Sty* latlg {tauippftiir
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only, per year ..-.
Business Office and Editorial Rooms,
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1916
ALASKA’S ONE PROBLEM.
(By Thomas B. Drayton.)
At the venture of offending sensi
bilities having much official cause to
be delicate it is here recorded that
Alaska has one overshadowing prob
lem compared to which the collective
importance of all other present Ter
ritorial problems is inconsequential
and negligible, and that problem is:
ilhall Alaska be governed in the in
terest of Alaska and the Republic,
or continue to be governed in the in
terest of a coterie of political para
sites?
Every Alasnan realizes this; how
be, in our Territorial midst most
statesmen, publicists and others ac
coutred of political harness or hav
ing axes to grind employ a ladylike
mode of expression fastidious to the
point of ambiguity in referring to the
subject.
Paradoxical as it seems after that
interrogatory exposition, it is yet
true that Alaska Is not governed at
all. What by exaggeration of cour
tesy we call our Territorial govern
ment is but a long-distance and ad
ministrative arrangement by which
Territorial functions are parcelled
eat between a large number of Wash
ington bureaus, each seemingly in
tent chiefly upon the creation and
maintenance of jobs for persons
having claims upon it, but without
reference to the needs or interests
of Alaska.
Naturally the Territory is over
run with useless and idle officials.
Having no useful duties to perform
-certainly none so important as kill
ing time and drawing their pay-per
force these gentry must do some
make-believe work to justify their
employment and insure continuance
of their sinecures. In pursuance of
which purpose they have developed
by degrees into interlocking, over
lapping ubiquitous congeries of
official busybodies whose incessant
intermeddling has largely defeated
all real progress, and seemingly re
duced many of our people to a con
dition of lethargy, a hopelessness, a
kind of civic coma which is wont to
express itself in the laconic phrase:
What’s the use?
As it is presumably imperative
that the Washington government pro
vide incomes for the unwelcome visi
tors, it may safely be said that Alas
ka would gladly, even joyously, tax
berself to provide the largess if the
government in turn would consent
to billet them upon some section of
the Republic more able to recoup the
disaster their presence entailss.
In 1912 Congress passed an aci
creating a Territorial legislature,
and conferred upon it what may be
designated as a limited measure of
initiative. In other words, it may in
dulge in legislative play-acting, its
enactments being valid or void as
approved or disapproved by Congress
in theory, but in fact by Washington
bureaucrats; a degree of authority
substantially tantamount to that ex
cised by a concourse of private clti
sena convened in a town meeting,
with the importance difference that
the town meeting can point with
pride, view with alarm, resolve and
resolute until it is black in the face
upon any known subject, or on sub
jects known only to itself: whereas
the Alaska legislature upon turning
to the simplest matter of purely lo
cal interest will, ten to one, find
itself frustated with a proviso, ex
ception, reservation, prohibition, or
-THE
EMPRESS
TO-NIGHT
2 Show*—at 8 and 9:20,sharp
PROGRAM
PATHE WEEKLY NEWS
FLOWER OF FAITH,
Selig Two-Reel Drama.
matter of high explo
sives—Comedy.
—*—1
Change Pictures Sunday.
Admission 25c and 10c.
joker adroitly designed to secure the
tenure of a federal job.
Our organic act is as ingenious a
piece of legislative legerdmain as
was ever slipped through Congress
by bureaucratic porch-climbers or
second-story artists, and was design
ed alone for the dual purpose of paci
fying the growing discontent of an
oppressed people, and concurrently
making less noticeable the utter use
lessness of a multitude of utterly
useless jobs. We Alaskans have not
even the poor consolation that our
Organic Act rises to the dignity of a
great and comprehensive plunder
scheme designed for the exploitation
of a country’s resources. Just jobs;
that’s all. Not even good jobs, but
mostly cheap, mean, puny, little jobs
suited to the needs of lame ducks, in
capable friends of influential persons,
and folks of like ilk. Important?
Yes, because of their number and
united capacity for harm; not harm
intentional or malevolent or dishon
est ; but that harm which gratui
tous intermeddling by incompetents
invariably propagates.
The remedy? There is none but
statehood. No kind of bill affecting
Alaska’s government, excepting a
statehood bill alone, will ever again
pass through Congress without the
imprint of bureaucracy upon its every
line.
Schemes of various kinds may be
foisted upon us in the hope of pacify
ing discontent and averting attention
but with the outer covering removed
they will all disclose the same old
skunk with the same old smell.
PliAYKD A DONE HAND.
war is not otten aicin to nuiuor,
so that the following story will be
forgiven. When hostilities began
some of the people of Johannesburg
wanted to help the cause that they
favored. Mayor Dalrymple of the
Anglo-French group presented the
Chamber of Mines with a plan to
equip a contingent to be sent to the
front at tl\e expense of the mines.
This scheme was poDular locally and
would have been put thru if some
of the German directors and share
holders in London, Johannesburg,
and elsewhere had not kicked against
it. A counter suggestion was made
that a hospital ship be substituted
for fighting men, “as this would be
fairer to enemy shareholders.” So a
hospital ship it was: but Sir Joseph
Robinson, an old curmudgeon not
particularly popular in his financial
set because of his predilection for
playing a lone hand, sent his contri
bution of $5000 direct to General
Botha to be used for fighting pur
poses.—Scientific Mining.
NO CAUSE FOR ALARM.
If any of our citizens feel a tremb
ling and shaking of the snow under
foot we beg of them not to be alarm
ed. It’s just Joe Spenard and his
Ford burrowing their way through
the drifts.
Our merchants report trade pick
ing up and that business is much bet
ter than a month ago.
The few feet of snow which fell
this morning was nothing compared
to what happened in Florida in ’96.
President Wilson is sure to go
down in history as a man of inter
national note.—Christian Home.
The terrible condition of Balti
more morals can best be gauged by
the fact that they have sent for Billy
Sunday.—Post.
Germany has recognized Carranza.
We fear, however, that when the war
is over Carranza wil! not be able to
recognize Germany—Herald.
Pan-American unity is a beautiful
thought but it must be remembered
that peace-advocates are always of
one mind until they get together.—
Washington Po6t. .
Germany is getting so mad because
the Allies won’t sue for peace that
the first thing they know she will
dart in and lick them all over again.
—Times, Los Angeles.
NUMBER OF CATTLE
IN U. 8. ON INCREASE
WASHINGTON: The department
of Agriculture’s annual estimate'of
farm cattle in the country January 1,
ssued today, shows 21,988,000 milch
■ows. an Increase of 6.4 per cent;
19,162,000 sheep, a decrease of 1.6
per cent, and 68,047,000 swine, an
increase of 5.8 per cent.
Horses numbered 21,166,000, a
Tecrease of one-tenth of one per cent,
and mules numbered 4,565,000 an
increase of 1.9 per cent.
The total value of these farm ani
mals were placed at $6,002,784,000,
an increase of $33,631,009, or slx
ienths of one per cent, over their
value on January 1, 1916. -
William Cook, the well known;
miner, who has been working at Fi
lalgo bay for several months, came
ip the bay last night on the launch
Shamrock and will spend a few days
in town.
Ml IRISH EDEH
ON MARCH 17
Father Corbett Promises High Class
Entertainment in Honor of
Ireland’s Patron Saint.
Father Corbett, pastor of the local
Catholic Church, begs to announce
to the Valdez public that, on the eve
ning of March 17th, he will stuge a
fine playe entitled, “An Irish Eden.”
The play made a decided hit last year
in Tacoma, when produced by the
members of the Ancient Order of Hi
bernians. Fr. Corbett feels confident
that the play will be acted with equal
success here in Valdez, owing to its
interesting plot, rapid dramatic ac
tion, good natured humor and splen
did presentation of Trish faith and
home-life.
A strong cast of characters has
been secured. The acting parts hav
ing been entrusted to talented young
men and women of Valdez, the pub
lic may look forward to St. Patrick’s
evening for genuine entertainment.
The play will be followed by a grand
Irish ball to the inspiration of the
lilt of Irish music.
As this affair is in the nature of a
benefit for the Catholic church, the
first during the incumbrancy of Fr.
Corbett, he flatters himself that his
efforts to constructiveness will meet
with universal co-operation.
The following is the cast of char
acters:
Father Duffy, ago 50, the Parish
Priest .Tony Dimond
Father O’Brien, age 30, his assis
tant .Thos. Quinn
Nellie Duffy( age 21, his niece,
. Margaret Miller
Doctor Nolan, age 68, his life-long
friend .Kenneth Rudolph
Mrs. Murphy, age 45, his house
keeper .Mrs. Harvey Sullivan
Mrs. Patric, age 30, his cousin,
. Mrs. Egan
Mike Patric, age 35, his cousin-in
law .Emmet Egan
John Nolan, age 26, a young law
yer .Elmer Kidwell
Anna Ryan, age 18, in love with
Tom .Ruth Selby
Tom Blake, age 20, in love with
Anna . Tom Selby
May Dempsey, age 21, a supposed
friend .Rose Johnson
Harrison Woodworth, age 35, a sol
dier of Fortune .Henry Miller
Louis Schmidt, age 40, the butch
er .Sergt. Kidwell
Aunt Susan, age 60, Nellie’s old
nurse .Della Hubbard
The Patric Children....by Themselves
Subeeribo (or tbe Prospector.
Dougherty & Ferguson
GENERAL
Merchandise
The best groceries received
on every boat,
Fresh vegetables, fruits, and
nuts.
When Id Seward Stop at the
COLEMAN HOUSE
OEORGE SEXTON, PROP.
STRICTLY FIRST CLASS
Fourth Ave, Seward, Alaska
Valdez MinirsIUnlas No. 188
Western Federation of Miners
ROBERT SHAFFER, President,
Granite Minn.
CHAJS. McCALLUM^ Secretary,^
m Shamrock
CAPT. TIM MARCUM
Sails for Port Wells, Portage
Bay, Granite Mine, Saturday
at 9:00 a. m., from the Val
des Dock Company’s Dock.
For Ellamar, Landlock Bay,
and Fidalgo, every Wednes
day, 9:00 a. m., from Val
des Dock Company's Dock.
For Rates, Apply on Boat.
VALDEZ LODGE
NO 168
fret ud Accepted Mwen
Regular Communications first Wed
nesday In each month In McKinley
Hall. Visitors «Hways welcome
A. A GR1QSBT, W. M.
BA. WOOD, Secretary.
Weather Report.
Valdez, Feb. 17, 1916.
Barometric pressure .29.36E
Temperature 7 p. m.14
Maximum temperature .16
Minimum temperature . 4
Mean temperature .10
Preciptation .40
Cloudy, freshwind northeast twen
ty-five miles, snowed at night and
from 8 a. m. to 4 p. m.
NEW YORK THEATRICAL
MAN BRITISH PRISONER.
LONDON: Isaac Rose, a New Y ork
theatrical man, former husband of
Saharet, the dancer, was removed by
the British authorities from the liner
Rotterdam at Falmouth charged with
having a trunk filled with German
war literature.
Rose, according to the athorities,
was in possession of three American
passports, one of which was much
out of date; the second issued May
30, 1910, in the Dutch East Indies,
and the third of recent date. These
passports will be turned over to the
American ambassador, and if nothing
is found wrong with them, Rose will
be permitted to proceed, but the
trunk will be retained by the British
authorities.
The trunk, the officials say, was
filled with pamphlets, newspapers,
war pictures, and books, all on the
subject of the present conflict, many
of the documents being addressed to
M. B. Claussen. 30 East Forty-sec
ond Street, New York, while other
packages containing documents in
five different languages were address
ed to places in all the Central and
Soutb American Republics and in the
West Indies.
SAY!
ARE YOU ALIVE
to the fact that
ANCHORAGE,
SEWARD,
CORDOVA,
ELLAMAR and
LATOUCHE
Will Have Baseball
Teams this
Summer ?
IS
VALDEZ
Going to Sit Back ?
WHY NOT TAKE
THE LEAD?
It you want to Place
Valdez on the Baseball
Map, patronize the
JITNEY
DANCE
ADMISSION
Including Five Jitneys
SOc
EVERY HOME
SHOULD HAVE
A
FRANZ PREMIER
VACUUM
CARPET CLEANER
NO MORE WORRY
NO MORE DUST
L
Can Be Attached
To Any Light
Socket.
S.BLIIM&COJE
Sole Distributors.
DR. H. COCKERILLE
Graduate National University.
Washington, D. C.
DENTIST
F ourteen Tears in Valdai.
PHONE 110
Office Rooms in Whaling Building
DR. GERMAN
phone ,o THE DENTIST
Office rooms over Owl Drag Store. Of
fice hours 9 a. m. to 6 p. m., 7 to 9
p. m. Sunday • ▼ appointment.
All Wort Guaranteed.
E. C. DALTON, M. D.
PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON
Phone 42
Alaska Avenue Valdez, Alaska
DONOHOE & DIMGND
ATTORNEY S-AT-LAW
Office Opposite Co art Boom
Phone 34 VALDEZ. ALASKA
JOHN LYONS E. B. RITCHIE
LYONS & RITCHIE
ATTORNEYS-AT-LAW
Office# In W bnllng Building
Phone 131 VALDEZ. ALASKA
A. M. DIERINGER
Valdez Transfer
Company
Office on Alaaka Avenue, in
George C. Treat Building
Telephone No. 60
General Trucking and Freighting
to all Interior Points.
LIVERY and FEED STABLE.
STORAGE,
Teaming of All Kinds
Positively No Coal Delivered Un*
less Paid for in Advance
ffi
Arcade Cafe
OPEN ALL NIGHT
Private Dining Room with Electric
Heater.
BREAD FOR SALE
Jock Collin . Proprietor
Copper River
Drayingr£o
Freighting and Passengers
to all parts of the Interior.
GENERAL TRUCKING
McKinley Street, Valdez
ED. WOOD. Proprietor
The Best Place in Valdez to
Stop at is the
Arctic Hotel
Wans, Light Raoei-Tha Haw of (Wait
RATES REASONABLE
BATH ROOM Special Ratea Bp the MeSd
PHONE 133 MRS. STRING, Pn*
Somebody
With Money
always has been found to
“back” a good plan, a good
idea, a good business ven
ture or a good mining pros
pect ; otherwise a good many
of today’s successful busi
ness enterprises would still
be mere dreams.
Advertising has brought
about a majority of the in
troductions of the man with
the idea, the man with a
prospect, or business to the
man with the dollar.
ADVERTISE IN THE
PROSPECTOR FOR RE
SULTS.
i *