ALASKA FROM
THE INSIDE LS
STORY IN POST
(Continued from Page One'
success and prerogatives, and all
more or less unrelated and independ
ent in their operations.”
He indicted bureaucracy and red
tapeism with all the power at his
command. Strong of faith in Alaska,
he strove diligently, but unsuccess
fully, to eradicate bureau control
and substitute a system that would
be homologous and workable. On
.the eve of his retirement from of
fice, he wrote: “The Government
should either be prepared to act pa
ternalistically in the development of
this deraain which it owns, or it
should make it easier for the people
to develop it themselves. It is not
necessary to give away its resources
in order to secure this development.
We have not yet begun to know what
is in Alaska. Tt is a great laud
which needs but to be known and
to be loved for its beauty, it gran
deur and its assurance that it will
be the home of many thousands of
stalwart Americans.” -
At that time, January, 1920, the
creation of an Alaskan Development
Board, resident in Alaska, to be ap
pointed by the President, was propos
ed in pending legislation, such board
to have authority “broad enough to
permit it to develop Alaska along
pioneer lines, making the rewards am
ple for those who do the developing,
but insuring against long speculative
holding.” In principle, if not in de
tail, this proposition was akin to the
tiommission plan of government for
the territory advocated by President
Tart. A tentative bill was formulat
ed by Representative Curry, chair
man of the Committee on Territor
ies of the House, and was under dis
cussion a year later, when Mr. Lane,
having retired from public life, died
on May 18, 1921.
The printed hearings on this De
velopment Board measure, which was
primarily intended to coordinate and
concentrate Federal activities in Al
aska, constitute the most illuminat
in presentation of conditions in the
Northland ever documented. Altho
a divergence of opinion developed
on minor points, Alaskans and those
familiar with the country uniform
ly commended the aims and pur
poses of the proposed legislation,
but .the Federal bureaus opposed it
and rallied to their support the con
servationists of the East on the the
ory that the measure would invite
spoliation of the forests, the fisher
ies and game.
The Agricultural Department stren
uously objected to the /transfer of any
of its agencies to a board operating
under another department. Admit
ting the need of coordination and
favoring this underlying principle of
.the bill, Chief Forester Greeley held
that it was not necessary, in order
to give Alaska efficient administra
tion, “to incur the risk of breaking
up a consistent control and consist
ent national policy in dealing with
each of our public resources by the
responsible agencies .in Washington.”
Avowing complete sympathy with the
idea of local administration of Feder
al activities and public resources in
Alaska, he said the greatest evil had
een long-range administration from
Washington, particularly on detailed
matters, and the insistence upon
inflexible rules which w’ere not adapt
ed to a remote country and did not
give the officials in the territory suf
ficient discretion.
In reaching a solution, he said,
there would be just three plans in
his platform: ‘In the first place I
would let the control of policies as
exercised through general regulations
rest right where it is now, the De
partment of Agriculture as to its
work, the Interior Department as to
its .work, and the Department of
Commerce as to its work. Secondly,
I would put in Alaska a local repre
sentative of each department, with
authority to act on the ground with
in the regulations prescribed by the
department head, and I would make
that authority very wide. Thirdly,
I would provide for Alaska a cabi
net in which all these ftcal depart
1 ment heads would get together and
correlate their work.”
The committee made no report on
the Development Board measure and
ultimately it was abandoned.
A similar fate attended coordina
tion bills introduced at the regular
session of Congress in 1921-22, when
again it was proposed to vest juris
diction over Alaska in the Interior
Department. Friction developed in
the cabinet over the pending legisla
tion and a repetition of the costly
conservation row of ten years before
was threatened.
To avert this and restore adminis
tration harmony and preserve politi
cal peace the coordination bills were
prudently deferred and finally pig
eonholed and forgotten. And so the
heterologous system is undisturbed
and complicatedly endures.
On the main issue, that coordinat
ed Federal activities in Alaska would
be conducive to the dispatch of bus
iness and general efficiency, and to
economy as well, no plausible argu
ment in opposition has ever been en
tered. The fact is too obvious for
controversy. But conservation, while
not actually involved in administra
tive reforms, invariably clouds and
(Continued on Page Three)
If You Are Doing Business
With Mail Order Concerns
If you are sending your cash out of town—doing business
with mail order concerns—keep mum about the growth—the indus
tries—the advantages or beauty of the town. You have no boast coming. It
is a good town not because of you, but in spite of you.
If you are not a Home Trader You are a
Traitor to the Best Interests of the Town ^ r
This community is made up of individuals. Its prosperity
depends on individual effort. It you send your money away for goods
that can be purchased here, you injure the town—and yourself ^
.... - _ ■ -^ #
When you buy from a mail order concern—your money is
gone for good. Not one red cent of it ever comes back. None of
it pays for taxes. None of it pays store rent, clerk hire—or does a blessed
one of the dozens of things accomplished by home-spent money.
Suppose everyone in this ’city sent away for their mer
chandise. The town would go to rack and ruin.'* You wouldn’t be
able to give property away. There would be little employment for labor.
Schools—churches—everything of a public nature would be stripped to poor
house poverty. There’s no reason why anyone should deal with mail order
concerns. Your home town merchant carries the best grades of merchandise
on the market. They are goods of recognized merit. They are sold at
practically one price the world over. You know you are getting full value in
quality. The biggest manufacturers in die country insure that with their
trademarks. Your purchases are protected. There is no buying dissatisfaction
—long waits—long distance return costs—or delivery charges. *
Your dealer appreciates your patronage?6 He puts forth
every effort to hold your trade. He becomes intimately acquainted
with your likes and dislikes—consequently can serve you in the most satisfac
tory manner. And to top off all of these important advantages—your local
merchant can save you money. V "V ** ’****», .*** __.. ^4
By all means talk up your town—but first win the right to
speak by spending your money at home. It is the solid worth of home
spent money —not words that establishes the public wealth and welfare
of the community. v- _ 1 rj-jiriiiqip
Donate to the good of the town by trading IN town—and get the greatest talus for your dollars•
The Calumet Baking Powder Company
paid for the preparation of this article.
Cal M. Brosius
Nails, fifty varieties, Automobile Glass,
Glass, Locks, Hinges,
Stockholm Tar, Roof Pitch,
BB1. Lime,
Hyd. Lime,
Plate Glass,
Colors,
Chimney Brick,
Varnish,
Corner Bead,
Mirrors,
Medusa,
White Atlas,
Keens,
Metal Lath,
Cedar, Oak, Maple,
Arch Brick,
Fire Clay,
Plaster Paris,
Hickory, Iron Bark,
Beaver Board,
Gal. Cor. Iron,
Pulleys,
Flooring,
Fir, Spruce, Maple,
Ceiling,
Rustic,
Paints.
Glass Cutting,
Terps, Oils,
Fibered Plaster,
Stains, Putty,
Corner Lath,
Belting, Cement
Doors,
Windows,
Lumber,
Fir Lath,
Fire Brick,
Spruce Finish,
Mouldings,
Z-Lath,
Plaster Board,
Mahogany,
Roof Paper,
Building Paper,
Asbestos Paper,
Shingles,
Sash Rail,
Fir Finish,
LIBBY-OWENS WINDOW GLASS, Single and Double Strength,
Standard Oil Products, Rubber Matting, White Sand,
ASBESTOS STRIP SHINGLES, HYDRAULIC ELEVATORS,
METAL BASEMENT SASH AND FRAMES,
Sidewalk Coal Hole Covers Sidewalk Walk Lights, Etc.
CAL N. BROSIUS
BUILDING SUPPLIES
When things Look
BLACK Phone the
Seward Steam Laundry
Telephone Main 148
■4
HOTEL ANCHORAGE
F. I. REED, Proprietor . ^
Rooms with Bath. Sample Rooms in Connection
Strictly Modern Prices Reasonable
Steam Heat Good Service
HOT AND COLD WATER IN EVERY ROOM
Bus meets all trains and boats
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA
HOTEL SEXTON
GEORGE SEXTON, Proprietor
SEWARD’S HOMEY HOTEL, WHERE THE OLDTIMER3
MEET
VAN GILDER HOTEL
HOT AND COLD WATER IN EVERY ROOM
STEAM HEAT
J. S. BADGER
HOTEL SEWARD
OSCAR DAHL, Proprietor
HOMEY, COMFORTABLE ROOMS AND BATH
Convenient to Depot and Dock