The Los Angeles Municipal News (R. Y. B., 1912, 286), which was the first municipal weekly newspaper, discontinued publication on April 9, 1913. This action was determined upon by the municipal newspaper commission in deference to the popular vote in the Spring election on charter amendment No. 14, which read: "Shall proposed charter amendment number fourteen, providing that the City Council shall not appropriate or provide any public money for the printing, publication, sale or distribution of a municipal newspaper, be ratified?" The vote on this amendment stood 24,089 for, and 15,788 against. The vote that created the municipal newspaper at the general election of Dec. 10, 1911, was 58,143 for, and 43,987 against. Many held that the amendment did not affect the department at all, and that the publication of the municipal newspaper could continue until the initiative ordinance creating the municipal newspaper should be repealed by a vote of the people, or at least until the appropriation made at the beginning of the fiscal year was exhausted. Without entering into this conflict of opinions the commission, one member dissenting, construed the vote on the amendment to be a popular command against further publication of a municipal newspaper. STATISTICS OF CITIES OF 50,000 POPULATION OR OVER The figures in the following table, courteously supplied by the treasurers or comptrollers of the various cities, are the latest available. They relate in general to the fiscal year ending in 1913; in the case of cities whose fiscal year coincides with the calendar year, the figures are for the year ending December 31, 1912. VIII. TERRITORIES AND DEPENDENCIES ALASKA FRANK MCINTYRE Economic Conditions. Economic conditions in Alaska have not materially changed. No important development may be expected until provision is made for the development of the coal and natural resources of the territory and for the construction of railroads and trails. Both of these subjects are receiving the consideration of the executive department, as well as of Congress, and the outlook for some action is now brighter than it has been at any time in the past. Government. On May 1, John F. A. Strong, of Juneau, was appointed Governor of Alaska to succeed Walter F. Clark. The first session of the Alaska legislature convened on March 3 at Juneau. During the 60-days' session considerable progressive legislation was enacted. Eighty-four laws were passed, the first being to extend the elective franchise to such women in the territory as had the qualifications required of male citizens. The Governor of Alaska reports that the work of the legislature was such as amply to demonstrate that the people of Alaska are fully capable of governing themselves. Education.-Six new schools for white children were established during the year, there now being 26 schools for white children, employing 37 teachers, with a total enrollment of 943 pupils. A law for compulsory education of children between eight and 16 years was passed by the legislature. Health. During the year special attention was given to the health of the natives. It is proposed to establish a chain of small hospitals along the coast. The principal disease is tuberculosis, of which all forms are present. There were no serious outbreaks of epidemics during the year. Mild cases of measles and diphtheria were reported at a few places, and an epidemic of scarlet fever was confined to one town. Two cases of smallpox occurred on Kodiak Island. Railroads. The report of the Alaska Railways Commission, appointed by Act of Congress approved Aug. 24, 1912, to make a general report on the transportation question in Alaska, with special reference to the possible railroad routes from the seaboard to the coal fields and the interior, was submitted to Congress by President Taft with a special message on Feb. 6. The Commission found that railway connections with open ports on the Pacific are imperative if the fertile regions of inland Alaska and its mineral resources are to be utilized. The report describes all of the practicable railway routes for reaching the interior and the ocean terminals. The result of a comparison of the proposed routes is thus summarized in President Taft's message: Railroad development in Alaska should proceed first by means of two independent railroad systems, hereafter to be connected and supplemented as may be justified by future development. One of these lines should connect the valley of the Yukon and its tributary, the should be devoted to the development Tanana, with tidewater; and the other and needs of the Kuskokwim and the Susitna. The railways recommended constitute two independent systems of a total of 733 miles of new construction at an estimated cost of $35,000,000. The Commission and President Taft recommended the construction and ownership of the roads by the Government, President Taft saying: I am very much opposed to government operation, but I believe that gov It is estimated that the total number of natives affected by the reindeer industry is 6,500, and that the total value of all the reindeer herds of Alaska is $1,162,060. Reports show a total of 38,476 reindeer in 1912, an increase of 4,747 over the number in 1911. Agricultural development is promising, but awaits the building of railroads and wagon roads and the consequent reduction of the cost of transportation. ernment ownership with private opera- | skins shipped was 3,764, the proceeds tion under lease is the proper solution amounting to $130,640.57. of the difficulties here presented. Bills embodying the recommendations of the Commission have been debated in both houses of Congress. The legislation is strongly urged by the Governor in his annual report and by the President in his annual message. (See also XXIII, Civil Engineering.) | Roads. The report of the Alaskan Railways Commission laid great stress upon the necessity, as supplementing railroads, of wagon road and trail construction. The work of building wagon roads and trails has been carried on during the year by the Alaskan Road Commission, which reports a total mileage up to June 30, 1913, as follows: wagon road, 862 miles; sled road, 617 miles; trail, 2,166 miles. Industries. The mineral output in 1912 was valued at $22,537,821, as compared with $20,650,000 in 1911. The decrease in the output of gold is due, in part, to the exhaustion of placer areas and, in part, to a dry Spring and Summer unparalleled in the history of mining in those regions. A few new placer gold discoveries were made during the year. The supply of coal is unlimited, but the coal fields being still withheld from development, the people have been compelled to import coal for domestic fuel and for industrial purposes from foreign countries, largely from British Columbia and not infrequently from Japan and All other merAustralia, the amount of such importation being 102,169 tons, valued at $492,301. The fisheries of Alaska are one of its most valuable commercial and industrial assets, the output being second only to the production of gold and other metals. Statistics for 1912 show that there were 24,263 persons engaged in this industry, an increase of 6,331 over the number of persons so engaged in 1911. The total investments in fisheries in 1912, exclusive of the off-shore cod and halibut fisheries, was $35,239,016, as compared with $22.671.387 in 1911, of which nearly 90 per cent. was in the salmoncanning business. The total of fur shipments in 1912 aggregated $794,156.63. A recent census of the seal herd showed that there were 215,940 seals of all classes. The number of Commerce. The volume of merchandise shipments, including precious metals and copper, between Alaska and the United States and between the territory and foreign countries in the fiscal year 1913 was the largest in the history of the territory, amounting to $67,150,519. The greatest advance noted in the shipments from Alaska was in salmon, where there was an increase of $2,875,791. Increased shipments to Alaska are noted in the items of coal, lumber, hardware and provisions. The exportation of Alaskan products to the United States for the last three fiscal years has been as follows: 1911 1912 1913 $ Gold. 15,081,620 17,156,989 14,576,015 chandise.. year $2,435.54 was expended for school | on sugar after March 1, 1914, with repairs, furniture, etc., including the new school building at Yigo, which was opened for attendance on Feb. 17. The school enrollment is 1,946. Sanitation. Owing to the improvement in sanitary conditions, the almost universal worm treatment, and the instruction in hygiene given the school children, the general health of the native population is believed to be slowly improving, in spite of the widespread epidemic of measles and mumps and the increased activity of chickenpox. Over 1,500 cases of measles have been reported, but no deaths have resulted from this disease. Seven deaths occurred from leprosy and six new cases were discovered, but, in accordance with recommendations of the Governor for the past few years, all lepers were removed to the Philippine Leper Colony at Culion, so the island is free from this disease for the first time in many years. Gangosa is under control, although during the year 22 cases were added to the list and there were six deaths due to this disease. Despite the precautions given the native inhabitants, 50 deaths occurred from various forms of tuberculosis, which, however, is a slight decrease from last year, and as soon as the tuberculosis sanatorium which is being built is completed, a gradual diminution in the number of cases and deaths from this disease is hoped for. No new intestinal parasites were discovered during the last fiscal year. free sugar after May 1, 1916, as provided in the Tariff Act of 1913, is quite a blow to this industry in the territory, the result of which cannot be foretold. During the year 55 corporations were created, and five large steamers were added to the transportation service. The past two years have been marked by extensive construction of public works, for which appropriations of $4,503,970.09 were made. Legislation. The seventh legislature of the territory began its biennial session on Feb. 19. The session was characterized by the harmonious relations between the houses and between the legislature with the executive authority. The legislation was distinctly progressive. The number of bills passed was 170, the largest passed by any legislature of Hawaii. Among the important acts were the creation of a Public Utilities Commission with broad powers, a direct-primary law, and a law prohibiting political contribution by corporations. Population.-A recent census shows the population on June 30, 1913, to have been 217,744, an increase of 13.46 per cent. since the census of 1910. The most noticeable feature is the rapid increase in the number of Filipinos, 5,747 having been introduced by the sugar planters during the year, bringing the total introduced in the last four years up to 13,715. The lack of efficient labor continues the great problem in the territory. Strong effort has been made to strengthen the Caucasian element in the population by introducing European labor. In The the six and one-half years ending June 30, 1913, the territory introduced 15,012 immigrants from Spain, Portugal and Russia, of whom 5,399 were men, at a cost of $227.26 per man. Commerce and Industries. The total imports for the year amounted to $160,232.77, those from the United States having increased from $54,300.24 in 1913 to $75,556.59. exports amounted to $37,371.89, mostly copra, a marked decrease from last year. Owing to the drought in the Spring of 1913 and the typhoons, only 567 tons of copra were exported, as against 1,047 tons in the preceding year. HAWAII Economic Condition.-Prosperity and progress have characterized the last year in Hawaii, as it has for the past several years. To even a greater extent than Porto Rico, the prosperity of Hawaii is dependent on the sugar industry. The reduction of the tariff Education. The new financial policy adopted two years ago for the public schools is operating well and has resulted in an increase in the number of teachers and pupils and in the average efficiency of the teachers in consequence of the payment of higher salaries. The sum of $946,541.50 was expended for school purposes during the year. There are now 161 public schools and 51 private schools; 674 teachers in public schools and 312 in |