Valdez Daily Prospectoi
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Prospector Publishing Co,
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One Dollar per Month: Twul'n Dollars i>cr Yeui
TUKSDAY, J AN L'All V Hi, I1MJ.
GOVERNMENT FATHERHOOD IN
ALASKA.
( iovi'I'iiiikmiI railway building
for I he 11«'\«>11>)>iti«• iiI ill' mil' «• f I Ik*
Alaska coal fields is now I In' snb
, ject of a definite proposal lo con
gress in a bill introduced J»y llep
rosen I alive Sul/.er «»1" New Y«»rk,
who not long1 ago paid a visit lo
Ihut lerrilory. As lliis is a slep
toward placing the government in
I hc posit ion of a direr! business
factor |n Alaska, the particulars
of I he proposed measure «irft of
interest from a political aft well
as an industrial point of view.
..Congressman Sul/.er asks an
appropriation for 11,e construc
tion and operation of ft railroad
tc btf knriw'n as the Alaska Cen
tral from the town of Seward, on
Resurrection bay, lo the Matanus
ko coal fields, I be work to be done
by army engineers under tin; di
rection of an "Alaska Public Serv
ice Commission." One of the
features is tbe setting aside of
15,000 acres "of I lie best coal lands
in the Malanuska field, and a sim
ilar amount in adjacent districts,
Tor the use of I lie army and navy.
At I lie same lime il is proposed
lo i ne I tide Alaska under the jur
isdiction of the Interstate Com
merce Com mission.
From a military point of view
there can lie no doubt that the
reservation of a large coal sup
ply near the Pacific coast would
he a wise move, as I lie coal re
sources of the Pacific are far from
satisfactory. Naval considera
tions are what made the Alaska
coals of special interest lo offi
cials at Washington. II is prob
ably logical, also, that the gov
ernment should engage in the
work of const met iug a railroad
necessary to make the coals avail
able on the coast. Hut the pro
posals mentioned point to some
thing more than a military de
mand. They are likely to lead to
a complete government control of
the coal mining indtislrv in Alas
ka. I'rivsrle enterprise in this
direction has been persistently
discouraged, and we have before
ns ;tn example of suggested gov
ernment paternalism to take the
place of individual operations. II
may In* said that private coal min
ing will he permitted under a
leasing scheme, bill the etTecl is
emplnil ically paternalist ic. never
theless. What does il not point
t.o in the way of ultimate railroad
ownership in the United Stales.
Mining Science.
GOVERNOR CLARK ON
TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT
(Continued from page 1)
sentiment is mad)* manifVsl both
within and without flic territory.
T think the outside advocates may
bo disregarded, as they arc gener
ally not informed and, moreover,
are non-residents, who would not
assume any of I lie responsibili
ties of the now government.
Among the residents of Alaska
there are many sincere advocates
of the policy of forming a local
territorial government with an
elective legislature, and turning
over to the local government all
those afTairs of local legislation
and administration which arc us
ually assumed hv territories fully
organized as such. There arc
others who oppose it strongly;
and since these opponents arc us
ually to he found among the larg
er property owners, sometimes
the representatives of large cor
poral inns, they have encountered
the charge, just in some instances
no dotiht, that self-interest and
not the public interest is respon
sible for their altitude. So the
question has been debated with
much bit|erncss--so much in fact,
that the discussion has not gen
erally been enlightening or val
uable; and the subject has been
so involved with selfish political
ambitions that much of the dis
cussion has not even been sin
cere. In short, sane and sober
consideration of the issue, calcu
lated to determine it "on sheer
merit, has been conspicuously
wanting.
The principal considerations
urged in favor of a territorial leg
islatmc nre (I) that the people
have a constitutional right to
govern themso1ves--at least with
in the limitations which hav.i beer
placed upon other territories prior
to statehood; (2) that the mem
bers of a local legislature would
understand local conditions bet
, ter than the members of congress
Understand them, and would
therefore enact more suitable
laws; (3) that a local legisla
ture would devote to territorial
improvements largo tax monies
which at present, are covered in
to the United States treasury and
which (it is asserted) exceed the
amount of the federal appropria
tions for Alaska. The advocates
of a legislature either deny the
truth or ipiestion the sufficiency
of a number of statements set
forth in opposition, anions which
are the following: (I) That the
population is so small, so lack
ing in homogeneity,and to so larife
an extent, unstable, as to render
the proposed new government im
practicable; (2) that the total
amount <>l° taxable property is too
small to bear the expense of the
new government, including the
cost, of necessary public works;
(3) that, under Hie proposed
change, the territory wmjlll lose
jmore of material bonej||s thftn it,
|would gain.
That tin* members of a terri
torial legislature would liave a
belter understanding of local
needs than has heen shown by the
national congress, and also thai
their time would be devoted to
the consideration of these things
as the time of the congress is not.
and cannot he, is obvious, and this
fact is almost exclusively respon
sible for the atljlude of those who
are both sincere and thoughtful
in their advocacy.ot a change in
the form of government. There
are those who are sincere but very
poorly informed who employ the
statement thai large tax monies
are now covered into the nation
al treasury and withheld from use
in Alaska which would become
available for local use if a terri
torial legislature were in control
of the licenses and taxes. A brief
statement will correct this mis
apprehension, hut it will at. I lie
same lime lend some support lo
the adverse proposition that, the
territory is not yet able to bear
I lie. expenses of local government
and of public works. The tax and
license monies of every descrip
tion collected in Alaska, exclusive
of customs and internal revenue
receipts, which are usually not
devoted to the expenses of local
governments, and exclusive of
municipal real estate taxes which
jare under control of city councils,
j incorporated towns was covered
j i111• • the treasury, for use in
building roads and amounted in
jibe last fiscal year t<» $308.i:tr>._
j I i. of Ibis amount $ I (>(>.25-1.08
'was or will be turned over to the
treasurers of the several incor
porated towns, for the partial
support <>f I lie. municipal govern
jmenls. The balance, comprising
monies collected outside of in
corporated towns, was covered in
11 o the "Alaska fund" in the Unit
ed States treasury, for use in
Imihlinx 'roads and trails and
maintaining schools in the ter
ritory. The congress has made
direct appropriations for Alas
ka for I he next tlscal year (not
including salaries or expenses of
officers, the expenses of the ad
ministration of justice, the main
tenance of prisons and jails, or
certain general appropriations
which are applicable in part to
Ibis territory) amounting to
$790,243,27—that is, $401,108.13
more than the total revenues of
Alaska, exclusive of customs and
internal revenues. The items of
direct and specific appropriations
included in the gross amount as
given above are, aids to naviga
tion, care of insane, suppression
of the liquor traffic among the
natives, protection of game, edu
cation of natives, propagation of
reindeer, construction of roads
and trails, protection of the
fisheries, land surveys, ami tele
graph system. A few other ap
propriations are omitted because
I hey are purely temporary.
(Concluded in tomorrow's issue).
Oh, Myl Oh, My!!
How wo nil did laugh nf. the
pictures shown in llio Orpheuni
I ft hI night. ! am going again this
ovoning, as I hoy are ft sure euro
for Iho blues. Program:
Overture, orchestra.
"Dad's Girl," something sensa
lionnl.
"Rod nose," Illustrated song.
"Hobo's •Hold-up," a scream
comody.
"Exception lo the Rule," anoth
er sensible comedy.
"Crazy flulch," a side-splitter.
Selections by orchestra.
QOVKVtNOVt MoDONALD
TAKES OATH OF OFFIOK
Ranta Fe, Jan. trt.—Governor
McDonald was inaugurated yes
terday in the presonco of an iin
monso throng of people. Ho has
issued a call for a session of the
legislature to bogin today.
lt/fajestic
J, fx c- N- JONES, Mgr.
Complete clHinge of program:
Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursday
and Saturday.
Saturday Matinee at 2:30 p. 111.
Children under 14, 10 c.
If You're Pleased Toll Others.
ir not. ton US
pictures WORTH WHILE
TWO SHOWS NIOHTLY 8 and 9:18
MISS O'MALLEY.I PUnUt
MINING ENGINEER
L. W. STORM. E. M.
VALOMZ. ALASKA
Rbportb on MiNmm
Patent SuNrmY?
GmNtttAi. Mini No Swe(wa«R/wa
Phonm No. tos
f. butterworth;
Civil Engineer and',
U. S. Deputy Land and
Mineral Surveyor ,'H
Ofllce in HurrlriKton BldK.
on Wmer Front H09- P > • 189
MISCELLANEOUS
CAMP VALDEZ No. 10
Meet every Tuesday evenlnjt at 8 o'clock in i
MeKinl^v Hall All members re«iuested to at-I
end T* Ci. QUINN. Artie Chief !
Vald ez Lodge No. 168
Free and Accepted Musons
Itpcular Communications first Wednesday in
each month in McKinley Hull. Visitors always
welcome.
James M. Patterson.. W. M
C. C- Reynolds. Sec
I.0.<
>0. F.
Vjsitinir and local Odd Follows are re
quested to register their name with the
Vnldcz Odd Fellows' Club. Regular
meetings. ilrsi imd third Monday.
Call on P. S. HfTNT. Secretary.
FOE
VAT-DKZ AKKIK No. 1071
J Meet every Friday, h i». hi* Kuirle Hull
i BUY YOUR BREAD at
VALDEZ BAKERY
Nothing but best materials used.
| FRESH BREAD DAIL\
All kinds of Cakes, Pies, etc.
made to order
WOOD & HENRICH,'Props.
Fagerberg Bros.
NIZINA, ALASKA
General Merchandise
Miners & Prospectors Supplies
Fresh Goods—Reasonable Prices
THE Holiday reunion of
fers an opportunity for
having that group picture
made.
' We are equipped to pro
duce the best in groups or
individual portraits.
We offer a variety of
styles and sizes.
IP. S. HUNT
STUDIO
Valdez Alaska
I England, Ireland, Germany, Sweden,
1
Norway, Denmark, or any
Part of the Earth.
We Issue Drafts Payable in any
of the Above Countries.
Also Bank Money Ordera. Delivering the
Money Direct to the Old Folks' Home.
S. BLUM & CO
BANKERS
Gapital Fully Paid, $200,000
THE MUTUAL COMMERCIAL CO.
THE SEASON HAVING CLOSED
The Mutual Commerical Co.. op
erating the launohes Three M and
Flirt, does a general launch and
lightering business. - All sched
ules discontinued for the winter
months. Sailings subject to
weather. Leave orlers at Vaidez
Dock.. D.E.MORRIS,
Archibald Bld'g.
tfcup Hotel
THE BIST OF EVEPYTHING
in m mm or man
135RMHsWiTHBmi-505iHKffiooHS
When In Seward Stop at the j;
COLEMAN HOUSE j;
$ GEORGE SEXTON, Prop. O
8TRICTLV FIR8T CLASS
_ Fourth jAvt Scwaro, Alaska o
A FULL LINE OF
Groceries, Provisions
— AND—
General Merchandise
We carry a full lino of Schilling's
Best Money Hack goods.
DOUGHERTY & FERGUSON
Hi (ONE 2.
ValdezJlUndertaklng Co.
' Undertaker, Embalmera
Funeral Director*
P&n!:i4* CEO. ROBBINS, Mfr.
9J
Copper River Lumber Co., Inc.
ALL KINDS OP
Native and ¥ ¥ T|yyiDI?Q and Building
, Puget Sound Li Vx IVIJDIZjJRl Material
CONSTANTLY ON HAND
Prices Right W. M. FINICAL, Mgr. Phone 1&
Patronize a Home Industry
Cbe
Tairbanks Bar
George Krau, Proprietor
Pool, Cigars, Liquors]
Courteous Treatment Phone 100
Ingram & Bush Dealers
Just Arrived Direct from the)
Factories a Largej .Shipment of
*
INTEGRIDAD, Rex, Regal* EL S1DELO, Senator*, Millionaire*
SMOKECRAFT, Rein* Victoria, Delmonico BELMONT, Monarch
/ REPRESENTA, Medio, Full Value, Madrid
Box Trade Solicited at Seattle Prices
Special Price To The Trade
Rkf.ilKinfttltWMMllhAWik
We do a
general
Banking
Business
S BLUM & ©•
— H COR P <> W ATE D —•-> / ji
BANKERS <W
L CAPITAL <• $ 2 OO.OpOfV^
Bank in1
rear of
mercantile;
department!
We Pay 4 Per Cent Interest on Time Certificates of Deposit.