ALASKAN DEVELOPMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15549, 5 March 1914, Page 4

ALASKAN DEVELOPMENT.

GOVERNMENT RAILWAY. fFROJI OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] San Francisco, February 3. A big development programme is contemplated by the United States in the territory of Alaska. The first step in this is the passage by the Senate of a Bill providing for the appropriation of £8,000,000 for the construction of a-Government-owned railway in Alaska. This action was taken upon the recommendation of the Administration. The Secretary of the Interior (Mr. Lane), who is a citizen of California, said that the passage of the Bill was the greatest encouragement the West had received in many years; and in Seattle bombs were thrown in the air and bands and waggons bearing banners paraded the streets when news of the Senate's action was received. The measure directs the President to purchase or construct - 1000 miles of Tailroad. Upon him is placed the responsibility for the selection of the route from tidewater to the interior of, the territory, and the construction, equipment, and operation or leasing of such lines as be may construct or buy to constitute thin route. The broadest powers are placed upon the President in carrying out his i duties. The Bill provides for a redemption fund, into which shall be paid 75 par cent, of all moneys derived from the sale of public lands in Alaska or of the coal or •mineral contents thereof.

But little objection was made to -he passage of the legislation sanctioning this large authorisation of the hitherto untried system of Government-owned railways, except that eoms senators attacked it as " paternalistic and: socialistic government." Senator McComber, of North Dakota, for instance, argued that it always cost the Government twice aS much as a private concern to operate any enterprise. Why should the Government develop a goldproducing region ?" he asked. " Gold cannot be eaten. It is not good for clothing; it merely adds to the bulk of the coinage. Only the man who digs it from the ground benefits." After listening to these arguments the Senate passed the Bill by a vote of 46 to 16. The chief purpose of foe Government in building the railway and opening up Alaska is not, however, to develop gold-bearing regions but to make the immense coal deposits of the territory available. The Government is even now finding it difficult to get adequate supplies of coal for the navy. With the construction of this railway it is said that many millions of tons, lying now in Governmentowned land, will be available for the Government.