| SD3TARQD PIONEER | |
rim is in i* i \ iky satitihay mou.mmi at uhtauod, Alaska
Vol 6 Gee. Irf. Arbuckie. Publisher No. 34
SUBSCRIPTION HATES
One year . ? I o.m ' ime Monih . Jt.oo
six Months. •1 1 * ■ snm-]o ,;opy .
Advertising Rates on Application_
■■■-- —- "i--——
ijOTICE. l•. r-n<= Seniiimr advert ismir copy l*r*«ni a distance arc particularly re
ft • • i-,•!'!:! m psvpnrinr the same. The publisher cannot accept the
responsibility p.r ;111\:»:ic. e>pc< i Jly in tlie ca-e . i t-'i'leiinre ami other Jemal
notices, it is. Hieiv.T re. imperative H al such notices he clearly written, particu
larly as regards naii'ms ami dates.
THE ALARMIST AND THE SEAMEN’S ACT
Scarcely ever has a measure of much importance been enacted
by the United States congress that has not called forth from the alarm
ist predictions of dire disaster Lem tire effects oi us operation. In
some instances, as m 1893, the c predictions have been followed by
fulfillment, even though the panic of that year was in no particular
justifiably ascribed to the operation of the Democratic tarill act wmch
had been but recently put into effect, the passage of revolutionary
legislation of whatever nature naturally disturbs for a time the busi
ness of the country, and until business adjusts itsell to new conditions
it is expected that some inconvenience will resuit. Such, probably
will be the case when the scare.cn s act, passed by t!ie last congress,
goes into elicet next November. It is not expected that a measure of
such wide-reaching scope will he enforced without somewhat of a dis
turbance in shipping circles. But why it should result disastrously to
American shipping or American labor is not altogether clear. It must
always be borne m mind that the American workman, be ne land
lubber or sailor, is not seeking to destroy the industry wmch provides
him with a livelihood when he asks congress ter remedial legislation.
He is actuated by precisely similar motives to those of the ship-owner
under similar circumstances—he is seeking his own betterment; and
unlike the shipping magnate, he is not influenced entirely by selfish mo
tives—he seeks the betterment of the condition of his fellows.
For many years the shiopmg laws of the United States have been
a reproach to the nation. To such an extent has this been true that
American sailors consistently have refused to ship aboard American
sailing vessels, preferring to sail under the British flag, where strict
regulations were enforced for the protection ci tne nian belorc the
mast. At every session of congress in recent years an effort has been
made to have enacted legislation that would give the sailor rights which
were accorded to men in every other line of business except that oi
the mariner, and at the last session this effort was successful. No
longer will the seaman be treated as a chattel, bought and sold by tne
crimps of the different seaports, abused and robbed and underfed; but
he will, like his brother on shore, be entitled to receive some or the
consideration ordinarily shown to human beings.
Much has been written about the disastrous effects the new law
will have on American shipping, and among other things, that the Dol
lar Steamship Company, a Pacific coast line, would transter its vessels
to a foreign flag. It may be said, however, that the stock ot this com
pany is already largely held in foreign countries. The Pacific Mail
Company, likewise, has occupied the public prints with long and ioud
wails, and some excerpts from different newspapers will prove interest
ing at this time. In this connection it is disappointing to see an Alaska
newspaper, the Fairbanks News-Miner, quoting with apparent approval
the mouthmgs of Harrison Gray Otis of the Los Angeles Times, the no
torious union baiter and enemy of everything proposed for the better
ment of the condition of those who produce the wealth of the nation.
Otis is quoted as saying that the act was “the offspring of the cockney
anarchist and labor-union leader and welcher—Sam Gompers—who,
in conjunction with Secretary of Labor Wilson and President Wilson,
beguiled and drove congress into passing it.” Giving the law a local
replication, which probably is the News-Miner’s excuse for publishing
the article, Otis says: “Suppose a cargo of coal from the Alaska fields
ready for shipment from Seward to San Pedro. Ihere would be no
American ship to carry it, for under the new shipping law either the
sailors must ail speak English or the officers be able to give orders in
as many tongues as were in use at the Tower of Babel.” Surely a de-.
plorable condition that wouid require a ship’s officer to be able to make
his orders to his sailors understood!
The Pacific Mail Company announced on April 1 6 tnat all sailings !
after November 2, 1915, had been canceled because of the new sea
men’s law, and that no contracts would be made beyond July 31, 1915. 1
The vice president of the company slated that the operation of the
new law would make the fleet unprofitable. The ships would be
brought into port and tied up. The new law provides wage scales, sani
tary, food and working regulations which the company representative
said would add greatly to the cost of operation. “The company oper
ates nineteen vessels,” continues the statement, “five of which are
in the transpacific trade. The latter are manned largely by Chinese
crews.” Which shows where the shoe pinches. Under the new law
these would be compelled to speak English or the officers would be com- I
pelled to speak Chinese.
Now comes a dispatch of July 23 from San Francisco which says:
Philip Mason, reputed to be a representative of President Woodrow Wilson in an i
investigation into the effect of the La Follette seamen's law, says that the Pacific Mail 1
Steamship Company is not going out of the transportation business. “If the company i
really wanted to sell,” he said, “I would agree to find an American buyer, but there is not i
I ——■ ill l —— —1 Ill ■■■!! run m mi —M—MBI—gM—BMBf
GROCERIES FOOTWEAR
Tom McMahon,
GENERAL MERCHANDISE
FLAT CITY
MINERS' OUTFITS HARDWARE
n——immm■ i na—— ■ ———nrTm~~~*
Fresh Meats
so;ondst.IDITAROD MEAT GO. ph«ne ^
__
a chance that the company will sell.” He contends that the Pacific Mail Steamship Com
pany is ready to continue in business us a separate company from the Southern Pacific
railway, and as an American concern.
As further showing the hypocrisy of the transportation companies
in their efforts to discredit the new law’, the San Francisco Bulletin has
the following editorial:
The seamen’s act is being blamed for the decision of the Pacific Mail Company to
wind up a prosperous year by withdrawing its transpacific ships from service. This is
unjust. One need go no further than the statements of General Manager Schwerin him
self to prove the falsity of the charge. Two years ago, while testifying before a con
gressional committee, Mr. Schwerin predicted the action that his company has now
taken, and frankly stated that the reason for it would be the act forbidding railroad
owned ships to pass through the canal.
“Do I understand,” asked Congressman (now Secretary of Labor) Wilson, “that
you are going out of the shipping business, so far as the American Hag is concerned?”
“Yes. sir.” replied Mr. Schwerin, “and your bill (the canal bill) will wind up the
American flag on the Pacific ocean. That ends it.”
This was on February 1. 1913. There was a seamen’s bill before congress at the
time, as there has been at every session for twenty years, but at the time that Mr.
Schwerin made this reply if had not been passed by the senate, and it was not passed at
that session. Wc have Mr. Schwerin's word for it, therefore, that the Pacific Mail was
doomed in 1913, and would have had to haul down its flag even though the seamen’s act
had failed of passage. Furthermore, the company must have been resigned to its fate,
since it seems to have made no effort to save itself by cutting off its fatal railroad con
nect ions.
Mr. Schwerin and other shipping men have seemed to take pleasure in hoisting the
American flag over their vessels. Their pleasure is naturally not enough to induce them
to operate their vessels at a loss, but it is nevertheless genuine. But the public at
large will ask something more of its merchant marine than the presence of some red,
white and blue bunting at its mastheads. It will desire that each ship be a worthy rep
resentative of the American people and of their institutions. The ships that have been
operated under the old maritime laws have not been thus representative. On the Pacific
ocean they have been American in name only. A large proportion of their crews was
Oriental, living under Oriental conditions ami receiving the lowest of Oriental wages.
The ship-owners who object to the seamen’s act do so because they do not want Ameri
canism to tre, below the masthead. They do not want Americanism in the forecastle.
Their “American” marine would be American in nothing save that it would pay dividends
to American capitalists; it would be no more American, for practical purposes, than any
line, under any flag, in which American capital happened to be represented.
Andrew Furuseth’s great charter of sailor’s liberty ought to stand, for the sake of
the sailors, for the sake of the passengers who risk themselves in seagoing ships, and for
the upbuilding of an American merchant marine of which an ordinary Amrican can be
I routl.
As a practical refutation of the alarmist predictions, however, the
following Philadelphia dispatch of June 14 relative to activity m
American shipyards is noteworthy:
Never before in tbo history of the United States have the shipyards along the Dela
ware river experienced such a rush of orders, indicative of the wave of prosperity that is
surging over the entire country. The total number of vessels now being built by these
yards or under contract is more than thirty, representing a cost of nearly $100,000,000.
All of the Delaware river shipyards are working at full capacity, and, according to reports,
several large corporations are preparing to place orders for more vessels.
The Cramp shipyards at present are fulfilling ten contracts. They are constructing
a 10.000-ton capacity tanker for the Huasteca Petroleum Company, two passenger and
freight ships for the Mexican Navigation Company, one passenger and freight steamship
for \V. R. Grace Co., a steel yacht for Henry Whitney of New York, and five torpedo
destroyers and some scows for the navy.
The New York Shipbuilding Company of Camden has more work than any ship
yard in the country. It holds fifteen contracts, representing more than $35,000,000.
These contracts are for the superdreadnoughts Oklahoma and Idaho, six colliers for the
Coastwise Transportation Company of Bo.-ton, two tankers for the Standard Oil Com
pany. one for the Petroleum Transport Company, and five vessels for the navy.
The Harland & Hollingsworth Company of Wilmington has two contracts for tank
steamships for the Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Company and Mexican Oil Company. These
tankers are the lirst orders for merchant vessels ever awarded an American shipyard by
foreign owners.
In addition to these big contracts, nearly every shipyard, large and small, along
the Delaware river is Hooded with orders and contracts for minor work, such as barges,
lighters, ferry-boats, pleasure craft and floats. Shipping men predict that aside from the
fact that this year's output will be almost tripled, the Delaware plants will lead all other
shipbuilding centers throughout the world in the future.
Reports such as the above do not seem to indicate that there is
cause for alarm as to the future of American shipping. Indeed, it is
quite possible that American shipping is about to take its old-time place
in the world’s commerce under conditions which will afford opportuni
ties for American youth and American enterprise to develop under
American conditions.
After reading all the slush that is published concerning the rapid
progress of the American shipping industry on its way to the “demni
tion bow-wows” because of the fact that American seamen are to be
treated as human beings, one is tempted to suggest that if the pros
perity of the industry depends on slavery and savagery, the sooner it
goes to perdition the better for the American seaman and the .Ameri
can nation.
THE VIEWS OF A RENEGADE ENGLISHMAN
Houston Stewart Chamberlain, who claims to be an Englishman,
and the son of a British rear sdmirai, has written for the North Ameri
can Review an article which will cheer the spirits of the Germans and
their allies in the present conflict with the triple entente and its allies,
fhe only remarkable thing about the contribution of Mr. Chamberlain
is that one of British birth should be found to echo the sentiments and
almost the phraseology used by Herr Dernberg, Ambassador Bernstorff
and other German propagandists in the controversy that has been
waging m the public prints as to the merits of the cases of the various
belligerents. In explanation it may be said of Mr. Chamberlain that
he has spent but little of his life in England, and that he is married to
a German lady, a daughter of Richard Wagner, and that his home is at
Bayreuth, Bavaria. He is the author of a work on “The Foundations
of the Nineteenth Century,” which found favor with the kaiser, who is
said to have purchased 80,000 copies of the book—which fact is in
teresting of itself.
Mr. Chamberlain’s article is entitled “England,” and is in the
nature of an analysis of English character and history. One of the
chief arguments of Mr. Chamberlain against England lies in ascribing
ulterior motives to the statesmen responsible for most of the important
events m English history. He says that England “has never by force
of arms undertaken wars of conquest.’ I It may be so, but why that
should constitute one of the counts in his indictment of England is not
clear. He quotes another w'riter approvingly when he says: “For
En gland war is an industry, one of the possible means of acquiring j
wealth, the most prosperous business, the most remunerative invest
ment. lhe Lngkshman was not naturally a sailor or adventurer, he
says. The big problems of exploration and colonization were solved
by other nations, and England, according to Mephistophehan ethics,
proceeded to help herself to the prizes, in a policy which is described as
“war, trade and piracy.” Events of English history which every Briton
is taught to remember with pride are spokpn of as the result of Machi
avellian deviltry and treachery. Thus is described the acquisition of
India, without conquest.” With reference to the decrees abolishing
slavery throughout the British empire, Chamberlain quotes approvingly
words said to have been uttered by Goethe, to the effect that “English
men, as is notorious, never act without ulterior motives.” He is not
willing to credit the people of Great Britain with bringing about the
liberation of slaves and the destructon of the infamous slave traffic
from humanitarian and philanthropic motives, but ascribes it to sordid
calculations of greater gain :o be acquired by its accomplishment. He
constitutes himself court and jury sitting in judgment on British states
men, and finds them guilty of most diabolical crimes, and getting down
to recent history, he pictures Sir Edward Grey as a monster of iniquity
who “sought a rapprochement with Germany in order that the honor
able German statesmen and diplomats might not suspect the wTar of an
nihilation that w’as preparing.” Those same “honorable German
statesmen” who devastated Belgium under the plea of the necessities
of war, and pledged themselves to right the wrong at the conclusion of
hostilities! With the utmost bluntness Mr. Chamberlain charges Great
Britain with being an accessory—after the fact, at least—to the mur
der of the Austrian crown prince, and recites as facts all the German
charges of collusion between Belgium and Great Britain which consti
tuted another though belated excuse for invading the little neutral
country. Political England is today, he says “a nation of dissemblers,
forgers, liars and cheats.”
‘The individual Englishman may be courageous and even effi
cient, but the state of England is rotten to its very marrow,” he con
tinues. ‘‘Germany is a country so essentially different that England,
the political England of today, has been a riddle to her for many years.
Again and again has Germany permitted herself to be deceived, and
almost I fear that this may occur in the future—which might well
prove fatal. For that reason I, an Englishman, must have the courage
to attest the truth. We can be saved only by a wise, strong and vic
torious Germany.”
Except for the fact that they are given to the world by a publica
tion of such influence as the North American Review, the views of this
renegade Englishman would carry little weight. The fact that a man,
no matter how intelligent and learned, can disregard history’s teach
ings and see salvation only in a “wise, strong and victorious” militarist
nation is in itself evidence of warped judgment and instincts. The
man who, disregarding the great achievements of the Anglo-Saxon race
for human freedom and progress, can glorify a nation whose purpose
avowedly is to impose upon weaker and less organized nations its
policy of “blood and iron” is hardly a fit teacher for Democratic
Americans. Crediting British statesmen with the vilest motives in the
tremendous events which have transpired during the past twelve
months, and ignoring the fact that Bismarck, the creator of modern
Germany, with the co-operation of his colleagues, deliberately brought
on war to serve his purposes of German aggrandizement by resorting
to forgery, how can Mr. Chamberlain expect that his American readers
will give him credit for the “impartiality” that would be the only ex
cuse for an effusion such as his at this critical period?
Americans will prefer to leave the decision of the question as to 1
the responsibility for the present conflict to the decree of history, writ
ten in times less troubled than the present, bearing in mind the facts
in their possession which are at variance with the arbitrary statements j
of Mr. Chamberlain with reference to the invasion of Belgium, rather!
than accept the off-hand decision of a man who evidently does not
grasp the fact that what democracies are interested in is the right of
nations to pursue their destinies in their own way.
Even taking for granted that all of Mr. Chamberlain’s charges of
treachery and villainies committed by British statesmen be true, it does
not in any way alter the fact that the real issue of the present conflict
is between two diametrically opposed theories of government. Mr.
Cnamberlain displays remarkable temerity in defending a system of
government opposed to all America’s cherished traditions before an
audience of Americans.
SICK PROSPECTOR ON WAY
OUTSIDE FOR TREATMENT
Alex Cornwall, an old-time prospector and j
miner, loft for the Outside last Sunday, j
accompanied by Mrs. Jacobsgaard, the pro
fession.*1 nurse. He will be taken to Vic
toria. B. €., for surgical treatment.
Mr. Cornwall was taken sick a year ago .
in the Kuskokwim country, and after a
harrowing experience bring moved over the
trails, he was brought to Flat City, where
he has been in the hospital most of the
time since then. He has been rp.pidiy sink
ing of late, and it was realized that he must
he taken Outside in the hope of saving his
life. Being destitute, hr was provided for
bv the open-hearted people of the camp,
who also provided the money for his jour- j
ney Outside.
OLD-TIMERS RETURN
Dan Gillis and A1 Hall, both old-timers
in thi- district, arrived Sunday with their
new gas boat, the Loev Victor, recently
built by them at Whitehorse. They brought
ten tons of dog salmon from the Yukon.
The addition of the Loew-Victor to the
Iditarod river fleet has aroused the greatest
interest among local transportation men.
and the new vessel has been the subject of
much admiring comment. She made the
trip from Dikeman to this city in a little
more than twelve hours, pushing her barge.
This comes pretty close to being the record.
She is equipped with a 36-60 engine, which
works beautifully, making, as one observer
renin rked, “but little more noise than a
watch.”
Mr. Hall left here, last summer for British
Columbia, where he put in the winter, re
turning to Whitehorse this spring. He has
some interesting incidents to relate of war
conditions in the Dominion, and expresses
his pleasure at being once more in Iditarod.
ADVERTISED LETTERS
The following is a list of letters remain
ing uncalled for at the Iditarod postoffice,
Iditarod, Alaska, for the week ending
August 14, 1915. When calling for these,
please ask for advertised letters.
ALBERT WILE, Postmaster.
Anderson, Peter Raeder, Henry
Altman, Max Ralto, Jack
Cock, Jay Richardson, Dr, J. E.
Connelly, E. P. RulTner, Mrs. Alice ’
Duklch, Pete Russell, James H.
Ferguson, A. B. Sanvola, John
Gluyas, J. II. Saunders, John
Hansen, Fred Schulz, F. W.
Hard, Eric Sharp, Percy
Hesseau, Louis Shephard, II. A.
Krutsinger & Seneco Sims, Charlie (2)
L’Heureux, Arthur Stanley, John
Matson, Louis Stewart, Pan
Maxwell, Edgar Thomas, C. A.
Monroe, Frank Viriol, Manuel (2)
Mottoir. joe Viale, Tony (2)
Nelson. Carl E. (2) Wikerson, Ed
McNally, Roger C. (2) Wicks, Willie
TO BOOST MAIL SERVICE
At the office of the Fairbanks Commercial
Club are 1,000 circular letters, addressed to
the publishers of the leading magazines and
periodicals of the country, urging them to
do something to improve the mail service
in Alaska. People who subscribe for maga
zines or newspapers in the States are urged
to secure copies of the circular and send
them to the editors of the periodicals which
they take.
By sending out several thousand of these
circulars, the club thinks that it will im
press the big Outside periodicals with the
necessity of their coming to the assistance
of Alaska. When the magazines see that
their circulation is affected bv the noor mail
service in Alaska, it is certain that they
will do something to induce the department
to be more liberal.—Fairbanks Times.
JASE OF OLD INDIAN TOBY
BEFORE j'URlf AT ROBY
' The case of Old Toby, the aged Indian
accused of murder, was expected to be sub
mitted to the jury at Ruby on the afternoon
of August 7. according to the Record-Citi
zen of that date.
In his statement of the case to the jury
District Attorney Roth said he would try to
establish facts substantially as follows:
“While the indictment charging the com
mission of the crime names August 31, 1905,
the proof will fix the time a" during the
open season of 1996. It is a hard matter
i.i arrive at exact dates of events where na
tives were the actors, especially after a lapse
of several years.
“During the summer of 1906 Old Toby
and his wife, together with Julius and his
wife, were camped on the right bank of the
Yukon between Koyukuk Station and the
Koyukuk river. Other Indians were csmped
some distance away. During this season a
white man with a laden white boat came
down the Yukon and camped at the mouth
of the Koyukuk. That evening Toby told
Jehus to go and visit the white man and
note what he could see. Julius did so. and
reported to Toby what he had seen and
heard.
‘ivcxt forenoon the white man started up
the Koyukuk. Toby, in a canoe and carry
ing a .30-30 rifle, left immediately and went
into a slough, which, in connection with a
portage, afforded a cut-off through a bend
in the river. Before starting Toby inti
mated that he intended to kill the white
man. Pretty soon after he disappeared in
the slough two shots were heard by Julius
and his wife. Toby was absent till in the
night—a period of between twelve and
eighteen hours. That evening Julius saw a
big smoke up the Koyukuk. When Toby
came back he brought a gunny sack full of
supplies, some of which Julius had seen
at the white man’s camp.
“A few days later Old Toby went down
the Yukon, and Julius went up the Koyu
kuk opposite the portage. There he saw the
mark of a boat, the apparent mark of a
rifle bullet in the sand, and Toby's foot
prints. lie found two .30-30 shells. This
was on the right bank of the Koyukuk.
“At another time when Toby was absent |
from camp Julius went back to investigate
concerning the place where he had seen the
big smoke. He found a hole >cooped out in ;
the sand, and upon digging in the hole with I
Professional
Michigan, 188 I Alaska, 1910
Kentucky, 1891
George Woodruff Albrecht
COUNSELOR AND LAWYER
IDITAROD, ALASKA
The Pioneer Attorney (,r iditarod
E. M. STANTON,
Attorney at Law
Office: Corner Willow and Second Sts.
Iditarod Pioneer Building
CH/IS. E. TAYLOR,
Attorney at Law
BANK BLOCK
First Avenue Iditarod
DR. !¥SOORE,
PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON
DR. H. E. AURI^GER,
Office: Flat City Hospital, Flat City
Consultation Hours in Forenoons and by
Appointment
DR. H. BEHLA,
Appointments by Telephone
FLAT CITY
ALL TIIE TIME AT THE
Arcade Cafe
FLAT' CITY
Open Day and Night
OPEN DAY AND NIGHT
FLAT CITY HOH BACK &. DURAND
Bet. the Grand and Eagoy's Bars
THE BEST ALL THE TIME
WE ARE HERE TO STAY
First-Class Accommodations
COMMODIOUS LOBBY
LARGE, AIRY ROOMS
YOUR PATRONAGE SOLICITED
MRS. N. P. GILMORE
an oar or paddle he found nails, pieces of
charred wood and charred human bones, on
some of which was llesh that looked like it
had been cut with a knife. A bad stench
emanated from the hole. Near the hole
Julius found many shavings cut from the
white man’s boat.
“Afterwards certain tools were seen in
Toby’s possession which he did not have
before the white man started up the Koyu
kuk. After the incidents related Toby had
a big outfit which included canned goods
and articles not common with the Indians.
“Prior to his arrest last year Old Toby,
in the presence of Sam Dubin, asked Julius
if he had informed upon him. and said that
if Julius had made any charges he would
kill him.
“The aim of the prosecution was to prove
that a white man was killed and that Old
Toby did it to get his outfit.”
A. F. Allen and George Hamilton have
brought suit in the district court against
Sam Wilmer to collect two items of indebt
edness, one for $161 and the other for $40.
with interest and costs. An attachment has
been issued. G. W. Albrecht is attorney
for the plaintiffs.
Job Printing at Pioneer office.
Gold St., Fiat City
Mrs. Geo. Mutchler, Prop.
Nicely Furnished Rooms Earn for Horses and Dogs Baths in Connection
| Seward Gold Seal Pacs j
ARE THE BEST ON THE MARKET j
1 Jf^DOmVIELLEr_ DISCOVERY, OTTFR <
THE BEST OF EVERYTHING ALL THE JIME_
Caribou Cafe
FIRST AVE. I
GOOD MEALS
SHORT ORDERS
OPEN DAY AND NIGHT
ROBT. 60UTAR
Prop. _
Job Printing at Pioneer Print Shop