The Wrangell sentinel., 1949-03-11
THROUGH THE SENTINEL PERISCOPE

ernorship fire again this week. The anti-Gruening crowd was attempting 10 stop the Governors confirmation by the Senate following his re- appointment recently by President Truman. It was an old story and one which had been going on since Ernest Gruening came to the Terri tory as Governor nine years ago and began to work diligently for the general welfare of the people of AL aska and for the Territory's pro gress and development toward ulti- mate statehood. The status quo boys the ones that were making theirs in Alaska and taking it Outside with them without leaving anything in the country by way of taxation didn't like that sort of a program After all, they had been exploiting the Territory for years, like a priv ate preserve, and they wanted to keep it that way. It was the spirit of reaction and anti-progress which has been found on every frontier since the beginning of time There were people against the automobile; {; the horse and buggy was good enough. There always have been people against something or other since human history began. There were quite a few of them in Alaska and the Governor soon became their target because he proposed that the Territory do something for itself hat nf bsa which was being made in the Ter ritory be set aside for the develop ment of the country. After nine long years, he had been able to get through the Legislature this session an income tax bill and a property tax law as part of a basic tax pro- gram for the Territory. The special interests and status quo crowd didn't like it so the wolf cry went out "stop Gruening confirmation. :" The wires were pouring into the Senate committee considering the appointment, labelling the Governor the big, bad wolf. The anti boys were making their pitch.
 One of these days the U. s. Sem ate would confirm Ernest Gruening for another four-year term despite the bedlam, and the big majority of the people of Alaska would be hap py about it.
 ## < *
 On March 24, 13 days hence, the 18th Territorial Legislature is due to adjourn sine die, quietly fold it's tent and steal into history. To date it has enacted into law 29 bills and a string of memorials that reach from here to there. Other legisla tion probably will be passed in the remaining days, but il doesn't prom ise to be anything particularly as- founding. In fact, if the Senate passes the business license tax mea- sure, which already has passed the House, the 18th Legislature will go down in history as the first Legis- lature in the Territory to pass a basic tax program - good enough record for any Legislature. In ad- dition to passing an income tax law, a property tax law, and probably ultimately, the business license tax bill which does not become effective until appropriate action by Con- gress, the 18th Legislature will, be- fore it adjourns, have balanced the budget, something the previous Leg islature failed to do. The new rev enue bills, plus those previously on the statute books, are expected to yield the Territory around eighteen million dollars during the next bi- ennium. This should balance the budget with probably little sur plus.
 In the field of education, which had suffered during the last two years due to lack of funds, the 18th Legislature appears to be prepared to appropriate enough money to build some new schools and repair others, a task which hasn't been touched in ten years. One measure calls for three and half million for construction, the major portion to go for building outside incorporated towns. This is separate from the seven and a half million the Board of Education asked for in the bud get for school construction. If only a major portion is finally appropri- ated and used it will be an achieve ment, for nothing has been done for schools in the Territory since be- fore World War II. Just shingling a couple of outhouses would be pro- gress compared with what has been done since 1940.
 <
 Among the 29 laws enacted, in ad- dition to the basic tax bills, are such measures as raising the wolf bounty to $50, coyotes $30 and seal to $6; enabling the Territory to take advantage of the national housing program; raising old age allowances; raising the tax on fish traps; sending some law provisions such as the dependency allowances under the Unemployment Compensa- tion law. But while passing all these meritorious acts, the 18th al-