Alaskan government is that of a modified territorial form., Appointed by the President, the governor has strictly limited powers. The territorial legislature, consisting of eight senators and 16 representatives, meets biennally in Juneau, the capital. Its acts are subject to veto by the governor, and only have the force of law when approved by Congress. The course of justice, administered through four district courts, is slow and expensive. The courts are supplemented by commissioners whose powers are restricted to cases involving values of not more than $1,000, and to crimes whose punishment does not exceed imprison ment for one year. The fisheries, forests, fur seal, game and largely the natives are under Federal control, so that local administration is complicated, uncertain and not always efficient.
According to the census of 1910 the population then numbered 63,700, of whom about 36,000 were white. The governor officially estimates the white population in 1915 at 44,000. The incorporated towns and their population in 1910 were: Fairbanks, 3,541; Nome, 2,600; Douglas, 1,722; Juneau, 1,644; Cordova, 1,152- Skagway, 872; Valdez, 810; Wrangell, 743; Petersburg, 585; Seward, 534; Haines, 445; Tanana, 398; Eagle, 178 and Chena, 138. The new railway town of An chorage, founded at the head of Cook Inlet in 1915, is estimated to have a population of 2,500. The largest native villages are : Metlakatla, 602; Chignik, 566; Karluk, 549; Sitka, 500; Kodiak, 438 ; Saint Michael, 415 ; Ft. Yukon, 331; Unalaklik, 247; Koserefsky, 231; Nulato, 230.
History under Russia.— The discovery of Alaska was due to the enterprise of Peter the Great, who a few days only before his death drew up a program for the exploration of the seas to the eastward of Kamchatka. It was not until 1741 that Bering and his lieutenant Chiii koff reached the Alaskan mainland, at Cape Saint Elias and near Cross Sound. The wealth of furs brought back by the survivors of the expedition stimulated the activities of the Russian fur-hunters, who soon made extensive discoveries along the Aleutian Chain and de veloped a thriving trade. From 1790 Alaski was controlled and exploited by trading mo nopolies, principally by the Russian American Company which had exclusive rights from 1800 to 1862. The company was required to settle the country, • develop its resources, propagate the faith and to extend Russian influence in North America. Operating under the nominal control of the Imperial Department of Com merce, the chief director of the company in his remote realm of Alaska exercised despotic and often cruel sway. The natives were practically serfs, and though timid and inoffensive, were at tunes driven by horrid cruelties to rebellion The most prominent of the chief director were the brutal Baranoff (1799-1819) and die reformer Baron Wrangell (1831-36). Abot 20 trading posts were established by the on pany, the most important being Kodiak Sri), Saint Michael, Unalaska, Atka and Kruk Seven missionary districts were organized, am a few schools opened, mostly by priests. putes arose as to the boundaries of Alaska, which were settled by conventions with Gras Britain and the United States. In 1£24 by
convention with the United States, the southern boundary, which Russia had claimed to be the parallel of 51° north latitude, was fixed defi nitely at 54° 40' N. In 1862 trade monopoly came to an end, and in 1864 the Territory came under its first imperial governor, Prince sutoff. Under a treaty, confirmed by the United States Senate 28 May 1867, Alaska was pur chased from Russia for the sum of $7,200000. and the country was formally occupied by the United States on 18 Oct. 1867.
American Although the trer of cession guaranteed to the civilized ants of Alaska equal civil rights with Amman citizens, this provision was not granted, erm qualifiedly, for 17 years. The army was re sponsible for Alaskan affairs from 189 to 1877, without having legal standing or needful power. Then the officials of the treasury ruled for seven years, equally beyond the law and without means of control. An act of Congress 17 May 1884, gave a shadow of government 10 Alaska. It extended to the Territory the far of Oregon, authorized a governor, formed di& trict courts and a land district, granted mining rights, prohibited liquor, established schools and placed restraint on Indians. In 1899 Pea codes were enacted, and in 1900 an inadequate civil government was provided, with legislation as to courts, schools, coal lands, nusstoni Indians, the insane, etc. Homesteads could not be legally acquired until 1903. With the Ms• . covery of extensive gold placers Alaska flab assumed such an economic importance as led to boundary disputes with Canada, which were adjusted by an international commission to 1903. In 1906 Alaska was granted the right of representation in Congress through a delegate, and by the act of 24 Aug. 1912, the Territory was accorded a measure of home government by the creation of a territorial legislature. Al though so long neglected in the way of gov ernmental administration, Alaska has been free from murders and other serious crimes to an extent unsurpassed by any other part of the United States.
Dall, 'Alaska and Its Re sources' (Boston 1870); Bancroft,