Northwest History. Alaska. General.

• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1921
• Subjects: red tape; Alaska territory; Judge J. M. Clements; Helena; Nome; United States; profits; natural resources; Northwest; Pacific > History > 20th century; Alaska; Pacific
• Online Access: http://content.libraries.wsu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/clipping/id/91885

Cutting Red Tape Will Do Much To Develop Alaska Territory. Cutting Red Tape Will Do Much to Develop Alaska Territory "There is only one thing that will help Alaska and that is for the goverhmeni to see that industries up there can secure fuel and supplies more cheaply," declares Judge ,1. M. Clements of Helena, who just returned from Nome, where lie lias served for two years as United States attorney. "Business affairs of the territory so far as the United States government is concerned are transacted through bureaus with too much red tape." This is practically the story brought down by every person who has made a study of the vast territory of Alaska. Close to the door of the great northwest is a laud rich in natural resources. Alaska's coal and timber audits wood pulp ought now to be rolling down in great quantities. Ninety-eight per cent of the resources are locked up in government control. They are not being developed on anywhere near a large scale. Where there were 36,400 people in Alaska in 1910, the number decreased to 27,888 in 1920. People are not willing to go up there and invest their money without some assurance of protection and a fair return of profits. It is true that the nation does not want its remaining natural resources squandered, but the people do want them developed so the present generation may have some good out of it.