power over acts of the tribal government. The time is clearly in sight, therefore, when the present status of the Indian Territory as an Indian reservation will be done away with and that Territory will become either an organized Territory or a part of some other Territory or State.

Alaska. Alaska is the best, and, if we except the Indian Territory, which has a status of its own, the only example of an unorganized territory now constituting a part of the United States. This great territory was acquired from Russia in 1867 by purchase for seven millions of dollars. At the time of its acquisition but very little was known regarding it, and the belief was general that it consisted of frozen and for the most part uninhabitable land. In consequence of this general opinion that the territory would never be of any very great importance to the United States, its acquisition at the time attracted comparatively little attention or interest on the part of the people at large. Recent events, however, have entirely changed the situation of affairs. The discovery of gold within the territory has brought about a great increase in its white population and this in turn has led to explorations, public and private, on an extensive scale, of the greater part of the country, so that its general characteristics and resources are now vastly better known. From these investigations it has developed that the country not only has rich mineral resources, but also offers opportunities for a considerable development along agricultural, manufacturing and commercial lines. In the increased interest that

is given to all matters relating to the government and administration of dependent territory growing out of the recent annexations of the islands ceded by Spain, Alaska has naturally come in for a share.

More than any other dependent Territory Alaska presents an example of the danger that all dependent Territories run of suffering from neglect on the part of the parent government rather than from the enactment of positively injurious measures. At the outset, so unimportant appeared the administration of this Territory, that no provision was made for its government. In the absence of such action by Congress, Secretary Seward, as Professor Hart has pointed out, was compelled to look around for some legal basis upon which to administer its affairs. This he found in an old act of 1834, which defined the "Indian Territory" as that "part of the United States west of the Mississippi." This Seward said "by a happy elasticity of experience widening as our dominions widen, included the territory ceded by Russia." For seventeen years after its acquisition this district was administered by the executive branch of the government without any express legislation, no regular form of government of its own being provided until 1884. On May 17 of that year there was passed an act, entitled “An act providing for civil government for Alaska," which provided for the appointment of a governor by the President of the United States in whom should be vested practically all of the powers of government except those relating to judicial affairs. In the wording of the act, he was "charged with the interests of the United States that may arise within said

territory." Judicial power was vested in a district court presided over by a judge appointed by the President with the civil and criminal jurisdiction of the district and circuit courts of the United States. No provision was made for any special revenue system, but the clerk of the court was directed to collect certain fines, forfeitures and fees. Provision was also made for the appointment by the President of four commissioners, to whom were given the general powers of justices of the peace. As it was necessary for Alaska to have a system of law, the general laws of the State of Oregon were declared to be in force within its boundaries in so far as they were applicable. Finally, certain of the executive departments at Washington were given charge of those interests in the district that more nearly pertained to the scope of their duties. It was thus made the duty of the secretary of the interior to make provision for the education of the children; of the attorney-general to compile and publish laws in force in Alaska and to supervise the administration of justice therein; and of the secretary of the treasury to have charge of the collection of customs and other matters.

Sixteen more years elapsed before any further step was taken to give to Alaska a more complete scheme of civil government than this simple one, by which the administration of all of the affairs of the district, with the exception of those relating to justice, were placed in the hands of a chief executive and of the departments at Washington. On June 6, 1900, Congress enacted a civil code and a code of civil procedure for Alaska. The former of these codes made

some slight changes relative to the government of Alaska, such, for example, as providing for the collection of certain license taxes on manufacturers and dealers, the appointment of notaries public, the creation of the office of surveyor-general, who should also be ex-officio secretary, etc. Its most important provision relative to the government of the Territory, however, is that making it possible for settled communities to become incorporated as towns. The conditions under which this can be done are as follows: Any community, having not less than three hundred inhabitants, desiring to become incorporated, must file a petition with the judge of the United States district court presiding over the division within which it is situated, signed by at least sixty bona fide residents. of the proposed corporation, setting out the number of its inhabitants, and such other facts as the court may deem necessary for the formation of an intelligent opinion. Upon the receipt of this petition it is the duty of the court to set a time for the hearing of any objections to incorporation that interested parties may desire to present. If satisfied that the public interests of the community will be promoted by incorporation, the court must thereupon provide for an election for the purpose of determining whether the community shall or shall not be incorporated. At this election the people are called upon to express their opinion regarding the question of incorporation and to elect a common council of seven members. If two-thirds of the votes cast are in favor of incorporation, the seven persons receiving the highest number of votes are declared councilmen of the corporation and the com

munity is given its charter. When thus incorporated the council is given the power to provide rules for its own government, to elect one of its members as president, who is also ex-officio mayor; to appoint and remove at its pleasure a clerk, treasurer, and such other officers as it deems necessary for the administration of local affairs; to make rules for subsequent municipal elections, provided that no officer shall be elected for a longer term than one year; to provide by ordinance for necessary street improvements, water supply, police protection, etc., and to impose and collect a poll-tax on electors, a tax on dogs, a general tax on real and personal property of not to exceed one per cent. of its assessed valuation, and such license taxes on business as the council deems reasonable. The act further provides that there shall be elected a school board of three directors to have entire charge of public instruction, and school property, the treasurer of which shall be the treasurer of the corporation, and that fifty per cent. of certain license taxes must be paid by the clerk of the court collecting the same to the treasurer of the town for its use for school purposes.

It will thus be seen that though provision has been made for a system of criminal and civil laws for the district of Alaska and for the organization of local governments no serious attempt has been made to work out a system for its general administration such as is enjoyed by the organized territories.