THE IDITAROD PIONEER
Published Every Saturday Morning at Idltarod, Alaska
Vol. 7 CHARLES A. DERRY, Editor and Publisher No. 16
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THE TOLSTOI DISTRICT
Stampeders who have returned from the scene
of the new gold discoveries in the Tolstoi river coun
try are unanimous in their belief that placer deposits
of great extent and value are about to be opened up
to development. The indications, so far as it is pos
sible to say at this time, are that Mastodon creek,
with its numerous tributaries, contains auriferous
gravels of considerable extent, and developments
will be watched with the keenest interest. It is too
early as yet to announce to the world that a new
Klondike” has been discovered. Probably many
reports have been sent to the Outside world giving
details of the new find. But Alaskans know and
realize that these “strikes” are merely indications
until sufficient work has been accomplished to out
line the extent and value of the discovery. Should
later developments be in keeping wath those already
made known, this section of Alaska is due to recede
the attention of the mining world again, and the
probabilities are that a period of activity and pros
penty is in sight that shall remind old-timeis of tire
stirring tunes connected with the discoveries that
brought thousands of persons to this district in 1 f09
and 1910.
_A._
AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP
The Atlantic Monthly calls attention to the fact
that the supreme court of Minnesota, as late as 1909,
held a man fit for citizenship who, though 46 years
of age. did not know whether the President of the
United States was George Washington or Theodore
Roosevelt, but thought that it was Washington; did
not know where the capital of the state was located,
but thought that it was Minneapolis or Duluth; did
not know who was governor of Minnesota, the state
in which he had lived for twenty-four years, or
where the law's of Minnesota were made or who
made them, but guessed it was the governor; did
not know what it means to take the oath of allegi
ance to this country; did not know anything what
ever about the constitution, although he had heard
of it; admitted that if he took the oath to support
the constitution of the United States he would not
know what it meant. The court, with these facts
in mind, considered that this man was “attached to
the principles of the constitution of the United
States.”
The above noted instance, while of course excep
tional, is probably the result of the sentiment so gen
eral in the United States up to a very recent period,
that the United States, as an asylum for the weak,
down-trodden and oppressed of the nations of the
old world, should not place any restrictions on those
desiring to participate in the blessings of a free coun
try. It was a sentiment that could be highly com
mended from a philanthropic point of view, but
its results were lamentable. It was responsible for
a large class of citizens w'ho, not understanding the
principles and ideals of the American government,
retained and still retain their loyalty to the land of
their nativity—a loyalty which cannot be shaken
even when the interests of the land of their adoption
are at stake.
The present world war has brought home to the
people of this country a realization of the dangers
that such laxity in the conferring of citizenship indis
criminately entails. When it is remembered that
even a small percentage of ignorant voters, sup
posedly expressing their views through the ballot
box, may have the result of changing or nullifying
the policies and traditions of this government, it is
seen how serious is the condition that confronts the
nation. The policies of this government are dictated
by public opinion. When it is found that public
opinion is opposed to the policies of the administra
tion, one of two things happens. Either the policies
involved are abandoned or the people are defied,
with the result that at the next election there is an
entire change of officials, in the event that they have
been unable to impress their views on the people.
There is every indication that in the future the ac
quisition of citizenship will not be a mere matter of
form. The government has provided strict rules
for the examination of applicants, and if court offi
cials do their duty new citizens in the future should
be well informed as to what they are undertaking. It
is not difficult to evolve a good American citizen
where knowledge and understanding prevail. It is
usually the ignorant and prejudiced who find it diffi
cult to give their undivided loyalty to this land of
equal opportunity and equal rights.
A case recently coming to our attention was that
of a man who, having made his declaration of inten
tion to become a citizen, found that he was not pre
pared to give his full allegiance to the United States
in case he were granted citizenship. The ties of
home and native land were too strong, and he failed
to perfect his citizenship. Such a man, were he
to become imbued with true Americanism, with love
of liberty, with the grand institutions which, in spite
of deprecatory mouthings of unfriendly critics,
L
make this the greatest and grandest nation on earth,
would become a good citizen—he would understand
and appreciate. But his honesty calls for admira
tion. Far better that he should retain his loyalty to
his native land as a subject of that nation than as a
citizen of the republic.
-+
According to a Washington dispatch in the Seward Gateway,
John E. Ballaine, the well-known Alaska promoter, recently gave
out the following statement: ‘‘I will be a candidate before the Re
publican primaries for the congressional nomination in the Seattle
district. My decision is prompted by threats of Steve Birch, man
ager of the Alaska Syndicate, by members of the Guggenheim
lobby in Washington, and by the secret aid they are receiving here
from" a few men in Seattle, who are on the Guggenheim payroll, to
the effect that the work of the government railroad in Alaska will
be stopped with the coming of a new administration. They include
in their threats hostility to the coal-leasing Iaw3. I will accept
their challenge. 1 will make my campaign largely on the issue of
devoting my time and energies in congress in support of the policy
of a prompt completionof the mileage of the government railroad
in Alaska which congress authorized two years ago, and in addition
I will try to bring about the authorization for the building of thou
sands of miles of railroads so that all parts of Alaska may be
opened to equal development for all Americans of every degree. I
intend to be in Seattle in April, after the Alaska legislation now
i pending is safely through, to enter actively into my campaign.”
A young lady of Boulder, Colo., who is possessed of the sum
of 8100,000 has determined to exercise her leap-year privilege.
I and declares that she is going to choose her husband. “When I
find the man 1 want I shall propose to him unhesitatingly, and
I shall not weep if he does not care to accept my heart. He will
have the same privilege to reject that I shall claim to ssk, she
says. The concluding sentence of her talk to the newspapers
explains why she is put under the necessity of assuming the pre
rogatives of the sterner sex. It is as follows: “I have two dear
little dogs, and he must be willing to be kind and loving towards
them if he wants to have me ask him to become my husband."
—♦—
Mayor Hi Gill of Seattle, upon his recent re-election, admitted
that the enforcement of the prohibition law in that city so far
had been a farce, but declared that it was his purpose to enforce
the law, and he has called to his aid the Anti-Saloon League
and the law-abiding citizens of the community generally. Mr. Gill
said that the city was infested with an army of bootleggers, and
that thirty or forty of the “soft drink” emporiums were serving
whisky. He added that therp were a dozen or more “drug stores”
that were nothing more nor less than saloons.
The probable reasons why Portugal suddenly seized i ll German
vessels interned in the various Portuguese ports is given in ad
vices to the British admiralty. The German steamship Hochfield.
3,689 tons, which interned at Madeira early in the war, took on
supplies slowly, coaled, and then escaped at night. The Portu
guest then awakened to the further possibilities of escapes, and
hoisted the nation's flag on the remainder of the interned craft
and took the German officers and crews and interned them.
--♦
Henry Gassaway Davis died at Washington, D. C., on March
| n. He was a multimillionaire, and represented West Virginia
j in the United States senate from 1871 to 18S3. He was the
father-in-law of Stephen B. Elkins, and his greatest claim to fame
lies in the fact that he had the hardihood to make the race for
vice president of the United States on the Democratic ticket with
Alton B. Parker in 1904.
-«
We are this week reminded that it is spring by the fact that
the professional baseball season has commenced Outside.
THE CAPTIVE
(By C. Edward Cone I
With mighty strength this great Northland
That grips men as with magic hand.
And keeps them first against their will.
Then mocks them, scourges them, until
They kiss her hand, and vow to give
Her their allegiance while they live
Has caught me, taught me, and today
I stand all ready to obey
Her varied moods, nor question why.
'Tis mine to serve her till I die.
Yet though a tyrant she may be,
She makes me feel that I am free.
Years that have been with labor fraught
I've given, and with little thought
Of servitude I go my way,
Nor do I reason why I stay
A captive, while She still beguiles
Me with Her winsome summer smiles,
Or storms at me with angry rage
Of winter's hate, that knows no gauge.
I am a slave! And still it seems
That I am filled with glorious dreams
Of being free; and that I stay
But to do honor to her sway.
Though I may sometiems sulk or brood,
And blame Her for some changing mood,
It is but for a single day
I seem unwilling to obey.
She is my Queen! and to Her will
I am Her loving subject still.
CONCESSIONS MEAN MORE THAN CONCESSIONS
(Chicago Herald)
No statement in President Wilson's notable letter to Senator
Stone is more justified by our experience with the Teutonic powers
than that in which he declares that to allow expediency to take
the place of principle in the present case would inevitably open the
door to stdl further concessions.
W'ho doubts it? As long as we stand upon the basis r.f the
accepted rules of international law and hold them unalterable dur
ing the progress of a war we have a support to which even the
most interested belligerent is obliged to pay at least a casual re
spect. But once we abandon that position we have abandoned not
only the particular contention involved but the principle which
underlies and has given force to every representation we have
made.
Concessions not of principle we have certainly made in plenty.
We have shown a patience and forbearance which we should be
rash to expect in the case of a foreign nation, if the situation were
reversed and we happened to be the offender. But there comes a
time when the furthest/limit of forbearance has been reached
when concession means that a new era of further and humiliating
concessions has just begun.
CONDITIONS ARE CHANGING IN ALASKA
(Cook Inlet Pioneer)
The lengthy list of marriages published in yesterday’s issue ade
quately proves that Alaska is a good country to come to, if a
woman wishes a husband. Alaska has been, up to the last two or
three years, essentially a country for men. In the very nature of
things the nomadic prospector never remains in one place long
enough to form an acqqlfmtance with a member of the gentler sex
that would be sufficient to justify marriage. But conditions in
Alaska are changing. People now come to Alaska to live indefi
nitely. They are beginning to realize that this country is about as
good as any other old country, and the opportunities are more nu
merous in the way of gaining a livelihood. Here a man may scrape
together a few hundred dollars and become a business man. In
deed, just this thing has taken place in Anchorage. We all recall
instances in the old town where enterprising fellows started business
in a tent and are now comfortably housed in substantial structures,
doing a good business. There are mighty few places in the States
where this could have been accomplished. And with the further
construction of the government railway, as it reaches toward the
big Interior country, this condition of things will be repeated at a
number of points where settlements spring up. In a business way,
therefore, the opportunities are more inviting in Alaska for the
man with limited means than on the Outside. These business men
are bringing their families to this country and are forming the
nucleus of a permanent population. Most of us who have lived in
Alaska for some time have about given up the idea of returning
to the States"to take up a permanent abode. While we may miss
some of the so-called pleasures and amusements that are not avail
able in Alaska, there are compensating conditions that far outweigh
the lack of the theater or such flighty, transient and unimportant
recreations. In the matter of health, the all-important blessing in
life—is it possible to find a more health-giving climate than that
enjoyed in Alaska? We doubt it very much.
-—..;
What’s the use if we keep the peace, but cause our Colonel to
die of mortification and shame?—Charleston News and Courier.
AN ANCIENT SUPERSTITION i
MAY PROVE TO BE TRUE
(Charles Eugene Banks in Seattle Post
Intelligencer)
Cinema demonstrations are corroborat
ing many things that scientists have be
lieved in but were not able to prove. For
instance, there are in detective records in
stances which recount tales of a murderer’s
face being photographed in the dead eye
of his victim. One or two of these cases
seem to be pretty well authentciated. Now j
comes the following story from the Vita
graph studio, which seems to bear the
stamp of sincerity:
Antonio Moreno during the filming of
“A Price for Folly,” a five-reel blue ribbon
feature produced by the Vitagraph com
oany, had the role of the son of a French
nobleman, in love with a celebrated
dancer, enacted by Edith Storey. He was
compelled to gaze steadily at her during
the entire action of a dance number un
der the glare of an exceptionally strong
light.
At the finish of the scene Moreno had
occasion to go into a darkened room, and
when he again emerged into the light wax
surprised to see the dancing figure of Miss
Storey always directly in front of him.
He tried every means he could think of
to shut out what appeared to him to be a
vision. Finally, becoming alarmed, he con
sulted an eye specialist, who, upon exami
nation, discovered the fact that there was
a perfect photographic print on the retina,
that coating of the eye containing the ends
of the sensory nerves.
As it did not impair Moreno’s sight, ex- :
cept to throw the shadowy form of the j
dancer on the object in his line of vision,
he was not inconvenienced to the extent
of having to stop work. At the end of a
week, during which time the only relief
he obtained was during his sleeping hours,
or when he closed the lid of his eye, he
again sought the specialist, who, in con
sultation with several of his colleagues,
subjected Moreno’s eye to a thorough ex
amination, but could reach no definite
conclusion as to the best means to adopt
to obliterate the “eye photograph,” as
they called it.
All during the time Moreno was work
ing in “A Price for Folly” he noticed that
as the action of the story progressed and
Miss Store}' had donned other raiment, the
vision began to fade. As he described it,
it was exactly similar to the gradual fad
ing away of a photographic imprint on
-ner. It took a full month before the
last trace of the dancer finally disappeared
from Moreno’s vision.
-A - —
THE PEOPLE’S LAWYER
(New York World)
Louis Der itz Brandeis is the first Jew
ever named by the president for a supreme
court justice in the history of the court.
He is known throughout the nation as “the
people’s lawyer.” He would be the people's
jurist. That is why "big business" is op
posing his confirmation so vociferously.
President Wilson gravely considered Mr.
Brandeis when he was forming his cabinet,
and it is quite sure that he will insist on
confirmation for the supreme court po
sition.
Crystallized in general terms, the ob
jections to his nomination are about as
follows:
That Mr. Brandeis is a radical, a theorist,
impractical, with strong socialistic tenden
cies.
That he is given to extravagance of ut
terance, inspired by prejudice and intoler
ance.
That he is a “self-advertiser,” reckless in
his methods of seeking personal exploita
tion. That he does not possess the “judi
cial temperament” that would fit him for
the duties of a supreme court judge.
That Mr. Brandeis is not a Democrat,
and that prior to 1912 he was active in the
organization and promotion of “Progressive
sentiment” that eventuated in the candi
dacy of Colonel Roosevelt, of whom he
was once a strong admirer.
There is no criticism reflecting upon
either the intelligence or the legal attain
ments of Mr. Brandeis. That the President
is fully satisfied with his selection was indi
cated by him in conversation recently. He
believes he has introduced into the court
a “live and progressive element” that will
furnish a most satisfactory balance to gov
ern its conclusions.
-♦
FOR SALE—French Joe's Roadhouse,
Seward trail; cheap. Apply Henry Roden,
Iditarod.
--❖
Job Printing at Pioneer office
CLEANING AND PRESSING
ALL KINDS OF FUR WORK
Suits Cleaned and Pressed, Fur Coats and
Robes Lined, and All Kinds of
Fur Work Done
MRS. CHAS. L RSON
Orders may be left with Mrs. Thornton :
---_J
* ><5. r,**,**^*,^****,^**^^.,.
% If /ou Are Interested in $
| LIFE INSURANCE X
■'> Let me talk it over with you «
EARL B.HUNT \
Mutohler Eros.
GENERAL
FREIGHTERS
DAILY STAGE SERVICE
OPEN DAY AND NIGHT
CAFE
FLAT CITY HOH BACK &. DURAND
Bet. the Grand and Bagoy's Bars
THE BEST ALL THE TIME
WE ARE HERE TO STAY
Best of Everything
ALL THE TIME AT THE
Arcade Cafe
FLAT CH
Open Day and Nifiht
Mr. Business Man: Don’t allow your
stock of stationery or other printed matter
to be entirely depleted before ordering a
v supply. Do it now. The Pioneer.
Professional
Michigan, 1881 Alaaka, l• 10
Kentucky, 1891
George Woodruff Albrecmt
COUNSELOR AND LAWYER
IDITAROD, ALASKA
The Pioneer Attorney of Iditarod
E. M. STANTON
Attorney at Law
Office: Corner Willow and Second Sts
Iditarod Pioneer Building
CHAS. E. TAYLOR
Attorney at Law
BANK BLOCK
| First Avenus Iditarod
I
Fred Harrison
ATTORNEY AT LAW
Room 1 Over Merchants Cate
DR. MOORE
PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON
UO STORE
DR. H. E. AURSMQER
: Physician and Surgeon
Office: Flat City Hospital, Fiat Oty
Consultation Hours in Forenoon* and by
Appointment
DR. H. BEHLA
j DENTIST
FUAT CITY
Will Arrive in Iditarod by the tint >•«'. in
th8 spring
seDondst. IDITAROD ME A I OO. ph°ne'»
Thfl Gold st- Flit City
I 00 9&J1 S €3ttf I S Mrs. Geo. Mutchler, Prop.
Nicely Furnished Rooms Barn for Horses and D031 Baths in Connects
HARRT c^^rNELLEY
| EEEE GENERAL MERCHANDISE
{ DISCOVERY, OTTER
!the best of everything all the time
MERCHANTS’ CAFE
ssiHffiajEsssEi GOOD MEALS
aamBBBBasg SHORT ORDERS
FIRST AVE. OPEN DAY AND NIGHT ”™T"
Pr«p.
.. mu m ii iiiii n i mi m m i— ■ i —11n iiiim■ umim—iw iiiim i mi T f—■ttmu—ii
We Have a Complete Line of
A-l Groceries
in Hardware we carry Axes, Saws, Mauls, Wedges, Picks, Shovels, Sluice Forks, Stoves and Stove
pipe, Door Locks, Hinges, Files and other small hardware.
We have a Clothing Department where you can be supplied with Bib and Waist Overalls, Khaki
Suits, Woollen Pants, Overshirts, Underwear, Rubber Boots and Pacs, Socks, Mitts and Gloves.
If you are making the usual spring repairs on your house we can supply you with Building Paper,
Burlap, Oilcloth, Paints, Oil and Varnish.
Mg MAHON
GENERAL MERCHANDISE FLAT CITY