The Commoner
FEBRUARY, 1914
9
of the Canadian border than there is for the
same distanco south of it.
. Why has not this land been developed? The
frank answer Is that we did not realize untlr
within a few years that it was worth developing.
As soon as we discovered its value as a national
asset we became alarmed and drew back,
affrighted at the thought that we might lose it,
or at least that it would become the property of
those who would exploit it without respect to. the
public interest. Since then we have been wait
ing to make up our minds as to wha wisely
could' be done. We have hesitated and. halted
out of the very keenness of our appreciation of
what Alaska might become. It has rather been
in compliment to Alaska than in derogation of
her value that we have done so little for her in
late years. It. was a new land, to, be opened'
under new conditions. The mistakes made there
and here we did not wish to repeat. But now
after a long pause it would seem to be the sense
of the people that we shall proceed at once and
in a large way to deal with the problem of
Alaskan development.
We have withdrawn Alaska from the too ag
gressive and self-serving exploiter What have
we to substitute as a safer servant of public iu
terest? To this question I have given much
thought, and my conclusion is that if .-we are to
bring Alaska into the early and full realization
of her possibilities we must create a new piece of
governmental machinery for the purpose. We
ehould undertake the work in the spirit and
after the method of a great corporation wishing
to develop a large territory. In my judgment
the way to deal with the problem of Alaskan re
sources is to establish a board of directors to
have this work in charge. Into the hands of
this board or commission I would give all the
national assets in that territory, to be used
primarily for her improvement her lands, fish
eries, Indians, Eskimos, seals, forestB, mines,
waterways, railroads all that the nation owns,
cares for, controls, or regulates. Congress should
determine in broad outline the policies which
this board- in a liberal discretion should elabo
rate and administer, much as is done as to the
Philippines. This board would' of course have
'nothing' whatsoever to do with the internal af
fairs of the 'organized territory of Alaska, for it
would exercise no powers' save such as' congress
granted over the property of the United States
in Alaska.
There are several reasons which. appeal to me
as supporting this suggestion:
1. Such a board could advise congress as to
what should be done, without prejudice, out of
a deep national interest and with first-hand
knowledge of conditions.
2. Such a board would coordinate the pres
ent enterprises of the government in Alaska.
As it is now, the control of lands is in one de
partment, of forests in another, of roads in an
other, of fisheries in a fourth, of railroads in
still another. The care of black bear is in one
department and of brown bear in another.
3. There can be no satisfactory administra
tion of land laws nor any other laws at a dis
tance of 5,000 miles from the point of action.
Much less is this possible where the two sections
of the country are. separated by an ocean, and
the land calling for attention is closed to the
world one-half of the year. The eye that sees
the need should be near the voice that gives the
order.
4. Alaska's opening and improvement should
be treated as one problem. Each step in such
an administration should be part of a plan, not
an isolated act. We should have a unified and
consecutive program, based on immediate knowl
edge governing this work. Each line of activity
within the territory should be correlated with
all other activities. The opening of lands and
the building of railroads or wagon roads, for in
stance, should be part of one scheme.
5. Alaska should be developed so far as pos
sible out of her., own revenues and resources.
She should have a federal budget of her own.
Her revenues and expenditures should be pre
sented to congress on a single sheet. The funde
raised from her lands and fisheries, her furs,
her forests, and her mines should be used for
the construction of her roads, railroads, tele
graph and telephone lines, or for any other pur
pose which would make her resources more
quickly available to the world. I believe it
could be shown that Alaska is self-supporting
today, or, what is more to the point, that , by
proper taxes, and .charges imposed upon, those
who are deriving large return from their enter
prise in the, territory, such revenue could be de
rived as would support a large policy of. expan
sion and improvement. In short, I would con
struct the administrative machinery that would
most surely lead to a prompt and continuous de
velopment of Alaska as a part of the United
States upon a plane commensurate with her
possibilities industrially, agriculturally, and
socially.
Strongly as I would urge this method of man
agement for. it offers a rare opportunity to
exhibit the efficiency of a republic. I would n0t
have Alaska wait-for needed legislation until
the merits of such a plan could be passed upon
by congress. Those things which appeal to me
as of immediate necessity upon which inde
pendent action may be taken are (1) the con-,
struction of railroads in tho territory and (2)
the opening of her coal lands.
I have already expressed to congress my .be
lief that it was wise for the government itself
to undertake the construction and operation of
a system of trunk-line railroads in Alaska. And
I am led to. this view irrespective of tho possi
bility of private enterprise undertaking such
work, although my belief is that no railroads
would be privately constructed in AlaBka for
many years to come excepting as adjuncts to
some private enterprise.
The coal fields should be opened not to
speculators but to operators. Those should have
these lands who will use them. None should be
opened as a basis for a gamble in future values.
If these premises express a sound public policy,
there appears to mo but one conclusion that can
bo reached as to the manner in which they may
safely be turned over to the public under a
leasing and royalty system similar to that under
which the state of Minnesota leases its ore lands
and the states of Montana and Colorado their
coal landu.
INDIAN AFFAIRS
When interviewed recently by a repesentatlve
of the Denver Times, Mr.' Cato Sells, commis
sioner of Indian affairs, gave the following in
teresting information concerning his plans for
the advancement of the nation's wards:
"The service for the suppression of the liquor
traffic among tho Indians is composed of one
chief speoial officer, one assistant chief special
oftlcer and fifteen assistant-special officers, whose
work is supplemented by 1-5 1 deputies, consist
ing of service employe's, United States deputy
marshals, and other individuals assigned to par
ticular cases or localities.
"There are now more than 300,000 Indians
distributed throughout twentyrfour states of the
union. Wherever Indians are located upon
reservations which have not been opened to
settlement, the jurisdiction of the federal govern
ment is complete. Upon others, which have been
opened to settlement, the government continues
limited authority by reason of provisions of
treaties or agreements, or through special acts
of congress. This service commenced in 1907
with an appropriation of $25,000; since, that
time the beneficial effect of this work has become
so apparent that $100,000 was appropriated for
the last fiscal year.
"The liquor evil is recognized as one of the
greatest confronting the Indian today, not only
because of its demoralizing influence, but for the
further and very important reason that it makes
him an easy prey to the unscrupulous. There are
many instances where, when under the influence
of liquor, the Indian has been induced to convey
his property without consideration. My coming
to Denver for this conference is that we may
more perfectly organize and systematize this
work, for it is my firm purpose, with the use of
good judgment, to aggressively undertake to
carry out in good faith our treaty relationships
in this respect, and so effectively use the funds
appropriated by the congress as to insure the
best results obtainable. It is my desire to co
operate with the state and local authorities, and
I am sure that the evil result of the liquor traffic
among the Indians is a matter of grave concern
to the white citizens of the country, both for the
reason that they are properly Interested In the
uplift of the red man, and for the further reason
that the impoverishment of the Indian means
that he will ultimately become a charge upon th.e
taxpayers of the several states."
In leaving for Oklahoma for the purpose of a
conference with tribal attorneys, probate attor
neys, field clerks, and county judges, Mr. Sells
made the following statement regarding probate
matters as they affect the Indian minors of the
fivo civilized trihes:
"The Indian children of Oklahoma are the
richest average children in the United States,
however, it is a lamentable fact that they have
less statutory protection there thaii in any other
state. In the forty counties in eastern Oklahoma
there are now pending from 800 to 1,500 probate
estates, about 85 per cent of which are Indian
children's estates.
"I have recently discovered that it costs about
3 per cent to settle a white child's estate, and
that it costs more than 20 per cent to settle tho
estate of an Indian boy or girl. This is the re
sult of guardians having been appointed without
regard to their equipment and the acceptance of
bondsmen, many times wholly insolvent.
"Enormous feoe havfe been charged by attor
neys, and unconscionable fees by guardians,, to
gether with indefensible expenditures of their
funds which has frequently rosulted in the dissi
pation of their entire property.
"It" is not an uncommon thing when an IndiaTi
child reaches his majority to find tliat his guard
ian has absconded, and that his bondsmen are
wholly financially irresponsible. It is. my de
termined intention to reform this indefensible
condition, and to this end I have recently ap
pointed a number of probate attorneys who will
give theli whole time under my direction to thla
work. I am now submitting a number of casea
to the grand juries in Oklahoma looking towards
the indictment and criminal prosecution of those
who have embezzled their funds.
"Recently we secured a ruling from one of the
courts of Oklahoma, holding a guardian and his
bondsmen responsible where Indian children's
lands have been sold for a grossly inadequate
consideration. It is my great desire to co
operate with the state authorities and particu
larly with the county Judges in effecting these
results, and I have every reason to believe that
this co-oporatlon will be perfectly arranged and
carried out."
DEPARTMENT OV COMMERCE
Secretary 'Redileld has received a report from
the commissioner of navigation, who is the secre
tary of the American delegation to the interna
tional conference on safety of life at sea, in ses
sion in London, relative to procedure in the con
ference. Preliminary meetings b6tween the representa
tives of Great Britain, Germany, and France were
held in London last summer and the delegations
of these three powers were already aware of tho
main points on which they could agree and 'on
which they differed. The United States, al
though invited, was not represented at these
preliminary meetings, but the investigations and
reports on subjects to be considered by the con
ference of the committees organized last spring
by Secretary Redfield relieved the Amerldan
delegates of a serious handicap and enabled
them to reach conclusions in less than half the
time which would otherwise have been required.
The attitude of the United States was determined
by a discussion of these reports in a series of
delegation meetings.
When tho conference first met on November
12, 1913. it was expected that the work would
be completed in six weeks. Such was not the
case, however, although at the time the report
was written adjournment was expected by Jan
uary 20, 1914.
The conference was at once divided into six
committees which, up to December 19, held fully
one hundred meetings to consider the various
subjects relating to safety In marine travel. The
American delegation was especially strong in
practical seamanship, seven of its ten members
having had years of experience and having repu
tations as prudent and trustworthy seamen. Six
of the British delegation of thirteen are Beamen
of national or international reputation and on
matters of practical sailor work and life the
American and British delegations stood together,
wielding a powerful influence although each na
tion, regardless of its individual representation,
had only one vote in the conference and one vote
in each committee.
The official language of tho conference, as of
all International conferences, was French, but,
through the courtesy of British chairmen, many
of the committee proceedings were In English.
Tho convention and final report, which will com
prise betveen 60 and 70 largo printed pages, will
bo in French.
In order that the condition of seamen em
ployed in the oyster fleet on Chesapeake Bay,
especially during the months of January and
February when the weather is worst, might bo
supervised closely, arrangements were made
with the bureau of fisheries of the department
for transportation facilities on the steamer Fislr
Hawk and her motor tenders" for an inspector for
that purpose. As the work of the steamboat-ln-