Wm. L. Paul Files
My views are very well known in
this Division, and will be sent broad
cast with every issue of this paper.
People who have known me from
my earliest childhood, know that I
have not changed in character during
all this time. On account of my
present views, Cannerymen, Trap
men, Capitalists, and their depend
ents call me a “Dangerous Man”;
a “Radical”; a “Boss”. My so-called
radicalism is nothing more than the
application of the “Golden Rule” to
the practical affairs of government.
I stand for Home Rule in Alaska
because no other political principle
better expresses the American idea
of government. “Government by anct
with the consent of the governed”;
“For the people, by the people, and
of the people.” These and many
other phrases only illustrate the
point that the real source of gov
ernment in America is the People
expressed by them directly through
the ballot.
I believe that every problem of Al
aska will be solved if we could have
Home Rule. At any rate, no citizen
can kick at the solution of problems
when it is done “by majority vote.”
The fisheries problem would be handl
ed in this way. I personally believe
that conservation of fish means the
abolishment of traps, and base my
opinion on a wide and practical ex
perience in the actual business of
fishing and observation of the opera
tion of traps and seines on the fish
ing grounds. I maintain that my
critics are entirely “expert canners”
or others who have no practical ex
perience with fish in the waters of
Alaska, outside of cooking and sell
ing fish in cans, or by studying them
in text-books.
I believe in publicity for every let
ter or document filed with our pub
lic officers except in criminal pros
ecution. No public official should
have “secrets,” and the public should
be invited to every “conference.” Last
fall, shortly after Eagle Buschmann
was found with a case of whiskey
in his stateroom, there was a con
ference between the Captain of the
Revenue Cutter, District Attorney
Shou? and Buschmann. I don’t know
what went on, but I maintain that
such conferences have a tendency to
destroy our faith in the integrity of
our public officials.
I believe that all corporations
which have been given a monopoly
on a public utility should be required
to publish their financial statements
at least once every year, including
the original investment, any addi
tion of capital thereto, the amount
and rate of dividends, the names of
all stockholders holding one per cent
or more of the stock, and that the
profit on such corporations should
be limited to not more than 12 per
cent.
Take the Light and Power Com
pany of Ketchikan. Nobody knows
how much money nas been invested
in its business, or what its profits
have been. This company exists be
cause this city has given it an ex
clusive franchise and thus shuts all
competitors out of this field. It
uses the streets supported by public
taxes. It fixes its own rate for its
service, and makes the most arbi
trary decisions from which the ordi
nary citizen cannot appeal. And
yet, the public, which has given them
the exclusive right to furnish light
and power in Ketchikan has no way
of knowing whether the rates charg
ed are fair or exorbitant. Does the
Company make a profit of 10 per
cent or 100 per cent yearly?
I believe that the mines are not
paying a fair proportion of the cost
of government. Mines are taxed
only in the event the business shows
a profit of at least $5,000.00, and
then only 1 per cent for an amount
above that. Mines making a profit
of $1,000,000 annually pay a tax of
only $10,000 to this Territory. Let
the system of taxation be uniform.
and let all citizens be taxed equally.
I believe that government is a
business and that there is no more
excuse for waste in government than
there is in a regular business.
For this reason I am opposed to
fish hatcheries as at present con
ducted. The advocates of hatcheries
have been in control for seven years
and have spent $250,000, and yet they
cannot show that a single fish hatch
ed by them has returned to any
creek in Aalska. Fish at $250,000
each are too expensive for tin cans.
We give them money to bring back
salmon to our streams. They prove
their right to exist by showing us
what fine buildings they have built
and how many million eggs they
have hatched.
Governor Bone says there is no
more money for old age pensions.
H. R. Shepard voted $80,000 for
hatcheries and introduced a bill to
double the old age pensions. But
“Shep” did not ask for any increase
in the pension appropriation and
consequently, the pioneers must go
without.
The Indians say the reason why
hatchery fish don’t come back is be
cause they can...t find the box it
which they were born.
SITKA CAMP
ALASKA NATIVE
BROTHERHOOD
Metts 8 P. M. Mondays
President: David Howard
Secretary: A. Hope
Thwaites Photo Shop
Ketchikan
Kodak Finishing
Copying—Enlarging
Newman Paint Store
—Dealers in— •
Paints, Oil, Varnish,
Glass
_Ketchikan, Alaska
THE PEOPLES CASH
—STORE—
Mrs. J. W. Young, Prop.
Sells for less because for Cash
Newtown, Ketchikan
Ketchikan Meat Co.
Next to Custom House, Ketchikan
Central Market
Newtown, Ketchikan
Dealers in
Fresh Meats and Provisions
Special Attention Paid to .Boat
Orders
KETCHIKAN MEAT CO.
Phone 120 Day
Phone White 76 Night
CENTRAL MARKET
Phone 307