sciences, as well as the professions. By the time
the next census enumeration comes around we
believe the Indian population will show as high
grades in their studies as the'r more advanta
geously' situated white brethren.
Many fine school buildings have been erected in
the Territory, during the past ten years,—build
ings that rank favorably with cities in the states
having ten times our population. The teaching
staffs have been improved to keep pace with the
buildings, and when a graduation day comes,
there remains the Alaska College, with a cur
riculum as good or better (for the Alaskan)
than those of the famous colleges of the Pacific
coast.
At the present time there is no reason what
ever why every Alaska boy and girl, whatever
the race condition or creed, cannot enjoy every
advantage that he could find ip outside schools.
Practically every course taught outside can be
found in our Territorial schools. Our principals
and teaching staffs are recruited from the ranks
of the best obtainable, and our buildings are as
spacious and comfortable as car be found any
where.
Alaskans can be congratulated in their fight
on illiteracy.—Stroller’s Weekly.
x
THE BUFFALO’S SFCRET
-X
The buffalo, one time king of the western
plains, has made a valuable contribution to the
live stock industry. Through experiments with
native grasses, J. E. Painter of Denver, Colorado,
has discovered how the prairie expanses of the
West supported the vast herds of buffalo with
out exhaustion of their food supply.
The problem of range foroge has puzzled
stockmen since the days when tremendous herds
grazed on the frontier after the disappearance
of the buffalo. The range grasses failed the
stockmen after a few years of grazing.
“The buffalo did not graze upon the rich na
tive grasses in any area to the point of extinc
tion. He allowed the grasses time to recover
strength and luxuriance before returning to
feed,” declares Mr. Painter.
The buffalo was more provident than the Al
aska cannerymen and the Alaska trappers. II
those who derive revenue from Alaska’s resources
would only follow the simple plan suggested by
the buffalo in alternating its foraging, Alaska’s
fisheries and game resources would be conserved
to posterity and would continue to produce mil
lions in wealth for those who now prostitute
these resources.
AUDITOR’S OFFICE WAS NOT SCORED BY
SENATE INVESTIGATION f
-X
Investigation by a special joint committee of
the recent legislature into territorial offices and
the report by the committee of its findings have
resulted in press comment inferring fault was
found by the lawmakers with the administration
of the territorial auditor’s office. ,
There is nothing in the committee’s findings
that reflects upon Cash Cole as territorial audi
tor. In fact, the report does not mention the
auditor’s office, and any inference as to its fail
ure to cooperate with other public officials or-as
to its incompetent administration is not warrant*
ed by any expression of the committee, and is
quite untrue.
The committee found that the system for the
conduct of the business of the territory had been
built up in haphazzard way. That is, as needs
for office arose they were created and the commit
tee concluded there had been at no time an ef- M
fort at correlation of duties. It further ascertain
ed that there had been a considerable amount
of friction among the different offices and it
expressed the opinion that much of the friction
is directly traceable to the personality of the
several officials and to their attitude toward the
problems that confront them.
The “haphadzard way” in which the territorial
government was built up is illustrated by both
the legal methods and the extra-legal practices
that were used to withdraw funds from the
treasury before the creation of the auditor’s
office.
The first territorial legislature in 1913 created
the office of treasurer. He was then appointed
by the governor. The treasurer was charged with
the collection of taxes and the issuance of war
rants. As soon as this form of government be
gan to operate, the susceptibility to criticism of
the one-man jurisdiction (the governor dominat
ing his appointee, the treasurer) in the handling
of funds was apparent, and an arrangement,
quite outside the law, was at once made whereby
the territorial secretary, who is named by the
President of the United States, should be the
officer to issue warrants upon the treasurer. This
system remained in operation until May, 1929,
or for a period of 16 years
In the meantime, the weakness and extra
legal character of the arrangement was recog
nized. Efforts to correct it were made in various
legislatures by attempting to pass bills creating
the office of auditor. But it was not until 1929