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
SUBSCRIPTION PRICE $2.00 TOR TWELVE ISSUES
OUR PLATFORM;
ALASKA FOR ALASKANS.
FULL TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT.
ABOLISHMENT OF ALL TRAPS.
COMPETENT CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP.
WHITE MAN S PARTY
The only issue left to John W. Troy, editor
of the Juneau Empire, is this: “There must be
a White Man’s Party.” Not a word left of other
issues like full Territorial government, home rule
on fisheries, and other formerly important issues.
“We must have a White Man’s Party,” says Mr.
Troy. And who will lead it but Troy of the
Empire. The leadership of any movement to
create discord and race hatred may well be left
to persons of his kind. Those who know him
best will understand that there are tests that
even the lily white Troy cannot well undergo.
If he should require a blood test for admission
to his new party it would be well for him to
submit to analysis a few corpuscles from his own
arteries. But perhaps he intends to get in as
a charter member, and thus avoid the test.
The above paragraph well illustrates how false
the new battle cry of the Trov-Pegues machine
is. Rather let us turn our attention to the issues
which are really important lor the development
of Alaska.
First. Elimination of wasteful expenditures so
that our taxes might be lowered. Under this
issue we would abolish the useless fish hatcheries
which even its most ardent friends cannot sup
port by showing a single benefit that has come
from the three hundred thousand dollars already
spent in that direction.
Second. Limitation of the Fairbanks college
to maintenance until its value to the Territory
and our resources would justify a further ex
tension. The dangerous thing about the Fair
banks college is this: That Division elects sena
tors and representatives on that one issue. They
come down to Juneau determined to accomplish
their purpose, and when the Fairbanks people
think that a representative has not worked with
enough zeal for their institution, they endeavor
to defeat him for re-election. And thus we find
men like George Moody, who had few lucid
and sober spasms at Juneau, preferred over men
like H. H. Ross, who has endeavored to serve the
entire Territory. It gives a false value to George.
The third important issue is really of primary
importance, to-wit: Salvation of Alaska fisheries.
Since the area of depletion has been accomplished
during the management of the Bureau of Fish
eries, Alaskans should demand the abolishment
of that Bureau. Home Rule on fisheries is the
only manner in which the fish will be saved. No
more then will Henry O’Malley issue closed or
ders which will drive entire villages two and
three hundred miles distant to earn their living,
nor will Henry O’Malley then have the power to
issue special orders saving valuable trap sites
for his masters.
The fourth issue is the fish trap. This deserves
a special place, because fish traps alone have
ruined our industry. In every instance where a
creek has been destroyed of fish, the fish trap
alone has been responsible. Therefore fish traps
must be abolished.
Filth. The workmen’s compensation laws
must be revised. The defects of the present
law are entirely too numerous to mention, the
main delect being that there is no time within
which settlements must be made. Second, there
is no guaranty that any payments will be made.
Insurance companies are still allowed to carry
the risk of the employer, injured workmen still
hove to deal with adjusters, who settle with the
sole idea of paying as little as possible. In
other words, insurance companies are still per
mitted to make a profit out of the miseries and
suffering of injured employes.
Sixth. This last issue really covers all of the
above, namely: Home Rule, meaning thereby
that the people of Alaska should have the right
to elect their own officers and enact their own
laws to the same extent as any other American
community.
Let Mr. Troy, self-appointed leader of the
White Man’s Party, on his first sober occasion,
consider such issues and announce to Alaskans
what he proposes to do concerning them.
To enact this platform, men who are either
lalse to their trust or too weak to withstand
the blandishments of the powerful must be re
tired by the electorate.
In the class who proved themselves false to
the people are Joseph Murray, of McCarthy,
Chas. II. Wilcox of Valdez, and Robert Sheldon
of Fairbanks.
Of those who proved themselves weak and
false we find N. O. Hardy, of booze fame, from
Juneau; Ben A. Grier and William Sherman of
Anchorage, and George Moody of Fairbanks.