THE ID1TAROD P8CNEER
!__
Published Every Saturday Morning at Idlterod, Alaska
Vol. 7 CHARLES A. DERRY, Editor and Publisher Wo. 19
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A SUGGESTION
The unprecedentedly large number of persons
•who have perished on Alaska trails and in remote
districts during the past winter, especially in the
northwestern portion and on the Seward peninsula,
suggests that there ought to be some means of mini
mizing these pitiful tragedies of the North. Most of
them appear to have occurred close to human habi
tations, and in many instances the victims were
known to have been on the trail; in other cases the
unfortunates could have been aided had a regular
trail patrol been maintained.
Uncle Sam maintains in Alaska hundreds of husky
men in practical idleness. There never has been a
satisfactory answer to the question as to why army
posts were maintained in the various sections of the
territory. It is safe to say that these men would
welcome duty that would take them out on the
various trails instead of wasting their time in idle
ness from month to month in barracks. With the
force of soldiers constantly maintained in the terri
tory there would be an opportunity for the organ
ization of the most effective trail patrol imaginable.
Why does not some “constructive statesman in
the war department break through the enveloping
red tape sufficiently to give these soldiers a useful
task to perform, and at the same time furnish a
measure of protection to the hardy fellows who are
pioneering the work of bringing the wilderness under
man’s subjection? The press of the territory con
tinues to publish lists of murders that have been
committed in Alaska for which no one has beer,
brought to the bar of justice. With a trail patrol ot
several hundred men working in conjunction with
the civil authorities there would be little chance for
the perpetrator of a crime to escape from the terri
tory.
It is probable that the utilizing of the soldiers for
this purpose often has been suggested, and the
many objections and difficulties pointed out; but
there is nc reason why it should not be reiterated
until the authorities find some way of furnishing
protection to travelers in the Northland.
♦
THE IRISH INSURRECTION
Last week’s dispatches told of the long-promised
insurrection in Ireland. Ever since the inception of
the great European war there have been hints that an
effort was to be made on an extensive scale to take
advantage of Great Britain’s difficulties by striking a
blow at British sovereignty in the island, and to pre
pare a coup that should at once establish Ireland as a !
nation and incidentally give Germany a useful ally.
For many years past there have been evidences in this
country of powerful efforts to bring about a close af-;
filiation between the German and Irish societies, and j
the spectacle of representatives of these nationalities j
fraternizing at public celebrations has been one which |
has created no little surprise. That for years there j
has been an understanding between the Irish “pa- j
triots” in this country and influential circles m Ger-!
many has been no secret. And when the expected j
war broke out in ail its fury, one of the disappoint- j
ments of the kaiser’s government, as reflected in Ger
man publications, was that, instead of the expected
insurrection in Ireland, many thousands of Irishmen
were voluntarily fighting in the armies of Great
Britain.
Were the people of Ireland united in the desire to
throw off their allegiance to Great Britain there is
little doubt that the sympathy and support of the
people of this country would be with the gallant little
nation which has given of its best blood and manhood ;
in the upbuilding of this great republic, and whose t
sons have ever been found in the forefront of the ad- j
vancing forces of civilization. When it is realized
that even the impending change in government which
is to give the long-fought-for home rule resulted in
arraying Irishmen in opposing hostile camps, threat
ening internecine strife which was allayed only by \
reason of the danger from foes without, friends of
Ireland will view with gfave concern this latest de- i
velopment in her turbublent history.
The recent “Irish-race convention,” held in New
York, to which the Literary Digest devotes consider
able space, adopted what it termed the “declaration
of Irish independence,” in which, after declaring loy
alty and devotion to American ideals and faith in
American institutions, the rambling assertion is made
that England is prepared for armed conflict against
the United States whenever the moment for armed
action shall seem to her to have arrived; the Presi-i
dent and congress of the United States are called j
upon to “do what is necessary” to place the Amen-1
can flag in a position of equality with the flags of !
other nations; a demand is made that American pas- j
sengers shall be warned not to travel upon ships j
carrying contraband of war; and a further demand
is made that “our neutrality laws shall be enforced
with fairness and impartiality.” The statement is
made that not alone the Irish race, “but the enemies
<of England,” realize that English dominion over Ire- j
land be terminated. And finally an appeal is made
to the concert of the powers for recognition of the
independence of Ireland as “vital to the freedom of
the seas.” The document is of such extraordinary
nature, and withal so clumsily worded, that the
weekly newspaper Ireland, published in New York,
and a supporter of the Irish parliamentary party,
says that the convention “represented only a single
phase of Irish opinion”; that “it was hostile to the
people of Ireland, whose deliberate policy it de
liberately condemned"; that “as an Irish-race con
vention it was notable for the absence of all those
who in a score of years have helped on the cause of
progress in Ireland, and that the convention was
against every government but the German govern
ment. ' It sums up with the trite remark, “Business
done: Germany’s.”
Irishmen m this country will not take kindly as a
whole to this ill-considered attempt to link the for
tunes of Ireland with the problems confronting Presi
dent Wilson’s administration in the controversy with
Germany. They will refuse to believe that the ques
tion of submarine warfare and that of the interpre
tation of the neutrality laws have even the most re
mote connection with the desire to “free Ireland.”
As showing the divergence of opinion among
Irishmen regarding the welfare of their native land
the executive committee of American Irish Societies,
who announce themselves to be “representatives of
the Irish race in America, unsubs.d.zed by any for
eign power,” have given out the following dec
laration :
The Irish in America, whether they have yet reached the boor
if citizenship of not, believe in America fir t, last, and all the
time, and believe in the strict enforcement of American right,
and American neutrality as to a'l the contestants in the European
war. The Irish in America bilievo that the Irish in Ireland are
better judges of their rights, their policies and their duties that,
any number of praiseworthy and well-meaning men of their raci
in America, or any number of the descendants of exiled IriTimet
in America, whose only idea on the Iri h question is the legacy <o
hate inherited from the days of oppression, and who are ignorant
■f, or shut their minds to, the happy change that has come over
the green island since the rule of democracy has been sunstitutei
lor that of feudalism. The Irish in Ireland arc not contract
breakers. Ever sinee O'Connel.’s day they have fought for home
rule (first as “repeal of the union”i. Now that it is granted them
they are keeping their part of the contract. They have sent
142.000 of their sons, voluntarily and without “force, starvation
I r deceit.” to the front. : nd are adding to that force at the rate
of 1,000 a week.
The Pioneer has received a request for answers to the f I
lowing questions:
1. A boy child is born of white foreign parems
shortly after they come to tiie United States. The father
never becomes a citizen, is the boy compelled to take
out citizenship papers when he is twenty one years of age
in order to be an American citizen?
2. Is a Chinaman born in the United Slates a citizen?
We believe it to be the law that a child born in this countr
f foreign parents becomes a citizen < f the United States upt
reaching majority, whether or not the parents became naturalize
prior to that time. This applies to Chinese of American birtl
: I••,.>. It may be stated, however, that in the case of at 1 ‘a*t on
foreign nation France -claims have been made that the offspnm
of a citizen of that republic born abroad owe allegiance to Prance
This is one of the questions arising out of the present Europe::!
war. and i rt bai 1\ is not yet finally determined.
❖
Tiie .iuncr-tt Commercial Club has started a campaign again
“the liabt oi fault-finding and criticism which has taken po..
sion of the community." The community in which there i< n
criticism and fault-finding does not exist; and if it do! it woul
ire a fitting site for a graveyard. A spirit of chronic fault findi
is to be discouraged. But the fact that the acts of publ;c ofii
dels and those having a quasi-ofiicii-1 standing meet with di-au
probatii. n shows at least that the residents of a community taki
an interest in what is going on. and such interest makes for prog
ress. Progress and development do not fo 1 ov smug contentment
with things as they are.
-♦
BRANDEIS' DANGEROUS DOCTRINES
(Kansas City Post i
The senate inquiry concerning Louis l). Brandeis’ qualifica
tions ns a justice of the United States supreme court is beginning
to take on the aspect of a criminal prosecution.
The power of the senate committee, limited by congressional
authority and custom to be merely advisory to the President, is
being prostituted to every mean end that can be conceived by
those enjoying special privileges. No better showing could be
made of how useful the supreme court is to the exploiters than
their efforts to defeat Mr. Brandeis.
The reason is plain. The court has taken to itself the right i
to read its opinions into the law. It has usurped functions not
contemplated by the makers of the constitution. Mr. Brandeis
would bring into its oligarchical presence the modern idea that
no institution in a democracy is superior to a majority of the
people. The doctrine is dangerous. Senator Lafoilette epitomized
the court succinctly several years ago in these words:
“The judiciary has grown to be the most powerful institution
in our government. Evidence abounds that, as constituted today,
tile courts pervert justice almost as often as tney administer it.
Precedent and procedure have combined to make one law for the
rich and another for the poor.
“Moreover, by usurping the power to declare laws unconstitu
tional, and by presuming to read their own views into statutes j
without regard to the plain intentions of the legislators, they have
become in reality the supreme law-making and law-giving institu
tions of our governmerdt. They have taken to themselves a power
it never was intended-they should exercise; a power greater than
that intrusted to the courts of any other enlightened government.
“Anil because this tremendous power has been so generally ex- '
ercised on the side of the wealthy and poiverful few. the courts
have become at last the strongest bulwark of special privilege, j
They have come to constitute what may be termed a 'judicial J
oligarchy.’ ”
--
IMPORTANCE OF VERDUN TO BOTH BELLIGERENTS
(Exchange)
While the salient of Verdun is the weakest pioint in the Ger
man lines, it is also tf-e most vulnerable point in those of the
allies. This, not. because it is a fort, for the war has conclusively
shown since its beginning that there can be constructed nothing
of steel and concrete which cannot be destroyed by modern ord
nance; but because it is a salient. Could the German line be
broken at this point and the French troops rushed through, the
whole of the Teuton positions to the eastward, that is to say.
Northern France and Belgium, would be outflanked. These posi
tions are supplied from Metz and from Aix-ia-Chappelle through
Luxemburg and Belgium. The breaking of the German line at
the extreme point of this salient would mean the line from Metz
would be severed, and that from Aix-la-Chapelle seriously threat
ened. Hence Berlin’s statement that the French occupation of
the Verdun salient has been a thorn in the German side; that it
justifies the costliness of the attack, and that if the French can
be driven out of the Verdun salient they would be compelled to
line up across the Argonne country from the upper reaches of the
Aisne to St. Mihiel. Forced into such a position, there would not
exist the same danger, and the German line would be straight
ened. But there is more to the attack than the defensive and
offensive tactics indicated. It is possible the French might be
driven out of Verdun with such suddenness and force as to pre
vent them taking up new positions immediately in the rear. In
this case the French line would be broken. The Teuton armies,
streaming after, would find themselves not only on the direct
road to Paris, but, W'hat is much more important, as the French
army and not the French capital is the German objective, behind J
the French lines along the Aisne, and behind those fronting Lor
raine and Alsace. That is to say, the French army would be split
in two, outflanked, and in imminent danger of disastrous defeat. '
ALARMIST CANAL REPORTS
CONTRADICTED BY GEOLOGIST
WASHINGTON March 11.—That the
Panama canal will not be swallowed up by
an earthquake in the future, and that the
troublesome slides now being encountered
will eventually be conquered and the great
waterway made an .unqualified success is
the opinion of Donald F. MacDonald, for
merly canal geologist, and now mining geol
ogist for the United States bureau of mines.
Mr. MacDonald, who spent several years
on the Isthmus making a careful study as
to fragility of the earth’s crust, has just
made an official report to the effect that,
while through seismic disturbance the whole
Isthmus is rising at the rate of three feet
very hundred years, this will not necessarily
injure the canal. As far as he sees, it will
merely mean a little additional expense in
the dredging of the big waterway. The
cause of the rising, he says, is the sinking
of the ocean bottom outside the Isthmian
shore waters. Every time there is a lit tie
movement of the ocean bottom the Isthmus,
to be in harmony, joins in. He also sug
gests that if the rising motion be rapid,
then there would be serious danger tor the
canal, but that from what has happened in
recent geologic time it may be concluded
that the canal is not in any appreciable dan
ger from the instability of the Isthmian
land. The rising of the Isthmus, however,
has been responsible for the many slides
that have been encountered, in that the
motion of the ground has dislocated and
crushed the rocks, leaving them weak and
unstable.
“At any rate,” said Mr. MacDonald, “so
far as the digging of the Culebra cut is
concerned, these faults have increased the
cost of the canal several million dollars
“As to the slides, Culebra cut is a vast
ditch that passes through many varieties of
rock in the nine miles of its length. Some
of these are weak and unstable, and where
the slopes of the cut were steep and 100
to 300 feet high the weaker rocks crushed
down to Hatter dopes. Whenever the slope
got Hat enough the sliding stopped. At no
time did the engineering staff constructing
the canal believe that the slides were a
menace to the ultimate completion and
successful operation of the canal, in spite
of the fact that at times they were some
what troublesome. They have made nec
essary the excavation of about 30.000,000
cubic yards more than was included in the
first estimates for Culebra cut. but they
have not in the pa.'t and will not in the
future endanger the ultimate success of the
canal.”
Mr. MacDonald call< attention to the
fact that one is apt to forget that the great
est variation of atmospheric pressure near
^ea level may be more than four million
tons per square mile, and that if the ad
justment of atmospheric pressure, in a very
large cave or mine, lags behind any quick
increase in atmospheric pressure at the sur
face, a considerable strain may be added
to the roof of such an excavation. Dis
cussing the real cause of the slides. Mr.
MacDonald declares that in many cases the
immediate cause was the ovcrstecpness and
height of the slopes, the blasting and other
work attributable only to man. He adds
that the geologic conditions were not suffi
ciently considered in the first plans for dig
ging Culebra cut.
As tno strength nt the tamous oatun
dam lias been brought into question on a
number of occasions, Mr. McDonald refers
to it at some length. “It was found that
the Gatun rocks were relatively solid and
compact and suitable for foundations for
heavy structures However, some writers,
even recently, have affirmed that the Gatun
rock." would soften into mud when Gatun
lake filled, and thus the locks and dam
would sink their foundations and be dam
aged or destroyed. Opinions of this sort
spring from a vivid imagination, and not
from facts.
"If the weight of Gatun lake is g- ing to
force water into the GaUm formation and
cause it to soften into a semi-mud that will
alow the dam to sink, then all the islands
in Gatun lake and all the hills around it,
which are of the same formation, should
also have their bases softened the same
way, and sink into the depths. Reports
that the Gatun dam and locks are in any
danger from sinking have not the slightest
foundation on geologic, data.”
-♦
HUGHES AND THE PRESIDENCY
(St. Louis Globe Democrat
Justice Hughes has ma.lp it quite dear
• hat lie is nc t a candidate for President,
that he does not want to be considered as
a candidate, and that he does not think it
proper for a justice of the supreme court to
enter into or be brought into the swirl of
national politics. That he is sincere in this
attitude no one questions. That he prefers
the exalted office he now holds to the presi
dency is quite likely. But he has not said,
has never said, that he would refuse the
nomination if given to him, nor is it prob
able that he will say it. For one reason he
would be reluctant to refuse a tiling that
had not been formally offered to him. But
the greater reason, we think, lies in his
high ideal of public duty. He feel", he must
feel, that if the call for him should become
imperative he would have to heed it. No
man of his character could refuse the de
mand of his party that he serve it in the I
highest office in the gift of tl people. How
ever reluctant he might be, however un
willing to establish a precedent opposed to
the traditions of the supreme bench, the
higher duty would be recognized. And yet
modesty forbids that he refer to the possi
bility of such a demand. Al! he can do
with propriety is to protest against the use
of his name in that association, and that
he is doing with as much emphasis as he
can give to it.
Justice Hughes may not, and probably
does not, want the presidency, but he is not
the sort of man who would make his nomi
nation impossible by such a positive dec
laration as that of General Sherman: “I
wi.l not accept if nominated, and if elected
I will not serve.” There were reasons for
Sherman’s curt refusal that do not exist
in this ca.se, and the circumstances are not
at all parallel. Justice Hughes, notwith
standing his judicial office, is a statesman
by education, training and instinct; Sher
man was a soldier. Mr. Hughes is, no doubt,
the strongest man in the Republican party
today. It is the prevailing opinion that he
would be the nominee if he would announce
a willingness to permit his name to go be
fore the convention. There is no probability
that he will do that, but it is conceivable
that he may be nominated despite his ob
jections.
--
Fresh Olympia and Eastern Oysters. $1.50
per can. Iditarod Meat Co.
Job Printing at Pioneer office.
WHAT BECOMES OF THE BALANCE?
(Fairbanks News-Miner)
The value of merchandise and gold and
silver shipped into Alaska from the United
States and foreign countries amounted to a
little over $28,000,000, whi'e the exports
out of the territory were nearly $55,000,000
during the year ending Devember 31, 1915,
leaving a trade balance in favor of Alaska
of approximately $27,000,000. One resid
ing in the territory naturally has his curi
osity aroused as to what becomes of this
tremendous trade balance. Coupon clippers
in Wall street. The Ibh trust gets a big
-lice; the (iuggenheims are now making a
profit of one million a month on the Ken
necott copper pr< perties, and the Treadwell
interests are paying hand.-ome dividends.
The mining companies are entitled to all
they make as long as they contribute their
share toward the maintenance of the local
Government, which they have been willing
and ready to do in the past, but the fish
trust takes its toll from the resources of
the territory, putting nothing back. Its
labor and sup] lias arc engaged and pur
chased outside of Alaska by shiploads, taken
her- for a short season, than sent back to
home ports heavily laden with the spoils
of their operations in our wafers. No per
manent institutions of industry, learning,
worship or entertainment are established.
No permanent population is supported.
Therefore the burden of taxation imposed
upon stub business shoul 1 be heavier than
upon the permanent industry. They ere in
'■fleet itinerant merchants and should be
treated as such. A small percentage of the
profits fr m ,he fisheries would come in
mi'-htv nioo for fixing our roads and estab
lishing a f. ■ schools.
O
SENATOR GAUSTAD RETIRES
(Fairbanks New.- Muter, April 1
Tins morning W. F. Thompson returns
to the management of the News-Miner after
nearly an eight months' lay-off, during
■vhu h time 0. P. Gaustad has been guiding
;ts rs-stinies. Mr. Gam-lad retains his hold
ings in the company and will assist us to
'fire extent for (he present, or until Mr.
Thompson learns again to work. After
plght month.-: with the whole burden upon
his sborldtrs, Mr. Gaustad Iviicves that he
is entitled to a rest anti the opportunity
to attend to other business affairs, end he
i.s probably right.
A,
SWEET REVENGE
He (after the quarrel)— I suppose you are
going hack to your mother’s.
She (triumphantly) I shall do no such
thine. On the contrary. I am going to the
most expensive hotel I can find and let
them send y u the bill.—Richmond Times
Dispatch.
-♦
NO NEWS TO HIM
“Johnny, do you know that your mother
has been looking for you?” asked the neigh
bor next door
“Sure I do,” replied Johnny. “That’s the
reason she can't find me.”—Judge.
#
FOR SALE French Joe's Roadhouse,
Seward, trail; cheap. Apply Henry Roden,
Iditarod.
♦ -
Job Printing at Pioneer office
I Professional
Michigan, 188! Alaska, 1810
Kentucky, 189 1
George Woodruff Albrecht
COUNSELOR AND LAWYER
IDITAROD, ALASKA
The Pioneer Attorney or Iditarod
E. M. STANTON
Attorney at Law
Oflice: Corner Willow and Second Sts
Iditarod Pioneer Building
CHAS. E. TAYLOR
Attorney at Law
BANK BLOCK
Foil Avenue Iditarod
ATTORNEY AT LAW
Room 1 Over Merchants Cafe
DR. SVIOORE
PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON
DR. H. E. A'JRINGER
Office: Flat City Hospital, Flat City
Consults,ii.n Ilnurs in Forenoons ar.d hy
I Appointment
DR. H. BEHLA
DENTIST
FLAT CITY
Will Arrive in Iditarod by the first boat in
the spring
Best of Everything
ALT, T!IK 'flMii AT Tiin
I
I
FLAT C IT A
Open Dav and Night
FINE WATCH REPAIRING
NUGGET JEWELRY TO ORDER
J. L. SALE, Fiat City
sasondst.SOiTAROD EV1EA7 CO. p^neis
| /fS Gold St., Flat City
i ! § ty* Mrs. Geo. Mutchler, Prep.
and Dogs Baths in Connection
HARRY DONNELLEY
sBEE GENERAL MERCHANDISE
DISCOVERY, OTTER
THE EEST OF EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME
~MERCHANTS' CAFE
FIRST AVE. I
GOOD MEALS
SHORT ORDERS
OPEN DAY AND NIGHT
ROBT. SOUTAR J
Prop
(Groceries Hardware |
Glass ware China ware g
Clothing I
Leather and Rubber I
Footwear jj
mcmahon
FLAT CITY 1