Merchant Marine Act Retards
The second cause that pre
vents Alaska from progressing,
Mr. Sutherland said was direct
ly due to an act of Congress,
to-wit, Section 27 of the Mer
chant Marine Act. Congress
should have labeled this sec
tion “An Act to prevent com
petition with the Alaska Steam
ship Company or with the
Pacific Steamship Company in
the service of Alaska.” It is
very peculiar that Congress
should pass laws that operate
directly in increasing the dif
ficulties and expenses of the
pioneers in Alaska and then
have the nerve to be surprised
because Alaska does not grow.
Under Section 27 of what is
known as the “Jones Act”
that freight can start from
Chicago and cross the contin
ent to Vancouver on the Can
adian railroad at a lower freight
rate, be placed on a boat south
for a Puget Sound port, but
the same article cannot be plac
ed on a boat north for Alaska.
“So that one territory, with its
declining population, which was
so mournfully spoken of here
today, is discriminated against
and is the only section of the
United States that does have
that discrimination in transpor
tation. This is a matter that
Congress can easily remedy.”
Mr. Sutherland then advocat
ed a more liberal policy in the
leasing of oil wells, consider
ing the vast amounts of money
already spent in the attempts
to find oil.
The delegate next spoke of a
matter to which Mr. Treadway
had referred, the forests of Al
aska. A great part of the trees
are now overripe and falling
and they should be made avail
able for the manufacture of
pulp. It is possible for Con
gress to lighten the restric
tions placed upon such enter
prises by the Department of
Agriculture.
We quote Mr. Sutherland’s
closing paragraph.
“I want to speak of the ques
tion of paternalism. The gent
leman from Massachusetts held
that this is one of the most
glaring examples of paternalism
that has ever come under his
gbservation, and I am in entire
agreement with the gentleman
from Massachusetts. The gent
leman made a number of state
ments with which I entirely
agree and this is one of them.
How about relief from that
situation? I concede that there
is an army of Government em
ployees in Alaska, and I can
conceive of no better method
of relieving that situation and
relieving the Government of
the cost of maintaining them
than to place the power with
the people of the Territory
where it belongs, ..the power
particularly ..to ..regulate ..its
fish, to regulate its game, pow
ers that were given to every
other Territory that has come
in with our lifetime... All that
Alaska has ever asked for is
autonomous power to handle
its own problems, and if that
is given we will be very glad
to relieve Congress of the res
ponsibility of maintaining this
horde of employees in that Ter
ritory, which has ..so ..much
agitated the mind of the gent
leman from Massachusetts
CONCERNING TAXES
April 3, 1926.
Chamber of Commerce,
Ketchikan, Alaska.
Gentlemen; I have noticed
your resolution asking that
candidates for the Legislature
declare themselves in favor of
reduced taxation and to oppose
the was':e cf the pubirc,z manoy.
You of course realize that
the Legislature must raise suf
ficient money to pay for the
Territory’s expenses. If that
item of expense is not increas
ed, the legislature will pro
bably leave the tax rate as it
is. If the appropriations are
reduced, the tax rate can be
reduced. I take it that you
favor the reduction.
As a body of business men
who studied this question, }rou
should declare yourselves cour
ageously and indicate what
appropriation o r territorial
activity you wish reduced or
eliminated. If you are not
willing to do that, then you
have no right to ask any can
didate to answer your ques
tions,
The governor’s office requires
the sum of $15,000 for the
biennium. Would you cut out
the item of “additional salary”
to his secietary amounting to
$1,440.00? or what would you
recommend.
Is there anything in the ap
propriation of the secretary’s
office that you would reduce?
and thus reduce his total from
$20,000, to something less?
Would you reduce the ap
priation of the Treasurer’s of
fice which amounts to $43,150
in the face of the fact that
the present incumbent claims
that he needs MORE help.
There has been very general
approval of the expenditures
of the Department of Public
Schools, but possibly that could
be reduced.
1 he Alaska Historical Lib
rary and Museum seem to be
considered a regular institu
tion and takes its regular place
in our budget to the amount
of $8,850.00.
Roads are now
costing us $260,500.00
Shelter cabins 20,000.00
Livestock inspection 10,000.00
Rescue of lost persons 10,000.00
Pioneers Home 107,800.00
Pension for aged
residents 110,500.00
Allowences for depend
ent children 35,000.00
Wolf bounty 12,000.00
Eagle bounty at $1 ea. 20,000.00
For primary election 11,000.00
For relief of
destitution 15,000.00
For health and
Sanitation
For Dental Board
Board of medical
14,000.00
1,000.00
examiners
Board of Pharmacy
For relief of needy
and indigent
Emergency appro
priation
Fish Hatcheries and
Fish Commission
at Ketchikan
at Cordova
at Seward
500.00
800.00
20,000.00
5,000.00
20,000.00
20,000.00
10,000.00
at Valdez (removing
obstructions) 5,000.00
at Ishamy Lake 4,000.00
at Copper River
(destroying seals) 3,090.00
Salary Hatchery Supt. 6,000.00
(Continued on Page Seven)