advocated by Charles Bunnell because Alaska
IS NOT READY to undertake this big project.
Our primary obligation is to properly support
the public schools df Alaska, including grammar
and high schools. When we have properly done
that, and if our industrial development warrants
it; * then we might begin to plan for a * great
University. The appropriation of $168,000 for
the Fairbanks College to support and teach
TWENTY SEVEN bona fide students, most of
whom came from the outside is wrong. Charles
Bunnell and his regents with the aid of near
sighted citizens of Fairbanks are committing
Alaska to a policy which will mean INCREAS
ED TAXES to the detriment of ROADS, PRI
MARY SCHOOLS, PUBLIC BUILDINGS,
PIONEER PENSIONS and other measures es
sential to developing a new country.
As To Fish Hatcheries
We are not opposed to fish hatcheries in principle.
But as a practical business proposition, the man
agers of oUr present hatchery system cannot
show the SLIGHTEST benefit from the THREE
HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS which
this Territory has spent on fish hatcheries.
Bear in mind that this money is your t ax
money.
Every creek on which a fish hatchery has
worked IN ALASKA, (and please bear in mind
that we are not discussing the Columbia River)
has become depleted. Even at Ketchikan Creek,
the increase of salmon in 1923 came BEFORE
the hatchery was started there.
In Every Instance, an increase of salmon at a
given stream has been due to the NATURAL
SPAWN.
Duplication
In any event, Alaska is DUPLICATING the
experiments now being carried on by the United
States government who maintain TWO hatch
eries, one at Yes Bay, near Ketchikan, and the
other at Afognak.
Mining
There are many lead properties in Southeast
ern Alaska, especially around Ketchikan and
Hyder and Craig. The cost of shipping lead
ore to the nearest lead smelter is about $25 per
ton. This practically prohibits the development
of untold riches in southeastern Alaska. We
therefore believe that the Territory of Alaska
should build an experimental lead furnace at
Ketchikan, with a capacity up to 50 tons per
day. The cost of building such a furnace would
approximate $60,000. We are confident that it
would pay its own way from the time it began
to operate. At any rate, we could very well
have put the THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND
DOLLARS which we have put into hatcheries
and absolutely wasted, into a smelter and gotten
some of it back. There are a number of lead
properties near Ketchikan that have a value of
thirty to seventy dollars per ton and which
would be developed by the original locator if
this project were encouraged by our legislature.
Transportation
We believe that our transportation problem
can only be solved by encouraging independent
steamship lines. The NORTHLAND TRANS
PORTATION COMPANY has already shown
that it intends to charge fair rates, and there
fore it is the duty of the citizens of Alaska to
favor this company with all the business pos
sible EVEN IF the big companies should reduce
the rates still farther. Stand by those who are
benefiting you and beware of those who would
benefit you for the moment only to get it all
back later on.
Non Resident Fishermen
We believe our Resident Fishermen should be
protected against the competition of the MI
GRATORY fishermen who come from Puget
Sound each spring and depart each fall. These
birds have their homes usually in Seattle, As
toria and San Francisco. Like so many can
neries, they buy all their supplies in the States,
spend as little as they can in Alaska, and take
all they can back to Seattle. These men do not
develop Alaska.
Furthermore Alaska fishermen cannot fish in
the waters of Washington or Oregon unless they
have maintained a residence in the States for
Twelve months. Why should we allow their
fishermen to come to Alaska and make it hard
er for our fishermen?
We will again support a bill placing a dis
criminatory tax on all fishermen who have not
actually resided in Alaska for at least SIX
MONTHS PRIOR to their application for a
license to fish in our waters. The tax on non
resident seiners, both for salmon or herring
should be prohibitory because there is already
plenty of crews who can give the industry this
service. This same rule should apply to trollers.
The tax on gill-netters should be progressive,
increasing each year until it too become pro
hibitive. With proper encouragement, we be
lieve that the 3000 or more gill-netters who
come from Astoria each year would make Al
aska their HOME.
Such a program of taxes would put an end
to the preference which canneries have hereto
fore given non-resident fishermen. These men
usually have a contract with the cannery that
employs them saying that they are not to be put