EDITORIAL 



355 



which they did not create or pay for, but which nature and the United States 

 governmeDt placed in the hands of this nation. 



One of those quoted in the article to which we have reference says that 

 two-thirds of the sixty thousand inhabitants of the territory are aborigines, 

 and that the white population is about one-fourth of what it was ten years 

 ago. Does this man think that releasing control to some of our great financial 

 interests would increase materially the white population of the country? 

 There can be little doubt from the present trend of things that if the govern- 

 men got out, these interests would get in and but few smaller operators 

 would benefit by the change. The government does not shut out regulated 

 private enterprise. The other type of ownership would. 



But there remains that suggestion of a sale to Canada, which our Canadian 

 friend thinks could develop Alaska better than the United States. Does he 

 take into account the fact that we know something about Alaska now, 

 and that the price has risen since its purchase from Russia? Not only would 

 a great and somewhat inhospitable territory have to be bought, but a vast 

 amount of known and potential forest and mineral property. We question 

 whether Canada could pay the price, which would be staggering in its 

 size. 



