elections, in general the population of the District is satisfied with its form of government. As at present administered the government of the District of Columbia certainly approaches more nearly to the ideal of many municipal reformers, that public affairs should be administered strictly as a business enterprise, than does that of any other community of like importance in the United States.

CHAPTER XI

CONCLUSION

THE task to which we have addressed ourselves has now been about completed. There remain only one. or two points requiring brief mention before we close. All European nations that have embarked upon the policy of holding and administering colonial possessions have found the necessity for creating under the home government special departments or other services to have charge of colonial matters. The functions of these departments are the twofold ones, on the one hand of providing a means through which the supervision and control over the colonies possessed by the central government may be enforced, and, on the other, of furnishing a service through which action can be taken for the development of the material welfare of the possessions. In the United States, notwithstanding the magnitude of its interests in dependent territory, only a beginning in this direction has been made, and that only within the past three or four years. As regards the territories on the mainland, the only administrative connection between them and the central government consists in the obligation imposed upon their governors to make annual reports to the secretary of the interior. In the case of Alaska, as we have already seen, the different interests of the Territory that are not directly cared for

elections, in general the population of the District is satisfied with its form of government. As at present administered the government of the District of Columbia certainly approaches more nearly to the ideal of many municipal reformers, that public affairs should be administered strictly as a business enterprise, than does that of any other community of like importance in the United States.

CHAPTER XI

CONCLUSION

THE task to which we have addressed ourselves has now been about completed. There remain only one or two points requiring brief mention before we close. All European nations that have embarked upon the policy of holding and administering colonial possessions have found the necessity for creating under the home government special departments or other services to have charge of colonial matters. The functions of these departments are the twofold ones, on the one hand of providing a means through which the supervision and control over the colonies possessed by the central government may be enforced, and, on the other, of furnishing a service through which action can be taken for the development of the material welfare of the possessions. In the United States, notwithstanding the magnitude of its interests in dependent territory, only a beginning in this direction has been made, and that only within the past three or four years. As regards the territories on the mainland, the only administrative connection between them and the central government consists in the obligation imposed upon their governors to make annual reports to the secretary of the interior. In the case of Alaska, as we have already seen, the different interests of the Territory that are not directly cared for

by the governor are looked after by the different administrative departments to which such interests seem most nearly to appertain. The result is that there is no one service at Washington whose duty it is to keep fully informed regarding the progress of events in the different territories and actively to intervene with a view to securing needed action. The need for such a central authority to have charge of the interests of the Territories and dependencies is excellently brought out by President Jordan in his article on "Colonial Lessons of Alaska," appearing in the Atlantic Monthly for November, 1898. After presenting a statement of the extent to which the population and interests of Alaska have suffered in consequence of the failure of Congress and the United States government to give adequate attention to its needs, he concludes:

In general, the waste and confusion in Alaska arise from four sources-lack of centralization of power and authority; lack of scientific knowledge; lack of personal and public interest, and the use of offices as political patronage. In the first place, no single person or bureau is responsible for Alaska. The treasury department looks after the charting and patrol of its coast, the care of its animal life, the prohibition of intoxicating liquors, and the control of the fishing industries. The investigation of its fishery and marine animals is the duty of the United States Fish Commission. The army has certain ill-defined duties which have been worked out mainly in a futile and needless relief expedition with an opera-bouffe accompaniment of dehorned reindeer. The legal proceedings within the Territory are governed by the statutes of Oregon unless otherwise ordered. The department of justice has a few representatives scattered over the vast territory whose duty it is to enforce these statutes, chiefly through the farce