THE IDITAROD PIONEER
Published Every Saturday Morning at Iditarod, Alaska
Vol. 7 OMARLES A. DERRY, Editor end Publisher No. 13
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A GOOD SUGGESTION
The following editorial from the Ruby Record Citizen of recent
d. t. contain- a suggestion which may well receive the attention
of the people of this district and adjoining regions. The difficulty
of communication with Fairbanks at all seasons of the year, and
the fact that the transaction of court business here must of ne
eessity depend upon the convenience of the officials and interests
of the Fairbanks district, all make fur the necessity of creating a
new division which shall serve the vast territory mentioned. As
to the headquarters of the officials of the suggested new division,
iditarod naturally would be most centrally located, and probably
the greatest number of persons would be benefited by locating
the court a,ad other officials here. But this question need not
necessarily be made an issue at present; it could be determined
,m case the desired new arrangement were made without friction,
probably, the article is as fallows:
' In the Iditarod Pioneer of January 1 mention is made of the
fact that a new precinct has been established and a United States
commissioner appointed at Reindeer City, lower Ku-kok wim.
Prospectors nul others knowing something of the count'y will
doubtless '• surprised to learn that the Canyon Creek mining sec
tion is inch ded in the new precinct and that the precinct is ; art
of the Th t 1 judicial division, buch is stated as a fact, and the
c( urt heat t uarters for the Canyon Creek section is therefore \ ul
dez. As f .i its ordinary business in the district court is concerned,
people of I parts of the Kuskokwim watershed are virtually shut,
off from V ildez at t il seasons of tile year by reason of the dis
tance and the natural obstacles intervening.
“This ;s une more reason why a new judicial division should
he formed -ud Mdv.r.g the Kuskokwnn and its watershed, the In
noko and its watershed, the Iditarod and its watershed, the
Kovukuk and its watershed, and the Yukon and its watershed from
the town i f Tanuna to the mouth of the river. The country thus
roughly oi tlined is immense in area and possibilities of wealth in
mineral, ti l , fur. and all things that go to make prosperous homes
in Alaska. It includes sections superior to all others in Interior
Alaska for tie establishment of agriculture. It is making steady
progress mi ler conditions harder than any ever imposed on any
people uni ■■■ tile United States liag. The thing that would confer
the greatest benefit on it at the least cost at the present time would
lie to make of it a new judicial division with court headquarters
at some accessible and convenient point.
"The h -ndicap | laced upon the people living in these regions : t
the prosen’ time are too great to be borne. The federal authori
tie- depend for inspiration upon the capitals of the divisions, and
the capital' of the divisions arc too far away to give these people
sympathy, justice, or anything but derision and contempt. The
governmental machinery of the Fourth division is costly beyond
anything if the kind anywhere. Two divisions could be run at
hderul i.'.pense than the Fourth division is now run at. and
::.-w division would be immensely beneficial to the people as
well as conducive to economical, efficient and satisfactory a Imin
l.stration.
“The time is approaching when a delegate to congress is to be
elected ,anu 'here is no question on which any candidate could be
sounded with more profit than the question of creating a new
judicial division."
THE WELFARE OF ALASKA
"No one who has the welfare of Alaska at heart will oppose
the extend m to the territory of any addition: 1 power which the
people are prepared to exercise,” says the Juneau Empire. And
we entirely agree with the assertion. But is the Empire or any
:her advocate of "full territorial government” or statehood pre
pared to state that the people of Alaska are prepared to exercise
additional powers? Extension of powers also means extension cf
obligations. Is the territory of Alaska prepared to take out of
the hand.- oi the United States government the machinery for
th ■ nininteu :-e of law and order in the vast stretches of Interior
Alaska, an: die administration cf justice there, as contemplated
by the den.and that it be t Unwed to create county government-'
and a juiiic ary? If so, where is the revenue to c me front? At
the present time the federal government, at great cost, is per
forming the functions which, under other conditions, would attach
to a state or territorial government. The people of Interior Alaska,
at h ast, an p'fectl.v contented that this should continue for the
present, or v-'il the population reaches proportions sufficient to
sustain such burdens. Are the mere handful of people who now
inhabit this vast territory “prepared” to administer the laws and
make life and property safer than they now arc without the fed
eral machinery now provided? Does any man who “has the wel
fare of Alaska at heart” believe that the interests of its citizens
and of those who are to come hereafter will be better taken care
of by extending governmental powers to the territorial govern
ment as now constituted? With the example of the past two
years before us, we would imagine not.
Stripped of all buncombe, the plain facts are that a territory
nearly six hundred thousand miles in area, and containing a popu
lation estimated by the governor in his last report at 44,000 while
persons, is supposed to be demanding that it be made a sovereign
state, or failing that, that it tie given all the powers and preroga
tives of statehood without the obligations entailed by statehood.
In other words, a territory more than twice as large as the largest
state in the Union is to he turned over, for better or worse, to a
population no larger than that of the city of New Britain, Conn.,
say. It piusr ajso be remembered that there is a large percentage
of foreign-born residents of Alaska, many of whom have no inten
tion of remaining permanently or becoming citizens. This is indi
cated by the fact that at the last election for congressional dele
gate but 10,000 votes (approximately) were cast, these including
male and fem::lc voters.
Except for the strip of territory at tidewater, the population
is widely scattered, and as most of Interior Alaska is practically
isolated from the capital, anything like true representative govern
ment is impossible with present and prospective means of com
munication. Under such circumstances, how can anyone having
“the welfare of Alaska at heart” view without grave concern the
extension of governmental powers to the limited number of per
sons who are able to participate intelligently in the affairs of the
territory? As for the demand for “extended powers”—where does
it come from ? Outside of a few newspapers it would be safe to
say that the question is seldom broached. The territory' of Alaska
ts empowered to frame laws for the government of its people,
and outside c f a few restrictions made necessary by the vastness
of the territory and the scant population, it has to all intents and
purposes self-government. And these restrictions are scarcely more
onerous than those imposed on other territories of the United
States. Wisely used, these powers can be made to serve until such
time as the population is big enough and permanent enough to
justify statehood.
If ignorance and demagoguery have been displayed in the
discussion of this question, surely it is by the “scribblers” who at
tempt to show that the residents of Alaska are the victims of op
pression and tyranny. Why not drop such rot, and point out that
in all probability the people of Alaska are enjoying the greatest
measure of seit government of any similar number of people
op earth 9
Delegate Wiekersham recently introduced a bill in congress j
appropriating $200,000 for the Ruby-Long Creek road. The good '
citizens of that district were at a loss to know who had been urging
it. as the Commercial Club of that city had no knowledge of it.
• The Record Citizen of February 26 emit:.ins the following, which ,
may or may not he ail explanation: “A letter received in Ruby
recently from one of the coast boom towns tells of an inter
view with Delegate Wiekersham that did not get into the papers.
The interviewer was an old timer in the North, who thoroughly
comprehends ihe trend of affairs in the Interior, ar.d the occa
sion was last November, when Wiekersham was on route to Wash
ington. The (iil-timer is quoted in part as follows: ‘I had a talk
with Wick ’ * * about the Ruby road, but he was unable to
do siiythiiig, he said. 1 told him litat it was a case of no road,
i no vote, at Ruby, ami that he had li tier forget Fairbanks for one
i short while and look at some other spot in the Interior, f also
ml i him that I was of the opinion that the center of population
would steadily remove itself from Fairbanks, and that the people
would distribute themselves on the Tanana and the Yukon, and
Ruhy had the most to offer them; that spending the money needed
for roads at other places on bridges at Fairbanks was not going to
earn him any votes nor good will from the seen us that were
neglected.' "
The limits to which men will go in their desire to record sen
sationel feats for the benefit of the “movies” is aotlv illustrated
in the following from an Eastern exchange. Many will be glad
that the horse was uninjured: "Mounted on a horse, Arthur
Mavis, a motion-picture actor, rode off a precipice eighty-three
1 feet high into a chasm in the Adirondacks. The wil 1 leap term!
! nated in a pool of water, which was dotted by sharp, ugly crags
! „f rock. Catapulted from the great height, both horse and rider
struck the water at the same time. In the perpendicular descent
I rider and horse turned two somersaults. One of the five camera
j men assigned to take pictures of the unusual and daring scene
| fainted as rider and horse felt. Mavis was fished out of the pool.
I the bottom of which he and the horse touched, t nd was rushed
>11 a special Pullman car to a New fork city hospital It was
I found that he had received a broken leg and many bruises. lie
! will recover. The horse was uninjured and swam ashore.”
-0
That President Wilson's policy in the "armed-ship” contro
versy has been well considered goes without saying. But (he f. 1
l oving indorsement of his position by one of the ablest men in
the Republican ranks should cause those who are inclined to
criticize the administration in the matter without full knowledge
of the determining facte to more fully consider their position: ‘■It:
the senate on February 17 Senator Henry Cabot Lodge of Massa
chusetts made a stirring speech, declaring that if the United States
should abandon at this time the principle that American ports ar‘
1 open to and American citizens free to travel upon merchantmen
of the belligerent nations, armed solely for the purpose of protec
tion. it would be an iinneutrul act and a step toward war. The
senator, continuing, said that it wool 1 make the United States
an ally of the belligerent whose merchant marine had been swept
from the seas.”
j As an instance r.f the arrogance of the hen: liciaries of the pro
tective tariff, whose enterprises have been nurtured at the expense
I of the people of the United Stats for so many years, the f, rowing
is quoted: “In a hearing before the senate committee on naval
j affairs, held February 8. private manufacturers informed the com
I mittee that if Uncle Pam attempted either to purchase armor plate
factories or to build them, the manufacturers would increase the
| price of armor steel 3200 per ton. or almost 50 per cent more than
| is charged now. Several of the committee members gave them a
! most critical examination, and expressed in no uncertain terms
, iheir opinions of the manufacturers. Notwithstanding the threat
of the manufacturers, the committee voted unanimously in favor
i of the plan, and will so report to the senate.'1
— - - <j> -- —
; The enthusiasm which has suddenly developed in favor of
Theodore Roosevelt for President was reflected in the Republican
j primary held at Iditarod last Saturday night. They will n w
I endeavor to forget some of the c.-nij l:met:t- they have paid the
; strenuous one in the past.
UNCLE SAM AS FAIRY GODMOTHER
(Unalakleet Correspondence Nome Industrial Worker1
Uncle Samuel is surely a fairy godmother to the aliens that
ecntrt 1 a respect able minority of the reindeer. He passes a spe
! eial law enabling aliens to come here under treaty rights made with
I their government for that purpose and treaty rights are the su
S nreiue law of the land- starts them in the reindeer business un
| der contract that they teach the natives, end how does it work
I out? The natives are rich in deer but in many eases without a
; market, end the aliens are rich in deer and money and a loophole
• in their contract is large enough for their herds to jump through
i and into the loving arms of capital.
Writing of capital reminds n.e that my c-M and valued friend,
1 Jafet Lindeberg, lias received from King Haakon the Order of : f
( iaf mr illustrious conduct towards Norwegians. St. Obit con
verted tlie natives of Norway to Christianity ip. the eleventh ecu
tury and is their patron saint. To have the hon-T conferred upon
one is deemed a great honor, t nalakleet was the phi where dnh :
severed his connection with the reindeer service, but he left
nmem-st the herders many friends who consider the honor cm
ferret! upon him an honor conferred upon them. Only a few
years ago he roamed tlip hills among the deer, and now basks it:
the sunshine of a king’s smile! My soul doth magnify the Lord
h r he hath put down the mighty from their seat and exalted
them of low degree!
-A
"FOOL CRITICISMS FROM ABROAD"
(Indianapolis News)
After the war is over many of those in London and Paris
whose foolish criticisms of this government have been so widely
exploited will thank God that the United States, in spite of all
provocation, kept out of the war—if such shall prove to be the
fact. The nations of Europe will need the sustaining power of our
wealth, credit and industries, and all the help that we can g'.ve
in rebuilding the waste places. We have, therefore, a duty to the
world in this matter, and we shall hope and try to perform it.
Perhaps it is not without significance that not one voice lor war,
nr any policy approaching it, has been raised in either house of
congress. Yet there is not a senator or representative who may
not tomorrow offer for adoption a declaration of war. The Ameri
can people were never truer to themselves, to their principles, tra
(iifions and ideals than they have been during the last seventeen j
Months. They will walk in the rays of peace till there is an im j
prrative reason for fighting. There has been none as yet.
----♦
Wait for the big show! At Chicago, June 7! Two rings!—
Indianapolis News.
7 ^
If demands for juration are complied with, those submarines
may soon become I. O. U. boats.—Philadelphia Inquirer.
❖
What this country needs is a strong, permanent, non-partisan J
tariff commission composed of Republicans.—Boston Transcript.
-♦
Lansing and Von Bernstorff seem to be searching for a w’ord j
that will sound harsh in English and soft in German - Brooklyn
Eagle.
-«- |
Taken by and large, this country has had but one President
who received the unqualified approval of Colonel Roosevelt.—
Saraboo News.
-♦—
An Ohio paper says there will be no typographical errors in
heaven. This disposes of printers and proofreaders with one fell
swoop.—Detroit Free Press.
-♦
According to W. Morgan Shuster, Europe laughs at our pro
tests. If Europe can get a laugh out of anything at all these days, j
it is welcome.—Chicago News.
-«
Some of those German-Americans who proclaim they will re
turn to Germany after the war will lose their longing for the ;
Fatherland when the tax rates are announced. Philadelphia j
North American.
-»
It is just as well to look on the bright side of things. If the
United States had had a merchant marine most of it would have
been torpedoed by this time.—Chicago Tribune.
-e
Germans complain that American ammunition is more deadly I
than that of French and English make, which after all may not j
be an unfortunate discovery for foreigners to make.
-^
A man running a matrimonial agency in New York and pub- j
lishing a newspaper in the same interests, who recently died, i
boasted just prior to his death that he had been responsible for
the marriage of 20,000 couples. However, it is noted that he
himself died a bachelor, which recalls that few bartenders ever
drink. Seattle Post-Intelligencer. 1
—
Throughout the Fairbanks district it is j
not generally known that at the next ter- j
ritorial election the voters will be called j
upon to elect an attorney general for Alaska, j
but such is the fact, the office having been
created by the last session of the legisla
ture At the present time there is no at
torney general, but .1. H. Cobb of Juneau
is acting as chief counsel for the terri
tory, attending to some of the duties that
will be imposed on the attorney general.
'1 he Republican convention at Seward on
April 19 will choose a candidate for this
office, and the Democratic convention to
be held at Juneau will select a candidate
also. On the Republican .side of the house
there has been little talk regarding the
office and in the Interior no possible can
didate has come forward. Whether or not j
any of the coast Republicans are after the |
job is not generally known. J. H. Cobb j
of Juneau is actively out for the Demo
cratic nomination, it is said, and probably
will be the choice of that party. At the
election next November the people of the |
Fourth division will have an opportunity |
to vote for a delegate to congress, a terri j
turii.l -i nalor, four representatives to the |
legislature and an attorney general. At the 1
following regular election the territorial I
treasurer will lie added to the li-t. l air- '
banks News Miner.
I
Reps Wall Nominate Wick
From all information obtainable from all |
parts of the territory, it appears that Dele
gate Wickersham will be the Republican
nominee, and that either George Griggsby ■
or some man unknown at the present time [
will be the contestant. News-Miner.
Doesn’t Want Governorship
The Seward Gateway, which, however, is
not a very reliable paper in any way, states
that Wickershani told Charlie Herron tha'
he would not be a candidate for governor
of Alaska if the Republicans were success
ful at the next election. Which broached
the subject first *'—Nome Industrial Worker.
Sutherland a Possible Candidate
The Alaska Daily Dispatch of Juneau re i
eearly contained a handsome t .vo-r damn
portrait of Senator Dan Sutherland, f 1
io'.ved by the lines reproduced below. In
the meantime the only campaign Senator
■Sutherland seems to be engaged in is con
ducted underground:
“Ruby, Jan. 13.—Since coming here Dan
A. Sutherland has been fortunate in his |
mining ventures and already is possessed
of a tidy fortune. This, taken in connec
lion with the fact that he may trconie a
candidate for delegate to congress and the
choice of James Wielversbam, insures him
making a territory-wide campaign in ca-e
he runs. It is realized that it costs some
mi hey '. > <.paign in Alaska, ami Mr. I
Pulhorlund wdl not be handicapped on that 1
score, as he is well able to finance his own
can paign.' Ruby Record-Citizen.
ALCOHOL SPECIALS DROPPED
The "alcoh- 1 specials,” us the last owl
cars were familiarly called by roysterer.-,
were withdrawn on many of the street rail
way lines beginning early this morning, says
the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. In a more
dignified way the traction company gave
notice of the new schedules in the following
announcement:
“The rearrangement of car service sched
ules operated after midnight will become
effective due to changed traffic conditions I
since the firs! of the year.”
To be blunt, since the dry law became I
effective fewer of the “boys” remain out ,
lute at night. At least this is advanced as
the reason for the decrease in the traffic
on the owl cars recently. Because of the I
scarcity of pe&vncrers the c: >mpany finds '
h o it i- not necessary to run lute cars
on all lines.
QUICKLY ARRANGED
|
A lady who had just received an interest- !
in 2 I At ot news said to her daughter: "Mar- '
rie, dear, a new baby has just come!
in auntie's house, and now mamma is the j
baby's aunt, papa is the baby’s uncle, and i
you are its little cousin.” "Well.” said
Marjorie, wonderingly, “wasn't that ar
ranged quick?”—Boston Transcript.
Passenger (to colored porter) —Excuse j
me, but please tel! me when the breakfast j
car opens.
Colored Porter—We's just had our cof- !
fee and rolls, so it’s all ready for the
guests now.—Judge.
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. GHA5, LARSON
Orders may be left with Mrs. Thornton
V 'r 'f v VTV i
If You Are Interested in
LIFE INSURANCE
Let me talk it over with you
EARL B. HUI\1T
Mu f ah lor Bros,
I
GENERAL
FREIGHTERS
DAILY STAGE SERVICE
OPEN DAY AND NIGHT
FLAT CITY HOHBACK &. DURAND
Bet. the Grand and Bagoy's Bars
j THE BEST ALL THE TIME
—
WE ARE HERE TO STAY
Open Oov and Night
Mr. Business Man: Don't allow your
stock of stationery or other printed matter
to be entirely depleted before ordering a
new supply. Do it Slow. The Pioneer.
Professional
—_- -^r-r
i Michigan, 1881 Alaska, 191#
Kentucky, 1891
George Woodruff Albrecht
! COUNSELOR AND LAWYER
IDITAROD, ALASKA
The Pioneer Attorney of Idltarod
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
Room 1 Over Merchants Cafe
DR. MOORE
PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON
DR. H. E. AURSiNSGEe?
Physician and Surgeon
O'tics: Flat City Hospital, Flat City
Consultation Hours in Forenoons and ly
Appointment
DR. H. BEHLA
DENTIST
FLAT CITY
Will Arrive in Iditarod by the first boat in
the spring
fc* ^ lUj 4k
tT filialI £
SeDondSt. f OSTAROO E^IEA f CO. Phono 15
Gold St., Fiat City
I Nicely Furnished Rooms Barn for Horse; and Dogs Baths in Connection
HARRY DONNELLEY
GENERAL MERCHANDISE
DISCOVERY, OTTER
THE BEST OF EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME^
MERCHANTS’ CAFE
FIRST AYE.
GOOD MEALS
SHORT ORDERS
OPEN DAY AND NIGHT
R06T. SOUTAR
Prop.
400 Pairs
LEATHER GLOVES and
MITTENS
Formal■ Price $1.50 to $3.00 per Pair
Now Selling at
5LOO per Pair
Me MM HON
GENERAL MERCHANDISE FLAT CITY