iDITAROD PIOMEER |_|
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY MORNINa AT ICITAROD, ALASKA
Jl. G CHARLES A. DERRY, Losses and Publ shsr No. 40
Sabicription Rates
no Year $10.00 , Ono Month $1.00
i. Months 5.00 j Single Copy_^25
Advertising Rates on Application
COTTON AS CONTRABAND
The Scientific American intimates that probably the greatest mis
ake made by Great Britain during the present war was that it d:a not
arlier declare cotton to be contraband, it is po.ntcci out ihnt tins com
nodity is one of the principal components cf smokeless powder, which
• used exclusively for artillery, and that m spue ol the fact that tne.
German press bureaus have intimated that 1 eutonic chemists have j
ound a substitute therefor, even that would not meet the emeigency
created by the stoppage of the cotton supply. It is said that live sub
stitute for cotton in the manufacture of explosives is derived from wood
pulp, and that tins material reduces the explosiv e power of the powder,;
which in turn would require that ail tne artihery of the leutomc armies.
would have to he rebored for larger charges, and that the sighting ap-:
paratus would have to be remodeled, winch would be an impossibility.;
Tiie war has brought about many changes from accepted conch-1
lions heretofore existing, and the policy of Great Britain regarding the j
declaration of cotton to be contraband appears to be one of those in- j
stances in which international law lias been arbitrarily ignored undei ,
the plea of the necessities of war, just as the German inv asion ol Bel-j
gium, early in the war, was by the German government justified under j
a like pica. The St. Louis Globe-Democrat editorially comments upon
tins matter in the following interesting article:
In finally declaring cotton a contraband of war. Great Britain has reversed her
rdf. The precedent was established by Russia in April. I90f>. when it added raw cotton
to its previously ideclared list of contraband. giving as its reason that “raw colion wa«
ifsed in the manufacture of explosives, anti that as s! was iiiijtossibie to distinguish be
tween cotton imported for the one purj»ose anil that imp. r ed. fur th»c other, it wai nacres
sary to prohibit its importation altogether.” To this Great Britain entered a .^ri ng pro
ject. arguing thu» “the iiuanlitv < I raw cotton that might be minted for pxvI./nVp- aou1;1
be infinitesimal in eompuri - n with the bulk of th.e colt .n exported from E* ua to Japan
for {H*aceful purposes. and to treat harmless cargoes of ibis latter description u> uncom.i
tionallv contraband would Ik to subject a branch of innocent commerce to a most unv.ar
-antable interh r^ncc.*’
The American government, in it- protest against the Briti>h actiin. can hardly do
better than to mote these words out of the mouth of his majesty ? ambassador to *M.
Petersburg. The conditions are practically identical. Russia wanted tn l.eep n <
of Japan; England wants to keep it out of Germany. But with England the shoe i> new
on the other foot, and she will probably have a= much regard for our prole. ! a> Russia
had for hers ten years ago.
What effect the contraband order will have upon the American cotton trade is a
ma ter of controversy among cotton experts. It will, of course, have no effect on the
:-iapIe consigned to the allies or to neutral countries, for a hostile destination is an essen
Gal principle of the law of contraband. Bu! Britain may hold up neutral consignments
on the theory that their ultimate destination is the enemy, and if she can find sufficient
evidence to support that view, may confiscate them. The contraband declaration, in
short, gives her somewhat larger pclice power* ami incrcusts the rid: cf shipment? he
signed for German consumotion.
♦
PROVISIONAL PATRIOTISM
Recently the head of a German-American organization who has
achieved much notoriety owing to his utterances on American govern
mental matters, and who has been a severe critic ot tne aam.nistration
because of its policy regarding the export of munitions ot war, made
a rather startling statement, and it is indicative of ihe present state of
the public mind that his utterance has gone almost unchallenged. In
terviewed by a newspaper reporter as to what German-Amencans
would do m case of war with Germany, he said they would remain
neutral, “unless, he added, the United States is m the wrong, when
we would be impelled to fight for the fatherland. i tus man was an
acknowledged American citizen, having been born in this country of
German parents.
The statement reveals a strange conception of patriotism. Any
man who is fit for citizenship in a democratic country must have one
fact driven home to him—that this is a government ci the peo
ple—a majority of the people. To allow individuals tc pass judgment
upon the official acts of the constituted authorities and determine m ad
vance that they will act counter to them under certain conditions is
anarchy.
Much has been said and written m these troublous times about
love of “fatherland” and “ties of race.” Is it not about time that we
heard something that would indicate that those occupying a place in
the public prints are imbued somewhat with love of their own country >
This nation, which broke all ties with tire “mother country” to estab
lish the principle that “governments derive their just powers from the
consent of the governed,” has peculiar claims to men’s loyalty which
are lacking even in the most enlightened and progressive of the old
world monarchies. Aiien-bom or native-born, there is a claim to patri
otic duty on the part of citizens of the United States which transcends
that of any other nation.
It is distressing to note such utterances, for instance, as the fol
lowing from the Seward Gateway:
There is every reason now to believe, according to the ilispalches receiv'd yester
day, that ail danger of war between the United States and Germany is over. W ar be
tween the United States end the aliied powers is cut of the question, as. apparently, the
majority of the people of this country are in sympathy with the cause of the entente alii
But have we ever paused to think what the declaration of war between the United
States and the Teutonic allies would mean to the internal affairs ef this country? The
people of Teutonic birth and extraction claim to he represented under the Stars aad Stripes
by more than twenty millions of American citizens. All those born *n Germanv love the
fatherland with a passion whose depth has been proven ever and over again. To ask
them to take up arms against their own motherland would be tantamount to asking a
man to commit matricide. No matter what country a man is born in. and no matter
what country he adopts later as his own, he never loses every sentiment bern of his first
great love— the love which is often only intensified by exile, as sexual love is intensified
by separation.
Did the United Stales declare war against the quadruple entente tomorrow, who
would expect Englishmen to take up arms eiilhusjaslicaliy against the U^ion Jack? They
might do what they consider to be the duty imposed upon them by the acquisition of
American citizenship, but their hearts could hardly be in the struggle. For the same rea
son these millions of Germans could hardly be expected to turn ibeir arms with pleasure
against Germany.
If to “take up arms against their own motherland would be tanta
mount to asking a man to commit matricide,” then there were a good
many men in this country in the stirring days of i 776 who were guilty
of that heinous crime. And, strange thn- gh it may seem, their names
are high on the nation’s roll of honor. Men do not take up arms enthu
siasticaliy except when stirred by a great sense of injustice; m the revo-1
lutionary days there was this incentive. For the same reason fratricide
may be said to have been committed under the impulse of patriotic
duty during the civil war for the abolition of slavery.
Not only would Englishmen (naturalized citizens, at least) be ex
pected to take up arms against the Union Jack, but Germans would be
expected to take up arms against the kaiser in case of war with Ger-|
many, just as those of all other nationalities would lie expected to fight j
to maintain the government whose protection and opportunities they
enjoy, no matter whom the foe who threatened its existence or well
being. And more than that, these expectations would be realized. In
spite of paid agents of foreign governments endeavoring to arouse sen- j
timents favorable to their home countries, it would be found in case or!
war. just as it has been found in former times of stress, that the foreign-1
born citizen will do his part toward maintaining the life and integrity of
the nation which has been since its birth, and is today, the hope of the
oppressed and downtrodden of all nations.
The sickly sentiment that any nation has a pner claim on the love
and allegiance of any man who has sworn fealty to the government of j
the United States is one that will be repudiated generally by the men in
whose behalf it is ostensibly uttered.
*
It would be rather interesting to know the source of the Juneau j
Empire’s information as to Iditarod happenings. The following from;
that paper, under the heading, “Iditarod Postmaster’s job Goes Beg
ging,” lias been given much publicity: “Albert Wile, who recently re
signed as postmaster at Iditarod, as yet has been unable to secure some
one to take his place. His resignation was tendered in May. As the
interest died out in the Iditarod camp postoffice receipts were greatly
decreased and the station was ranked of a lower grade. At the present
time the salary connected with the office is very small. As soon as he!
can secure his release Mr. Wile expects to go into business at Anchor
age.” For the Empire’s information it may be stated that the Idita
rod postmastership did not “go begging.” The delay in appointing a
successor to Mr. Wile was due to the same agencies which were respon
sible for Wile’s appointment—politics. That “the interest m the Idita
rod camp” has died out will be startling news to our people. It may
be stated also that the establishment of a postoffice at Flat City, thus
dividing the business of the camp, may have had some effect on the
“decreased” business, rather than lack of interest in the Iditarod camp, j
- - *
The Alaska Evening Post, tire first issue of which appeared Sep- ]
tember 1, has just reached here. It is a creditable addition to the news- j
papers of the territory, and will be a factor in the upbuilding of tire pro- j
gressive city of Seward.
*
If Davy Jones draws conclusions from the torpedoed ships that
come plunging down into his locker, says the Charleston News and
Courier, he must be under the impression that Holland, Norway and
the United States have been drawn into the war.
RECENT HISTORY RECALLED
BY DEATH OF JOHN D. LONG
\Scotc C. Bone in Seattle Post Intelligencer)
I'ew of the conspicuous figures in the
American-Spanish war. only seventeen years
ago. now survive. The passing of John D
Long. secretary of the navy in that turbu
{.-in j-eriod. emphasizes this fact.
Russell A. Alger. then secretary of war.
aud constantly under fire, resigned to ac
cej;t a seal in the United Stales senate, and
died soon thereafter.
Of the fighting men in the army who
bore the brunt of the service in Cuba
Sh after, who headed the expedition: Law
ton, daredevil on the field, hero of Li Caney,
hiul who was killed giving battle to the
Moras in the Philippines a year later; ‘ Lit
tle Joe” Wheeler, idol oi the South; Brooke,
who distinguished himself in Porto R«c>
and became the first military governor of
Cuba- all these and others have gone be
yond.
Corbin, adjutant general, through whom
orders from Washington were dispatched to
the front, lives only in record and memory.
But there is one high exception:
Lieutenant General Nelson A. Miles, in
personal command at Santiago, and who
was marching upon San Juan. Porto Rico,
when the armistice was declared, is in life
and health, if not fullest vigor, ai 7fi. and
holds highest rank in recognition of (lislm
guished services rendered his country.
On the naval side, Dewey, whose victory
in Manila bay thrilled the American heart
as has no other achievement in latter-day
history, and. in the forced acquisition of the
Philippines, changed the destiny of the na
tion, is rounding out his life gracefully,
holding the highest rank of admiral, and
soon will celebrate his 7Sth birthday.
But Schley. Sampson, “Lighting Bob”
Evans, “You - may-tire-when--you are ready
Gridley; Philip, the Christian soldier, who
enjoined sailors on the Texas. “Don't cheer,
boys; the poor devils are dying” ail these
and more are numbered among the dead
Others, like (lark of the Oregon; Dick
Waimvright of the Gloucester, and officers
equally brave, if less heroically known to the
chronicles of that time, are on the retired
I list or gone to their reward across the great
' river.
Most of the officers who won renown and
demonstrated their prowess in the Spanish
| war had previously seen actual service in
I the civil war or in campaigns against the
i Indians. This was true of Dewey. Miles,
i Brooks, Sh after, Lawton. Joe Wheeler. Ev
| ans, Sampson and commanding officers gen
j erally. Leonard Wood, one of the youngest,
i had been in the thick of hard fighting with
I Lawton a decade before in subduing the
; murderous Apaches.
j The directing and the waging of that war
! with Spain, as a matter of fact, fell to the
j hands of men who knew what it meant to
I he under fire. Thcv were no novices in war
: fare. But. with all this, the country paid
| the heavy penalty of its unpreparedness in
i incalculable waste and costly delay, and a
j death roll in camp that greatly outnum
| bered the loss an battle.
God forbid another war! But should it
i come, let it be remembered that no seasoned
Deweys and Sehleys and Miles and Lawtons
will respond.
Of those directly involve! in the famous
Samp son-Schley controversy, recalled by
Long's passing, ali are now dead.
' Sampson, even then a victim of aphasia,
soon reached his grave.
I Schley. unembittered by the experience,
> because conscious of popular confidence.
| lived his allotted years in tranquillity and
' happiness.
| Schley’s legal defender at the court of in
! puiry, the widely-known Jeremiah M. Vr 11 ;
I son, dropped dead during the court of in- ]
quiry.
Mis prosecutor. Judge Advocate Lexnly. 1
I subsequently suffered mental collapse and |
lingered until recent years an inmate of St. j
Elizabeth.
It was a tragedy, not a scandal, that naval
, controversy, and wrought widespread evil
to the service enduring to this day. Cer
tainly there was glory enough to go around,
and the department might have estopped the
tragedy at its inception.
With the lapse of years the whole sorry
chapter becomes incomprehensible. The
principals took no part originally in the con
j tent ion os to whom the credit for the tie
, struction of Cervera's fleet belonged. Schley
. was promoted from commodore to rear ad
. miral a month after the battle. But parti |
j sans of each fanned a smoldering ember into \
: flame.
This is how it ril came about:
Edgar Staunton Maclay. then engage] in j
i writing a “History of the United States j
Navy,” incorporated in the third volume of i
i this authorised work, covering the naval j
warfare with Spain, and recounting the bat - j
; tie oil Santiago, an attack upon Schley, j
j whom he characterized as a “caitiff, pol -
j troon and coward.”
The astounding disclosure followed this
j was in the summer of 1901- that the proofs !
of this chapter had been read and approved '
j by naval officers. Rear Admiral Sampson j
j among the number.
Schlev applied for a court of inquiry and i
i Secret ary Long ordered it.
] Admiral Dewey. president of the court, in ;
a minority report, after a month’s hearing, i
j praised Schley for “promptness and efh !
J cient service” and gave him credit for de- '
’ st roving the Spanish fleet. He defused to j
l sign the majority report, made by Rear Ad- j
1 inirals Bcnham anti Ramsay, which found;
1 Schley guilty of “vacillation, lack of enter-;
1 prise and disobedience” a finding based |
i upon alleged dilatoriness in his command of
| the "flying squadron” previous to the battle, j
I and ihe celebrated “loop” made by his flag
i.vhin. the Brooklyn, in the battle.
I Secretary Long approved the censure,
j President Roosevelt, on appeal, refusing to
] reopen the case, confirmed the .secretary’s
i approval.
Lieutenant General Miles, head of the
army, publicly voiced his indorsement of the
finding of Admiral Dewey, head of the navy,
and was sternly reprimanded by the Presi
j dent therefor.
#
A current sketch of the late Secretary
Long says that he wished to surrender his
portfolio following ’ these troublous times,
i bui refused to resign “under fire” The gen
j eral public felt that bureau officers held too
Strong sway in the department during his
! regime. Naturally, he was “under fire.”
| Otherwise John D. ling’s career as secre
j tary of the navy was distinctly and emi
] nently creditable.
--
SUCCOR FOR ARMENIANS
IS ASKED BY LORD BRYCE
LONDON, Sept. 21—John Bryce, former
I British ambassador to the United States, has
: asked Americans to aid the Armenians, who
! are being killed by thousands by the Turks,
j The young women are being taken to the
j harems and the old are killed. Ten thou
1 sand persons in one town were drowned.
1 I am not selling groceries, hardware,
clothing or jewelry at the present time, but
I am trying to keep a good drug store in
' the camp. The largest stock of toilet goods, j
and prices right. DR. MOORE, j
! Watermelons, juicy and crisp, just re
ceived. Crowley & Porter. {
OOOOOOOOOOOO0OOOO*
THE MONARCH <>
0 O
0* The king sat in his palace, a few O
0 brief ages back, and from his golden O
0 chalice he drank a quart of sack. O
0 And dames with sunny ringlets, and O
0 courtiers brave anil gay, were there ^
0 to keep Ins kinglets from yawning O
0 life away. The chimney didn't draw O
O well, the room was full of smoke, ^
0 and so that king said, “Aw, well, O
0 we'll just sit here and choke.” No O
O screen was on the winder which O
O surely was a sin so there was O
O naught to hinder the flies from O
O coming in. They bit the royal per- O
O son and kept his royal nobs a rippin’ O
O round and cursin' like any vulgar O
O swabs. No phonograph to cheer O
O him. no phone through which to O
O swear, and no convenience near him O
O that modern folks could bear! The O
O workman in his cottage, who feeds ^
O Ids children four the predigested O
O pottage bought at the corner store, O
O more luxury” is knowing than knew O
O those kings of old, with all their ^
O bunk and blowing of Melds of cloth O
O t,f gold. Just think of mighty Ed- ^
O ward, the ruler of his land, as he v>
O went stumbling hedward, a rush- O
C> light in his hand! And still the mem O
O orv lingers of mighty chiefs of York O
O who ate meat with their fingers he- ^
O cause they had no fork. The kings O
O who dwelt in snWidor in gloomy an O
O cient halls ne’er knew a beefsteak O
O tender, nor sampled codfish balls. O
O Wait Mason. O
O O
&00000000000000000
THE FOUR-LEAF CLOVER
I know a place where the sun Is like gold.
And ’he cherry blooms burst with snow;
And down underneath is the loveliest nook.
Where the four leaf clovers grow.
One l*»af is for hone, and one is for faith,
And one is for love, you know;
And God put another in for luck
If you search you will find where they
grow.
But you must have hope, and you must
have faith.
You must love and be strong and so
If you work, if you wait, you will find the
place
Where the four leaf clovers grow.
Ella IRgginsc-n.
TIot Air and Yaprr Baths with Electric
Vibration and O-tr o shy Mas^a rv have the
•'ower to cure such fir 'tional diseases as
Lumbago Tndige ;t on
Rheumatism D-nrd( i s of Liver
Stiff J( ints Melancholia
Dropsy Obesity and
Lorwroter A?nxin Gout
THE CROSBY MASSAGE AM) BATH
PARLORS
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
In Tin* Probate Court for Otter precinct
Hnurlh division, Territory or Alaska
lirD-p- lfon. O. ci. rierngh’.v. commis
sioner anti « x olPcio probate judge
In The matter or Hie s * - T 11 • • of I'harlcs Hra
neau. deceased. No IP) Prt»bate.
Nobre is hereby given by the under
signed. admUiislrator i.f the estate <•]
t harles Hrapean. d»»r< vsed. to the ereditor
■ T >ltd all pei-sons liavina claims against tin
said deceased, to exhibit them, with tin
neces.-an x'mjchcrs. within sj\ months afb*t
Hi tii-'i publication • • r this uoibv, p. Hu
said administrator. at the oWn* i.f reef.
'Harrison. attorney al law. Kcgina hotel
Iditarml. \iaskn. the same being tin* p!ae<
1«»r liir t; Misaetinn or Mu* business of ih<
said esin!- in the above prerim I anil Hotj
tory.
Hated Sep’. 1 9 I N.
PAT 1. LAP 1. \ N'T, Administrator.
Hirst publication. <>ct. -j». I 9 1A.
NOTICE OF FORFEITURE
To H. Schofield, and b> your heirs, execu
tors. ndnjiu strator' and as^ijrp.s:
Y.i!! are hereby notified Hint the under
signed. a ci* i wner. has expended in laboi
and improvements (lie sum of «»ne bundle:
dollars on per year f r the year:
1913 and 59.1 j upon That certain placet
mining claim known as The Happy New
Year Assoeialion. situated at tin* head oi
Flat creek, a tributary of Oiler creek. 1!
otter recording district. Territory oi
Maskn. in winch yon are the owner uf ar
undivided one-eighth < >N • interest.
Y ou and each < f you uit* hereby notiller
that if at tie- »-x pi ration or ninety Go.
days -after Ha- last publication of this notici
you have failed or refused Jo rnntribiib
vnur >hare of the aforesaid expenditures
your interest in said claim will become f r
feited and will become the property «>f fin
undersigned, according To the provisions o!
Section of Revised Statutes of tlu
I niled States.
I *\Y II» STRAN'DRFRd. Fn-Owncr.
Date of first publication. Sept. 5. 1915
Date of last publication. Dec. 4. 1915.
POETRY
It peoples the wilderness; it gives a Ian
guage to the cataract; it talks to the ever
lasting hills; it hears harmonies in the gush
ing of the wind, in the heaving of the for
est, even in the silence of the night; it sees
shapes of unearthly beauty in the sunset; it
draws inspiration from the stars. George
Croly.
] OPEN DAY AND NIGHT
! FLAT CITY HOHBACK & DURAND
j Bet. the Grand and Eagoy's Bars
| THE BEST ALL THE TIME
WE ARE HERE TO STAY
| Mu table r Eros.
GENERAL
FREIGHTERS
i
I -
DAILY TRAM SERVICE
i- - -- —
I |T| /*wr fj 6%
; tlbgSild esui
1 First-Class Accomnodaticas
COMMODIOUS LOBBY
LARGE, AIRY ROOMS
' YOUR FATRONAGE SOLICITED
i MRS. N. P. GILMORE
; .. --...
I Best of Everything
a?e
FJLA'I' CITY
Ooen Dav and Ki&ht
Professional
—---—-— f
Michigan, 18$ J Alaska, 19 10
Kentucky, isoi
George Woodruff Albrecht
COUNSELOR AND LAWYER
IDITAROD, ALASKA
The Pioneer Altornry of Iditarod
E, M. STANTON,
Attorney at Law
Office: (' rnrr Willow and Second Sis.
Iditarod Pioneer Building
CHAS. E. TAYLOR,
Attorney at Law
BANK BLOCK
First Avenue Iditarod
Fred Harrison
ATTORNEY AT LAW
REGINA HOTEL PHONE 53
DR. MOORE,
PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON
DR. H. E. AURisO'GER,
I'hvsician and Surgeon
„ o
Office: Flat City Hospital, Flat City
Consultation Ilmirs in Forenoons and '• y
Appointment
DR. H. BEK LA,
DENTIST
Appointments by Telephone
FLAT CITY
1 **5^2 p3 Gold St., Fiat City
1 |^0 a 'hC^ V-;JtI Mrs. ^20' Mutchler, Prop
Nicely Furnished Rooms Earn for Horses and Dogs Baths in Connection
j I-_____
--
j | ' " HARRYnDONNELLE Y
j —-—i GENERAL MERCHANDISE
| DISCOVERY. OTTER _(
!S THE CELT Cf EVEEiliEKC ALL TELE
JUST RECEIVED
Fresh Shipment of S. & W.
STAPLE and FANCY GROCERIES
Swift’s Premium
HAMS AND BACON
2? Us Winter Outfits
McMAHON, Fiat City