THE IDITAROD PIONEER
Published Every Saturday Morning at Idltarod, Alaska
Vol. 7 CHARLES A. DERRY. Editor and Publisher No. 10
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THOMAS. WE’RE FOR YOU
Th' Pioneer is in receipt of another communication from
Thornes B. Drayton of “Kern Creek, Mile 71, Alaska (via Sew
or,11, ’ whoever he may prove to-be. on the question of “statehood
for Alaska." He submits for publication a somewhat lengthy
article on the subject, and threatens us with others. Evidently
1,0 is .1 broad-minded cuss, for, speaking of the possibility of our
not agreeing with his views, he says; “A oil will not find us of
the ivttv. contemptible class who see only improper motives m
those who disagree with them. If you do not agree with us the
worst we'll think of you is that you read the signs of the times
incorrectly. If you do agree with us we expect to see your name
erehe>ned as one who helped most mightily in breaking the thrall
rlotii of our oppressed people.’’
The inducement to support Thomas' propaganda is quite a
weighty one. If there is one thing in the world that we have
hank-red for all our life it is to be enshrined; we don't know how
or where. But the term has such a poetic sound that we fancy
our 1 king for it must have been concerned in some way with our
' salad days." But we will be compelled to forego this distinction.
Thomas, and the thralldom of an oppressed people will have to
continue if we are to be depended upon to relieve the situation.
Mr, Drayton says that ho has received a large number of re
I lies to his previous circular letter, and that he finds “an absolute
uniformity of belief that some change is imperative.” He has a
poor opinion of the authorities at Washington, for lie says;
“Those of us who KNOW Washington are absolutely
certain that any bill purporting to give substantial relief
v, hieh may be ’ introduced in congress will emerge from
committee so doctored that the interests of Alaska will be
a secondary consideration. A statehood bill alone will force
everybody into the open, where motives and purposes may
lie seen and measured."
It will. Thomas, and we hope in time to lie able to see and
measure the purposes of this Kern creek propaganda.
The language used by Mr. Drayton would be a delight to any
person interested in the science of lexicology. Grover Cleveland
gained fame by becoming the originator of such expressive phrases
as "innocuous desuetude." and Theodore Roosevelt has just en
riched our vocabulary with "Byzantine logothetes." But neither
of these distinguished Americans has anything on Thomas B.
lie says that, compared to the statehood problem “the collective
puissance of all other territorial problems are inconsequential and
negligible." lie substitutes the commonplace “important” for the
high-sounding “puissance.” however, and thereby detracts from
the picturesqueness of the sentence. “ “Paradoxical as it seems
after that interrogatory exposition,” “long-distance administrative
arrangement.” “interlcoking. overlapping, ubiquitous congeries of
<.Trial busybodies” these are some of the phrases with which ho
ad trns his communication. The organic act he terms “an ingeni
ous piece of legislative legerdemain.” and intimates that it was
"slipped through congress by bureaucratic porch-climbers or sec
ond-storv artists”
I'nited States officials apparently are anathema to Thomas B .
rial seemingly he regards them with the same degree of affection
(fat a Kentucky moonshiner be:tow? upon the revenue officer.
One can fairly see those hard-worked officials squirm as they read
the following burning lines:
“Naturally, the territory is overrun with idle and useless
officials, having no useful duties to perform—certainly none
so important as killing time and drawing their pay. Per
force these gentry must do something ostensibly to justify
their employment and insure the continuance of their sine
cures. In pursuance of which purpose they have developed
an interlocking, overlapping, ubiquitous congeries of official
busybodies whose incessant intremeddiing has largely de
feated all real progress, and seemingly reduced many of our
people to u condition 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 provide incomes for these
unwelcome guests, it may safely be said that Alaska would
gladly, even joyously, tax herself 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 dis
aster their presence pntails."
In his note to the editor accompanying the communication
Mr. Drayton says: “If not objecticnable, there will be sent to
your newspaper an occasional story relating to some phase or
igher of our Alaska political situation.” and adds that such mat
ter is part of the propaganda for statehood. We trust that Thomas
will continue to favor us, and would regret exceedingly that he
should imagine that his communications were “objectionable"
to us.
A _ —
VIEWED THROUGH FOREIGN EYES
The North American Review for January contains an article
from the pen of Colonel Harvey, its able and brilliant editor,
which, instead of causing Americans to “hang their heads in
shame.” as supposedly it was intended to do. will arouse the re
sentment and indignation of every fair-minded and patriotic
.American citizen. The distinguished colonel, who writes from
London, has been hobnobbing with the great ones of England,
and dining with its nobility. He has discussed with “the most
increasingly powerful man in the empire” questions of American
policy with reference to the European war, and the acts of the
administration; and he has listened—apparently with approval, a*
he utters no protest—to reflections on the courage and justice of
America’s attitude, and to sneering remarks on the President’s
public utterances. He attended a dinner party “at a famous old
gastle.” with “noble e3rls looking out from their gorgeous frames,”
end at which the guests included “three peers of the realm, two
members of the house of commons, a colonel and a captain in
khski. a mighty huntsman of old, a young scion of his house, a
highly distinguished editor of marked Tory proclivities, and (he
inevitable Americans, one of the younger ladies obviously Ameri
yan-born, and noticeable for her beauty, who differed from the
pthers in that her eyes tlamed with indignation whenever the
government of her native land was mentioned.” Amid such sur
roundings and m such company the great editor listened to and
participated in a discussion of the derelictions of the United States
in the matter of the invasion of Belgium, in the Lusitania matter,
and in other contingencies growing out of the war. President
Wilson’s famous remark about the possibility of a nation being
“too proud to fight” is applied to the European situation without
a correction from the colonel, who w^s perfecty aware that it had
reference to a controversy with a weak and defenseless nation, and
had no application to European affairs. He has a discussion with
a “gentle-faced nobleman” on American affairs, and the latter
pronounces the edict, that “the only way in which America can
regain her own honor and the respect of her own kin throughout
the world is by repudiating the administration of President Wil
son.” And still the editor is silent. With reference to the “pre
paredness” program of the administration, “the most increasingly
powerful man in the empire” asks: “Does your President mean
business, or will he only write notes to congress?” And Harvey
states that he declined to hazard a response, “on the ground that
at the moment nobody could tell whether the administration is
really awake or only talking in its sleep.”
It is difficult to understand Colonel Harvey’s motives in pen
ning such an article. Surely he does not wish the people of the
United States to believe that the class of people whom he quotes
are the representatives of the principles and ideals with which the
United States is said to be in sympathy during the struggle of the
British empire for her existence. He appears to have made no
effort to dissipate erroneous impressions, nor to speak a word in
defense of his country. And yet no man knows better than he
that the impressions were erroneous, and not only that, but abso
lutely unjust. It is difficult to believe that the man who boasted
ol “discovering” Woodrow Wilson, and who later was repudiated
by him, could carry resentment so far as to allow' his country and
its chief executive to be maligned in a foreign land without using
his great gifts in their defense. And yet this apparently is just
what happened. It is probable that no other prominent American
could be found who would follow such a pusillanimous course;
and unodubtedly none would blazon it before the world in print.
No other class of people has suffered so much from the war as
the class w’ith whom Colonel Harvey has been mingling. No other
class had so much to lose. The ideal conditions of existence en
joyed by the European (and especially English) “upper classes”
have received a rude shock. Their comfortable complacency has
been shattered. To be reduced to “one man-servant,” and he an
old. decrepit gardener, is cause for commiseration of their condi
tion by the American colonel. The expatriated Americans who
arc ashamed of their native country receive no rebuke at his
hands. It is to be expected that these people are anxious that the
United States should carry a portion of the burden of the war
which they claim is for our benefit as well as theirs. But let it
be understood that the war was not brought on by the United
States. Our aggressions and greed for world power did not pre
cipitate this awful carnage. The people of the United States were
not consulted on the policies which made the conflict inevitable.
It is possible that our interests lie with the cause of the allies.
We believe this to be true; but even upon this point there is di
vergence of opinion. Why, then, should the United States be
expected to hurl itself into the conflict? True, we have received
affronts and injuries at the hands of Germany. But does not
Great Britain continue to ignore our protests against interference
with American commerce? Suppose conditions were reversed,
I and the United States were at war; and during the prosecution of
the conflict British commerce were interfered with. What woul !
happen? At the conclusion of the struggle we will have many
questions to settle with Great Britain, as well as with her ene
mies. It has been well said that-the fact that Great Britain has
destroyed no American lives is the only redeeming feature about
tlie situation.
The people of the United States will be expected to continue
to exercise patience during the balance of the struggle, as ti es
have done so far. There is genuine hope and belief that all our
quarrels with the belligerents can be adjusted without resort to
i mis. With Great Britain we have a treaty of arbitration which
precludes the possibility of war within one year from the time that
i becomes impossible to adjust difficulties. W'e are bound in
principle to that policy with nations with which we have no such
treaties. The desire of the great majority of the American people
i- to avoid war without sacrifice of honor.
If Colonel Harvey desires to gain sin opinion of President Wil
son’s actions which will be of real interest in America, let him cir
ci late among the people of his own country and report what he
hears and sees. The people of the United States never yet have
sought the approval of Great Britain's aristocracy; and this is a
poor time to commence. As to the expatriated Americans, they
have made their bed; let them lie in it. Why should we be in
fluenced by the opinions of.those whose ideals of government and
si cial conditions were at such variance with ours that they re
nounced their native land and sought domicile in surroundings
more in harmony with their natures? The people of this country
will waste little thnught on this element.
The attempts of partisan writers to shake the confidence of
Americans in their chief executive will fail. There is a widespread
confidence that the wise and patriotic man who occupies the
White House will so navigate the ship of state as to avoid, even
amid the storms and dangers growing out of the European calam
ity, anyr threatened peril arising out of a violation of American
traditions, and this with honor and justice. It is to be expected
that in a crisis such as the present his actions will be criticized.
The country will listen to domestic criticism; it wdl have little
patience with that emanating from those whose desire is to em
broil the country in war.
And if war should come, which is possible, the people of thi
country will not flinch in their duty. But any contest we may
become involved in is likely to be in defense of our own policies.
SCIENTIFIC REVIEW CF SEAMEN’S ACT
An address delivered before the American Association for
Labor Legislation by Professor Farnam of Yale is said by a spe
cial correspondent of The Outlook to have been “a beautiful ex
ample of how the unprejudiced expert can clear the i tmosphere.”
Continuing, the writer says:
"The new seamen's law lias been the subject of tierce de
nunciation within the past twelve months. A propagandist
movement of great proportions appears to have been
engaged in the effort to secure its repeal. Professor Far
nant quietly demonstrated before this scientific body that,
while the act may need modification in some particulars,
it is in substance a sound and conservative public meas
ure, plainly designed to release sea labor from a long
experience of what has been practically involuntary servi
tude; that it will enormously add to the safety of passen
gers on the ocean by raising the standards of efficiency re
quired of seamen; that the added cost per passenger is so
small that the traveling public would gladly pay it as au
I insurance against harm; and, strangest of all, in the face
of the vast publicity expenditures which appear to have
been made to convince the country to the contrary, that
it will help to build up a genuine American merchant
marine, with American seamen, and help to put our own
| shipping on an even keel with that of other nations.
Professor Farnam showed that the el 1 international serf
dom regulations with respect to sea labor had contributed
to drive the great body of efficient white labor off the
ocean, end had led finally to the tapping of the lowest
reservoir of labor in the Orient. And the lowest reser
voir has its own ideas of safety and of who should be
saved. In spite of the great advance in mechanical in
I vention and safety contrivance, disasters and loss upon the
ocean are oiv the increase because of the lessening in num
I her and the deterioration in human quality of able tea
men. Professor Farnam maintained that the American
people are eager to see the American Hag again on the
ocean, but with vessels manned by American seamen,
who shall receive better treatment than those under
any other flag, while the passengers shall be safer than
those who sail under any other Hag. The very provision
of the law which has been most severely criticized on
the ground that it would encourage desertion, namely,
that only one-half of the wages earned, instead of the
whole, as formerly, shall be forfeited in cas:*e a sad >r
deserts at a port, was shown to be most advantageous to
the growth of an American merchant marine that would
: be worthy of the country. It would encourage deser
tion in ports where the wage rate is higher. This would
have a tendency to level up the wage rate all over the
world. Ship-owners and ship masters who hire sea labor
in Bergen or Fiume or in the Orient would all be under
the necessity of guaranteeing the higher rate of wages
before they left the home port, in order to be reasonably
sure of the crew until the return. rFhus again might
the American be brought back to the sea through the
equalization of wages between Amercian and foreign ves
sels. In other words, Professor Farnam showed the sea
men's act to be in the main a piece of sound national
policy of Uie first order. One clear expert note like that,
followed as it was by keen discussion on the part of men
who knew the sea, is w'orth reams of accelerated ex parte
publicity of the sort to which the country has so long
grown wearily acc1 -tinned.”
-L-*
The Seward Gateway gives voice to a new idea, and a some
what strange one, in discussing the fitness of newspapers as read
ing matter for children. “A father is expected to keep a boy
from using tobacco,” it says. “Why should he not also be ex
pected to keep him from using newspapers?” And again, “News
papers are not for children.” Undoubtedly the Seward news
paper is wrong in both instances. To put itself on the same foot
ing as an injurious habit is a peculiar position for a newspaper
! to take. And to say that newspapers are not for children is to
I question the wisdom of many prominent educators, who provide
I for the use of newspapers as a valuable aid in the studies of the
youth of the land. Ng__better reading for children, as well as
grown-ups, can be furnished than that which is a daily record of
the happenings of the world; and from the great majority of
newspapers, be it said with pride, the childish mind can receive
none but useful and even elevating impressions. And in order
to maintain a character which should make it a welcome guest
in the home, it is not necessary to avoid “all that is unpleasant
and unlovely.” Only those newsppaers which are carelessly con
ducted or which cater to the vicious element could possibly merit
the classification which the Gateway suggests.
-♦
Says the Fairbanks News-Miner: “If a stranger, one who did
not know Charles A. Derry, the editor of The Iditarod Pioneer,
should pick up his paper, he would certainly gain the impression
that the down-river town was ‘some burg’ from the appearance
of the classified want ad column.” The Fairbanks paper then
reproduces Percy Charles’ unique advertising of the Pioneers’ New
Year's ball. The News-Miner is respectfully informed that
whether or not the stranger might be acquainted with the editor of
The Pioneer, he could not escape the impression that Iditarod is
“some burg.”
-O
Rumors have reached this office that there are to be held in
this city and district in the near future Democratic primaries for
the election of delegates to the territorial convention; but so far
we have been unable to ascertain anything definite on the sub
ject. What’s the matter, gentlemen? It’s rather an undemo
■ cratic trait to be secretive about these matters.
FOURTH DIVISION BACKWARD
IN MATTER OF TAX PAYMENTS
The following statement of the work of
his office was received in the last mail j
from J. H. Cobb, “chief counsel ior the j
territory,” with headquarters at the terri 1
torial capital: I
Back taxes collected $ 10,501.25 |
Aggregate amount of judgments
obtained for taxes, unpaid,
and pending in circuit court of
appeals (test cases) 13,401.00
Aggregate amount of taxes (ex
elusive of interest) due, and
for which parties owing have
signed agreements to pay on
affirmance of test ca-e.-> 220,042.75
Total amounts in judgments, di
rectly or indirectly (exclu
sive of interest) . 233,534.44
Accrued interest, approximately 10,000.00
“The back taxes,” says the statement,
“in the First, and Third divisions have been
nearly cleared up. There ary a few only
against whom suits will have to be brought
in these two divisions.
“From the Second and Fourth divisions
returns and payments have been fairly well
made from laundries, te’ephone companies,
attorneys, doctors and automobiles. But
few payments, or even returns, have been
made by the mining industry. Many oper
ators who are known to have made large
profits have so far not only failed to pay
their taxes but have ignored all letters
sent from this office demanding a compli
ance with the law.
“It has so far been the policy of the
territorial officers to administer the law
j in a spirit of fairness and liberality. A1
! who in good faith desired to test the law
j were given the opportunity to do so, with
out being penalized, and those who desired
to settle their debts to the territory were
allowed to do so by paying the amount of
the taxes and accrued interest. The policy
of fairness to all will be continued. But
it is intended to exact penalties hereafter
from all those who have persistently ig
nrred the law and refused a compliance
wi:h its provisions.
“In some sections there appears to be
an impression that the laws passed by the
| people of Alaska through their legislature
! arc mere jokes, and that they can be safely
| ignored. Steps will shortly be taken to
correct this view.
“While with the incomplete data now
on hand no very definite statement can be
| made as to the amount of luxe* still due
the territory, yet there is enough to safely
| say that if the revenue laws of the terri
, tory are sustained by the court of 1 •
; resort the treasury will have a cash h::l
ance on hand when the next 1 g'd tor
j meets of not less than $250,000. It i.r .
exceed $300,000.”
Jk_
| MISSING
A letter addressed t" “the chief of p dice
■ of Iditarod” by 1” A. Beeman, M. I).. Ban
| on ft, Ontario, Canada, states that Scott
I Vader of that place is anxious to learn news
of his brother, George A. Vader. who ha>
not been heard from since March 9, 191U.
i and who then wrote from Iditarod.
It is stated that George A. Vader was
! prospecting when last heard from, and came
to Iditarod from Fairbanks, landing here
I on September 5, 1909.
❖
Copies of The Pioneer or June 5. 1915,
1 continuing full text of territorial mining law
an applied to placer claims, still on sale at
this office.
❖
Fresh Olympia and Eastern Oysters. 11 50
tier can. Iditarod Meat Co.
-
Job Printing at Pioneer office.
NOTICE OF REGISTRATION
Notice is hereby given that at tie* hour
I of id o'clock on the 23d day of March.
It»l '.. th* registration books will be open
I at the (•nice of the municipal clerk, in the
j I'nited States rommis.-iomM-'s building. on
I Second avenue, in the town of Jdltarod.
Alaska, f r the purpose or registering all
ira'e and female persons, of twenty-one
y. ars of age. who are citizens of tile I'nited
States, or who have declared their inten
tions to become such, and who have re
sided continuously one year next preceding
the date or ele.Tion in the territory <>r
Maska. and six months next preceding the
date of election within the town of Idltarod.
Ml persons desiring to vote at said elec
tion must, before voting, register their
I names and qualifications with the town
register of the town of Iditarod.
lJ'-gistra tion hoiks will he kept open
i ''VI ry day. except Sundays, beginning
| .March cud. l«i i r». during the hours of in
a. in. and 4 p. m. Tile said registration will
close on March 1st. t u t >).
The said election will be held on the first
Tuesday in April, lvil*',, for the purpose of
electing seven < 7 '* eouneilrnen and two
2 numbers of the scliool board.
0. 'i. nKltAdHTY. Municipal Clerk.
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. LARSON
Orders may be left with Mrs. Thornton
* 0 >0 0 X >0000000 00 >00000
W
0 If You Are Interested in <>
| L 1 F E INSURANCE t
V Let me talk it over with you 0
> EARL B. HUSMT %
Miu k abler Bros.
GENERAL
FREIGHTERS
DAILY STAGE SERVICE
JTPEN DAY AND NiGHT
CAFE
FLAT CITY HOHBACK & DURAND
Bet. the Grand and Bagoy's Bars
THE BEST ALL THE TIME
WE ARE HERE TO STAY
Best of Everything
AM. THE TIME AT THE
Arcade Cafe
I'l.AT CITY
C,ien B?v gnd Nif hi
Profession a 1
Michigan, 1881 Alaska, teto
Kentucky, 1891
George Woodruff Albrecht
COUNSELOR AND LAWYER
IDITAROD, ALASKA
The Pioneer Attorney or 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 Avenue Iditarod
Fred Harrison
ATTORNEY AT LAW
I
Room 1 Over Merchants Cate
DR. MOORE
PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON
DR. H. E. AURIiMGER
Physician and Surgeon
Office: Flat City Hospital, Flat City
i Consultation Hours in Forenoons and by
Appointment
DR, H. BEHLA
DENTIST
FLAT CITY
Will Arrive in Iditarod by the first boat in
the spring
Se;ondSt.iDITARQD HEAT CO. PMone^!
efaiL Geld St., Flat City
G p eni
Mrs. Geo. Mutchler, Prop.
Nicely Furnished Rooms Barn for Horses and Dogs Baths in Connection
| HARRY DONNELLEY
iSZEZ GENERAL HflERGHAftlDISE
] DISCOVERY, OTTER
THE BEST OF EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME
MERCHANTS' CAFE
GOOD meals
SHORT ORDERS
FIRST AVE. OPEN DAY AND NIGHT \
-Prup.
i 400 Pairs
! LEATHER GLOVES and
| MITTENS
Former Price $1.50 to S3.00 per Pair
Now Selling ai
$L00 per Pair
Mo MAHON
GENERAL MERCHANDISE FLAT CITY