Walter Eli Clark - Alaska

Alaska

Clark was appointed Governor of the District of Alaska by President William Howard Taft on May 18, 1909. The president considered the new governor to be knowledgeable about the district because Clark had prospected for gold near Nome, Alaska for a short time in 1900 and traveled through the district in both 1903 and 1906. This view was however not universally held, with some Alaskans viewing the new governor as a carpetbagger.

As governor, Clark attempted to bring the district's various political factions together. One point where he differed from the majority of Alaskans was on the issue of territorial status, which the governor opposed. Clark's opposition was based upon Alaska's small population (36,556 whites) and the general lack of transportation infrastructure throughout the district. His opposition however became moot when Republicans took control of the United States House of Representatives during the 1910 election. With the House under Democratic control, legislation granting Alaska territorial status was pushed through and became effective on August 24, 1912.

During the territory's first legislative session, Clark signed laws creating a variety of regulatory agencies and implementing compulsory education, juvenile courts, eight-hour days for workers in many industries, and women's suffrage. The legislature also followed his recommendation to impose a tax on the canning of salmon. His last day in office came on May 21, 1913 when he resigned to make way for Wilson appointee John Franklin Alexander Strong.