638 Presidential Addresses 



ing with them from lack of thorough knowledge of 

 the subject, I recommend that provision be made for 

 a commission of experts specially to investigate and 

 report upon the complicated questions involved. 



I especially urge upon the Congress the need of 

 wise legislation for Alaska. It is not to our credit 

 as a nation that Alaska, which has been ours for 

 thirty-five years, should still have as poor a system 

 of laws as is the case. No country has a more valu- 

 able possession in mineral wealth, in fisheries, furs, 

 forests, and also in land available for certain kinds 

 of farming and stock-growing. It is a territory of 

 great size and varied resources, well fitted to support 

 a large permanent population. Alaska needs a good 

 land la wand such provisions for homesteads and pre- 

 emptions as will encourage permanent settlement. 

 We should shape legislation with a view not to the 

 exploiting and abandoning of the territory, but to 

 the building up of homes therein. The land laws 

 should be liberal in type, so as to hold out induce- 

 ments to the actual settler whom we most desire to 

 see take possession of the country. The forests of 

 Alaska should be protected, and, as a secondary but 

 still important matter, the game also, and at the 

 same time it is imperative that the settlers should 

 be allowed to cut timber, under proper regulations, 

 for their own use. Laws should be enacted to pro- 

 tect the Alaskan salmon fisheries against the greed 

 which would destroy them. They should be pre- 

 served as a permanent industry and food supply. 



