The more things change, the more they stay the same. Alaskans fought long and hard to win statehood in 1959. The major issue for Alaskans was getting a reasonable benefit from the export of their resources by what they called “outside interests,” the major national corporations that owned the mines and the canneries. These corporations virtually ran the Territorial Legislature. While millions of dollars worth of gold, copper and salmon left Alaska each year, the outside interests paid little in taxes or severance fees, and the Territory was strapped for money to pay for basic services. In 1939, Territorial Governor, Ernest Gruening made it his battle to wrest political control back from the outside interests. Many other leaders of both parties came on board and eventually the Statehood Movement succeeded. All the while, the outside interests warned that higher taxes would drive away investment and jobs. Those that were operating in 1958 remained in business and profitable after statehood. https://youtube/watch?v=fsxtc9wXVIc
Posted on: Fri, 15 Aug 2014 20:27:46 +0000