The thought also has occurred to me that this committee has that power because we have primary control over legislation affecting so many of your activities. And because of the way we operate in Washington, as chairman of this particular subcommittee I have some jurisdiction over what bills may even be considered, brought up the committee for hearings. And still I live more than 4,000 miles from your community, engrossed in my own problems in my own district. And to me that just does not seem to be American government by the widest stretch of the imagination. I think that thought has come home to so many of us as we have been on this trip. It is a responsibility we don't want, but we have it, and we are going to have it until you get statehood. You spoke of an elective Governor. I think that would be just one more voice in the wilderness. And you spoke of the tax moratorium. I think I might describe that as just another opiate to put statehood to sleep, because Congress is not going to grant a tax moratorium, in my opinion. You would have too much opposition from the people in the States, and I doubt if it is constitutional. So it would be a great mistake, I think, to be dragged down in your efforts by a sugges tion such as a tax moratorium or commonwealth or any of the other roses that are cast in the path. Statehood is the answer in my very humble opinion. That is all I have to say, Mr. Chairman. Mr. BARTLETT. Mrs. Pfost? Mrs. Prost. I have no questions, Mr. Chairman. I would like to associate myself with the remarks made by our chairman, Mr. O'Brien. Mr. BARTLETT. Mr. Sisk? Mr. SISK. I have no questions of the gentlemen. I would like to state this: This is my first opportunity to visit the land of Alaska, but I was a strong advocate of statehood in the last session and I have always believed, for the very reasons set forth so ably by our chairman, that we are so remote and we have so many problems of our own, that to me it is a shame that we be delegated the task, the obligation, and responsibility of passing laws for an area where, in my case, I had never even seen. I wish to commend the chairman on his statement, which certainly is in line with my thinking. Mr. BARTLETT. Mr. Utt? Mr. UTT. Mr. Chairman, there are 1 or 2 items I would like to get in the record. One of them is with reference to your lack of ability to tax. You have the authority, the Territorial legislature has the authority to levy ad valorem tax on territory outside the municipalities. Is that not right? Mr. RADINSKY. Yes; that is correct. Mr. UTT. And in 1949 you did pass legislation enacting such a tax! Mr. RADINSKY. Yes. Mr. UTT. We have been charged at several places with being so far away we are absolutely vulnerable to nonresidential pressure. Was it nonresidential pressure that caused that law to be removed before a single dollar was collected? Mr. RADINSKY. Yes, sir. Mr. UTT. And if you become a State, will you be able to withstand that nonresidential pressure in your legislature and make an equitable tax system on privately held property outside of municipalities? Mr. RADINSKY. Without a doubt, sir. Mr. UTT. You would elect legislators that will stand on that platform of equitably taxing patented land that is outside of the municipalities? Mr. RADINSKY. That is the consensus of opinion of every legislature in the last 10 years. Mr. UTT. But still they did repeal the one act they did pass. Mr. RADINSKY. Yes. Mr. UTT. That is all, Mr. Chairman. Mr. BARTLETT. Dr. Taylor? Mr. TAYLOR. I think, Mr. Chairman, the people in the room today would be interested in knowing that Mr. Radinsky and Mr. Harding are the 136th and the 137th witnesses who have appeared before this subcommittee since we arrived here 2 weeks ago. Of those 137 witnesses 1 has availed himself of the opportunity to come before the group and express opposition to statehood. Only one. Everyone else has had that opportunity, but only one gentleman appeared. We know there are others, but for one reason or another they have not appeared before us. Mr. BARTLETT. Mr. McFarland? Mr. MCFARLAND. No questions. Mr. BARTLETT. Mr. Radinsky and Mr. Harding, I have many questions, so I am not going to embark on the asking of a single one. Anyway, I don't have to after what Mr. O'Brien and my other colleagues have said. Thank you very much. Mr. RADINSKY. I would like to make one statement, if I may, in answer to Mr. O'Brien's remarks. I don't think there is a true citizen of Alaska that will accept anything but first-class citizenship in the United States of America. Mr. BARTLETT. I want to thank all of you for coming. We have had a most helpful hearing. The hearing is concluded. (Whereupon, at 12:45 p. m., the subcommittee adjourned to reconvene at the call of the Chair.) INDEX Agricultural resources: Anderson, I. M. C., Soil Conservation Service, Palmer_ Blue, R. T., Extension Service agent, Palmer, statement of. Durant, Stuart, manager, Matanuska Valley Farmers Cooperative Irwin, Don L., director, Alaska Agricultural Experiment Station, Kellogg, V. Louise, dairy farmer, Palmer, statement of Mick, Allan H., director, extension service, University of Alaska, Snodgrass, N. B., Palmer___ Wilson, James, commissioner of agriculture, Territory of Alaska-- Civic affairs: Gilson, George H., Valdez, statement of....... Long, Helen L., mayor of Valdez, statement of__. Mick, Lucille K., councilwoman, city of Palmer, and vice president, Communications: Bauer, R. A., consulting engineer, Matanuska Telephone 80 Education: Hawkins, James E., superintendent, Territorial School, Dillingham__ 140 62 Mick, Allan H., director, extension service, University of Alaska, 58 Elective Governor: Rosswog, John H., Cordova____. 16 Deisher, Dr., chairman, board of directors, Chamber of Commerce, Egan, William A., Valdez, statement of_-. 7,8 Malin, Rev. Charles, president, Chamber of Commerce, Seward___. Fish and wildlife: 888888888 Berggren, Gunnar, representing independent fishermen, Naknek-Egegik area... 150 Bristol Bay Fish Producers Association, King Salmon, statement of--- 138 168 Carlson, C. Chester, Cordova__ 41 Downey, Jim, representing Bering Sea Fishermen's Union and Bristol 112 Egan, William A., Valdez merchant, statement of 6 Emberg, Truman, business agent, Bristol Bay Fish Producers Association, King Salmon--- 118 Fisheries in Alaska, act for protection of (U. S. Stat. 43, 272) 119 Hansen, Harold Z., executive secretary, Cordova District Fisheries 24 Jensen, Isak J., Naknek... 157 Kallenberg, Robert, Bristol Bay Fish Producers Association__ 138 175 Ostrosky, Harold C., King Salmon_ 145 Reamey, Bert, Bering Sea Fishermen's Union, Pilot Point- 143 Fish and wildlife-Continued Rhode, Clarence J., regional director, Fish and Wildlife Service, In- Shawback, Harry, Naknek__. Williams, Marvin, Egegik___ Forest resources: Henrichs, Hollis, Cordova_. Health: Letter from Paul Nelson to Hon. William A. Dawson--- Page 153 101 Nelson, Paul W., administrator, Seward Sanatorium, Seward‒‒‒‒‒ Henrichs, Hollis, Cordova__. Rash, Elbert G., Cordova_. Judicial system: Billens, Raymond K., Seward, statement of Mental health: 1ཀྰ་ག་ཚོ མཎྜ 16 155 154 44 44 22 Dizney, Clarence, member, Kodiak Health and Welfare Council, and Nelson, Paul W., administrator, Seward Sanatorium, Seward_. 95 Mining and mineral resources: Allen, Grayson, United States commissioner and city attorney, 37 Cornelius, George H., Kodiak Exploration Co__. 211 Native Alaskans: Hawkins, James E., superintendent, Territorial School, Dillingham___ 140 199 Opinion, District Court for Territory of Alaska, Third Division (U. S. Gibbons, John A., chairman, committee on livestock and public lands, 282 2 223 22 33 34 52 16 Public works: Coon, Merrill, president, Chamber of Commerce, Kodiak______ 159, 160, 161 108 Egan, William A., Valdez, statement of 7 Ghiglione, A. F., commissioner of roads for Alaska, letter to mayor Gilson, George H., Valdez, statement of_ Hardinge, H., city manager, Seward, statement of Hinckel, Jack, Kodiak.. Itschner, Brig. Gen. E. G., United States Army, Assistant Chief of Engineers for Civil Works, letter to Delegate Bartlett from__. |