THE ALASKA FISHERMAN
Published the 15th of each month at Ketchikan, Alaska
WILLIAM L. PAUL, ATTORNEY FOR THE
ALASKA NATIVE BROTHERHOOD
Entered as second - class matter at the Post Office at
KETCHIKAN, ALASKA
SUBSCRPTION PRICE $2.00 FOR TWELVE ISSUES
OUR PLATFORM:
ALASKA FOR ALASKANS.
FULL TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT.
ABOLISHMENT OF ALL TRAPS.
COMPETENT CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP.
TERRITORIAL PLATFORM OF THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY PROPOSED
A number of the members of the last legislature
met informally one night and some one suggested that
a proposed Republican Platform be adopted for the
entire Territory.
We herewith print the result of this and other
discussions for the consideration of the Republican
Party in Alaska, to-wit:
1. Elective Territorial Officials for all major offices;
2. Separation of Territorial offices from federal offices;
3. Equitable taxation;
4. Trap-tax based on catch;
5. Discriminatory tax on non-resident fishermen.
6. Repeal by Congress of Section 27 of the Jones
Merchant Marine Act.
WHERE DOES GOVERNOR PARKS STAND?
This clever man has been fooling a lot of people for
(sometime. Even we credit him with being “clever.”
Ts it possible for the people of Alaska to know how
he stands on the great Home Rule Bill?
In his address to the 1927 legislature, he said in
effect, “Don’t try anything new. You have had a cheap
government and in my judgment, it has proven satis
factory. Don’t try experiments.”
Tom Gaffney, the Irishman, who collected thousands
of dollars to procure Home Rule in Ireland but fought
against Home Rule in Alaska, used the Governor’s ad
dress as his text when speaking against the Controller
Bill.
District Qourt’s Decision
In the suit of Wickersham versus Smith, the District
Court in the First Division said that the Territory
had no right in law to give the Secretary of Ala3ka
$2000 a year to suppliment his federal salary.
Where Governor Parks Comes In
Governor George Parks went to Washington in
December. He talked to a lot of senators and other
important men—including Congressman Curry of Cali
fornia, Alaska’s greatest enemy in Congress. Almost
at once thereafter, Curry introduced a bill legalizing
the payment of salaries to federal officers.
Senator Willis
The identical bill was handed to Senator Willis for
introduction in the Senate. Delegate Sutherland has
placed before the Senator, an argument against the
bill which without doubt was introduced WITH THE
APPROVAL OF GOVERNOR PARKS.
THE TRUTH ABOUT ALASKA
Thero is much truth in Colonel Richardson’s article.
The conclusions of the New York Times, however, are
wrong.
It says inexorable economic law is holding back
Alaska. Untrue. i
The Jones Marine Act (Section 27) is not an eco
nomic law. And yet that law permits Canadian vessels
to carry my Ford car from Vancouver south to Seattle
and yet forbids the same vessel from carrying the same
car north to Alaska from Vancouver, places a tax cf
$7,000,000 a year on Alaskans.
Congress says to us, “You are weak. You need
help. It costs a lot to develop a new country. But
I will place a tax on you of SEVEN MILLION DOL
LARS on all goods you must buy in the United States.’*
We would not kick so hard at this enforced sub
sidy of the two big steamship companies that get this
tribute if this law applied to all the United States,
but it applies only to Alaska.
“THE TRUTH ABOUT ALASKA”
The next serious mistake the New York Times makes
is that it supposes that Herbert Hoover is conserving
the fish of Alaska.
All of Hoover’s regulations are discriminatory against
the citizens of Alaska. He is conserving the dividends
of the California corporations who neither buy supplies
or labor in Alaska.
“THE SOLUTION”
The solution is simple and is Home Rule.
Give us American government.
HERING FOR FERTILIZER
The fertilizer people and tlieir organ’s say that It
makes no difference to v.hat use you put the herring
so long as you don’t take too many.
They formerly said that you could not deplete the
herring. j
Last fall herring was so scarce that our halibut