were pledged to support the Pioneer’s bill, and also
the elective Treasurer’s bill.
In their desire to kill the elective Treasurer’s bill,
the Sheldon-Gaffney crowd killed both. That is what
Sheldon meant when he said in Anchorage “The last
legislature furnished one instance when the MINORITY
RULED.” They did. The majority of the House
wished to pass both bills. The minority defeated the
will of the majority because we commanded but nine
votes and not ten. Ask Mr. Sheldon and Mr. Tom Gaff
ney, “What is there wrong about letting the people of
the Territory elect tlieir own Treasurer exactly as they
elect you, Mr. Sheldon and Mr. Gaffney?”
FISH OH FISH TRAPS, WHICH? YOU CAN’T
HAVE FISH AND FISH TRAPS
We propound no theories.
We advocate no experiments.
We talk from actual experience on the field.
Without exception, wherever fislitraps have been em
ployed, the fish stream has been destroyed. The re
sult is as certain as night follow's the day.
On the other hand, we have seen fish streams fished
with the maximum of seines WITHOUT injuring the
fish stream.
Citizens interested in tlie well-fare of Alaska should
read the following editorial carefully. It bristles v/iili
ignorance, false doctrines and dangerous expedieuis.
It presumes that lish will always run uniformly, chat
runs are late and not decreased. It advocates post
polling the “closed season.” In other words, since the
theory of the “closed season” is to provide seed for
the future, it advocates canning the seeds. What then
becomes of--the future?
We again remind our readers that the first fight be
tween the White Man and the Yakutat Indians was
due to the killing of all the sea-otter, whereas the In
dian Chief wished to protect enough to provide “sea
otter for our grandchildren.” But the Cannery Trap
Advocate of Juneau proposes to can the “seed-fish.”
“LIGHT SALMON RUN”
(Juneau Empire)
“The indications at this writing are that the Alas
ka 3almon pack for 1927 will be much lighter than
the packers contemplated when they made their plans
in the spring. The season at Bristol Bay has closed.
Fishing was shut down by the Commissioner of Fish
eries several days before the general regulations pre
scribed in order to permit of an escapement large
enough to insure reproduction for the next cycle year.
It is believed that the pack in that section will not ex
ceed from 50 to 60 per cent of last years’ pack—pos
sibly less. While late reports are lacking from most
of the other sections of the Thinl Division, the Indi
cations are that there will not be a large pack at any
point. While there is still time to change the situa
tion in the First Divison, the canneries are far behind
last years’ record. In some instances they are not in
excess of 25 or 30 per cent of the 19 2 G pack.
However, salmon is reported to be present in large
numbers off shore, and the indications are that they
may yet be a large run that would improve present
conditions in both the Ketchikan and Juneau sections
In other words, it is believed the run for this region
is late, but that one is on the way.
If later investigation should prove that the large
shortage in this section is due to a late run, rather
than no run at all, it would seem that the season
should be extended a few days, or a week or so, as the
situation might indicate.
It is greatly to be desired that there should be a
fair pack, at least of Alaska salmon if it might be
made without too greatly jeopardizing the salmon sup
ply for future years. The salmon packers have spent
immense sums of money in advertising the pink sal
mon that are put up in this part of Alaska as a sea
food thereby creating a demand for it. There should,
if it is practicable to produce it, be enough salmon to
supply the demand. Otherwise there may be dilliculty
in keeping the demand alive for other years when the
pack is normal.”
11AI il 'll L< >MEN—ST ATESiVtRN
Ralph Lomen, during the recent legislature, just
could not help talking. He seemed to think it neces
sary for him to speak after every person who might
speak on ANY subject.
He reminds the editor of O. D. Coekrane, formerly
a member of the House of Representatives from the
“Nome” Division, with this difference, Coekrane was
a trained lawyer, a logical thinker and highly respect
ed by all members of the House. The argument of
fists and bulldozing was unknown to him until he got
back to Nome when two Lomen brothers pounced on
him at one time, Ralph was one of these. It was his
sense of fairplay at that time, and remains his ideal
today. I
We confidently expect that the people of the Second
Division will send Ralph (or his brother) back to the
legislature. Judging from the men who came from
Nome, Gaffney, Rydeen, and Jensen, they probably
make fine reindeer herders. They can get the crumbs,
while the Lomen outfit gets the $17,000. ship subsidy.
The Nome Nugget (owned by tlie Lomens) had this
headline to greet the return of their delegates, “NOME
REPRESENTATIVES BRING HOME THE BACON.”
That summarizes the “Statesmenship” of the Lomen
Division.
An article taken from the Petersburg Alaskan will
shed more “light" on Lomenism. It follows: