled to work out our own destiny. We have a right to ralse our children where they have equal rights with other American citizens. We. who have seen our land be the only part of America invaded by the enemy. have a right to say something about the fighting of wars and the mak- Ing Of peace-and une preparation of defenses to stop any future in