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OF SEWARD, ALASKA — Established August 19, 1904
Published daily except Sunday by
THE GATEWAY PUBLISHING COMPANY
Entered in the postoffice at Seward, Alaska as
second-class mail matter.
H. V. HOBEN and E. F. JESSEN, Proprietors
E. F. Jessen, Editor and Manager
MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WELL CHOSEN TITLE
The Anchorage Times, by what was assuredly an in
advertence, chose a most appropriate heading for its edi
torial in opposition to the Gateway’s stand on Bureaucracy
and its attendant evils. The Times calls it “Barking in
the Manger.” Of course the Times was too gallant to pre
face the abridged phrase with the term “Dog,” so we will
supply it. And by the same token we will agree with the
Times that there has been “barking in the manger,” with
the reservation that it is not the Gateway but the Federal
government that has been the specific canine domiciled in
Alaska’s manger of natural resources, and emitting the
growls since the day it loaded the Territory with Pinchot
ism and its attendant burdens. In the simile drawn by the
Times, it hit the nail squarely on the head. It is to voice
the protest of the people of at least this portion of Alaska
against a continuation of the condition that the Gateway
braved the ire of the bureaus and took up the cudgel.
The Times appears to consider Pinchotism an abstract
question, or is it academic? A question never becomes
either* abstract or academic until it is proven or disproven
in all of its ramifications. If the proof which every Alas
kan has at hand, showing the blight the theoretical depar
ture from sound economic principles has brought to Alas
ka is to be scrapped after 20 years of demonstration of
unfitness for progress, then it might become abstract or
academic under the heading that “the King can do no
wrong.”
The Times expresses the belief that the Gateway
should have voiced its sentiments at the inception of Pin
chctism. Reference to the back files of this, one of the
oldest newspapers in the Territory shows that it has never
receded from its position of condemning bureaucratic en
encroachment from the day the Cunningham coal claims
were cancelled.
If eternal vigilance is the price of liberty in this nation
of ours, we are simply giving evidence of our adherence to
the time-honored caution, by refusing to surrender that
favor may be gained from the bureaus.
In this position we do not stand alone, for the entire
West of the United States is up in arms against what has
approached a menace to free American institutions and
prerogatives. We rather flatter ourselves that we are in
such good mental company.
As pointed out before, the entire situation resolves it
self into one where restrictions, rules and regulations and
interference in private business has prevented the rank
and file of small capitalists from participating in conserved
natural resources save under exceptional conditions like
railroad coal contracts. The politicians have not learned
after 20 years of experiment that the plan will not work,
a thing known to all men of business and economic training
from the date of inception of conservation as it has been
applied to Alaska. The rules and regulations complained
of are not of ancient date,they are of today and will con
tinue until the Federal government gracefully yields to the
voice of the people and right the wrong. It is never too
late to see an error and atone.
The Times appears apprehensive lest antagonism to
the bureaus may halt activities on the part of the govern
ment and retard development. Is the Times prepared to
offer evidence to support the contention that progress is
better under government ownership and operation than it
was or will be under a system where every man in Alaska
had an equal chance. Has there been a “Kennecott” de
veloped out of a conserved natural resource? Has there
been a Katalla developed in consrved oil fields? Can it
point to the Alaska Railroad and overlook the pioneer en
terprise that was crushed by the conservation policy in
the coal fields? And can it set opposite the results achiev
ed by private capital such fiascos as Eska and Chickaloon,
where the Federal government wasted more than a million
dollars trying to show hard-headed coal miners how to
scientifically mine coal, only to have such a coal miner—
not an engineer in the employ of a bureau—develop the
first commercial coal mine in the Eska field. -
# Will the Times attempt to shift the dog in the manger
simile to the Gateway in the face of the statement of Dr.
H. Foster Bain, chief of the Bureau of Mines, made before
the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce that there was
neither quality nor quantity of coal in the Matanuska
fields, only to have it disproved by the pioneers who have
developed coal mines there despite government handi
caps and an effort to block export of coal?
The Times is right, there is growling—nay the mala
mute chorus has emanated from the Federal manger for
20 years.
It would appear about time to scrap the dogteam and
utilize a more rapid means of transportation toward sta
stable progress.
SYDNEY, N. S. W., Feb. 14. (£>)—|
A hurricane and floods caused $5,000,-!
000 damage in the city of Cairns, j
Queensland. Several buildings in the |
downtown district collapsed and one-[
)
fifth of the city’s structures were |
damaged. Loss of life is reported.
DEATH TOLL THIRTY-FIVE
LONDON, Feb. 14. (£>)—The death
toll from a cyclone sweeping the Car
rine district of Queensland, Australia,
reached 35 says an Exchange Tele
graph dispatch. Whole families are
reported drowned at Ingham, where
rows of houses were washed away.
Rivers formerly two miles apart and
now running as one stream.
HUNT CLUB KEEPERS
ARE SHOT AND KILLED
NORFOLK, Va., Feb. 14. (JP)—Lee
Waterfield and J. L. Bonney, hunt
club keepers in the hack bay dis
trict, were shot by three game ward
ens, W. I. Birch, A. F. Merced and
J. T. Capps, who were investigating
violations of the laws governing
hunting out of season.
PANHANDLE CHANGES HANDS
The Panhandle, where soft drinks,
cigars and candies are disbursed and
occasional social game of cards play
ed, has changed hands and John
Lofgren, formerly a pardner of James
Stewart, is now sole owner. Mr.
Lofgren purchased Mr. Stewart’s in
terest today. There will be no change
in the future policy of the business
which will be conducted along pre
vious lines, v
ALASKA’S TROPICAL CLIME
The thermometer registered 106
degrees in the sun at 10 o’clock this
morning which, as an oldtimer stated
this morning “should serve as a
warning to California and Florida
that Alaska’s clim'ate should not be
sniffed at.” And this is supposed to
be winter-time.
SPECIAL BASKETBALL
CAME WEDNESDAY NICHT
Two teams of hand-picked basket
ball players will face each other on
the firing line Wednesday evening,
at the S. A. C. gym, according to
announcement made today. The small
sharge of 15 and 25 cents will be
charged.
Preceding the game, a special at
traction so that the public may
have an opportunity to witness one
of the games which is creating so
much talk these days, two handball
teams will play off three games to
demonstrate why this game is be
coming popular locally. It has al
ways been the most popular game in
Ireland.
Coach McEJwen has selected Paint
er and Roberts to play Hopkins and
Jessen. These men are alleged to be
among the leading exponents of the
indoor pastime. It will be a fast
game anyway. The handball games
will start at 7 o’clock.
Beautiful Valentines at Schallerer’s
Alaska Shop.
special for Sunday dinner.
New York Ice Cream Satur
day and Sunday; Candy
Cottage.
LIBERTY
THEATER
8 O'CLOCK —
ONE SHOW —
8 O’CLOCK
The intensely interesting picture
From the famous best seller book
'Rocking Moon’
by Barrett Willoughby
(A born Alaskan)
A thrilling story of Alaska absolutely different from
any other
NO DANCE HALLS
NO GOLD RUSHES
NO DOG MUSHING
But a wonderful tale of the coast—of beautiful
mountains and flowers—of fox-farming—of pretty
half-breed girls and unbridled passion—of totem
poles and weird dances
A different picture of Alaska that everyone here
should see
DON’T MISS IT
, A Pathe News
And a Hodge-Podge Educational Reel
VAN GILDER HOTEL
HOT AND COLD WATER IN EVERY ROOM
STEAM HEAT
J. S. BADGER
A Complete Line of
GROCERIES
Fresh Vegetable Received
Each Week.
PHONE MAIN 34
P. C. M’MULLEN
Prompt Deliveries
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