THE ALASKA FISHERMAN
Published the 15th of each month at Petersburg.
Alaska, by A. N. B. Publishing Co.
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Louis F. Paul - Editor
C. O. Parks - Business Manager
Entered as second-class matter at the Post Office
at Petersburg, Alaska.
SUBSCRIPTION PRICE $2.00 FOR ONE YEAR
OUR PLATFORM
ALASKA FOR ALASKANS.
FULL TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT.
COMPETENT CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP.
ABOLISHMENT OF ALL TRAPS.
DEMOCRATS GIVE CALL TO BATTLE
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After twelve years of constant defeat at the
hands of the Republicans, the Democratic party
cf Alaska is showing signs of life. Worn out ma
chinery is being hauled out, scraped up, scoured,
oiled and reconditioned for an expected big offens
ive in the spring primaries.
Under direction of Tom Donohue, chairman
of that party for Alaska, party leaders are work
ing their heads off in an effort to mobilize the
forces scattered “ab scatter-at-’em” by the Repub
licans under the united forces of Dan Sutherland.
Delegate Wickersham and William L. Paul. They
hope to rejuvenate and restore morale into the
forces that have drunk hemlock juice at the hands
of the Progressive Republicans.
Their rallying cry is in the hope that Presi
dent Hoover will be renominated so that they can
blame the present economic distress upon his ad
ministration. And, hoping for his defeat, they ex
pect their legislative and territorial tickets to be
swept into office by the dragging current of the
national election. Behind the scenes, the divi
sional and later the convention at Fairbanks, they
expect to map out plans for placing a full ticket
of candidates in the field. And in these plans
there is no room given to the thought of party
primaries for those Democrats who do not secure
the favor of the conventions will be as welcome
as a child bom out of wedlock.
‘“As the cavalry charger sniffs the smoke of
battle and paws the ground impatiently to spring
into the fray, so the Democratic party warhorses,
many of them turned out to pasture as a reward
for past services, are to be rejuvenated and are
xam prancing expectantly about, watching the op -
rortunity to break into the fighting.”
■T. . ..«<% . Ste-.J.
The Democratic primaries have never been7
the scene of battles between Democratic candi
dates. That was left for the Republicans to do —
and whilst it took but three hundred votes to
elect Democratic candidates, it left a large force
free to whipsaw Hie Republicans in their primar
ies. Now things do not look so rosy in the ranks
r.f the disciples of Thomas Jefferson. •
Senator Anthony Dimond will be the general
‘Mad” Anthony in the primaries, if the wlieeh
horses can have their own way. George Grigsby,
several times »mdidate for Delegate to Congress
is to be shunted into the office of Attorney Gen
eral. But Grigsby does not feel that anybody has
the right to take from him the prerogative to file
for any office he sees fit—and he sees fit to fife
for nomination as Delegate to Congress And
George has his following and no doubt will give
Dimond, or any other candidate in that party), a
mighty close race. It remains to .be seen whether
George will be satisfied with a half a loaf when
he might be able to take a whole loaf.
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JUNEAU HAS UNEMPLOYMENT PROBLEM •.*
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When one remembers that several townsj*l<n
Alaska have suffered for a number of years froni
the problem of unemployment, it is hard to raise
any modicum of regret for Juneau which is in
the throes of such a problem. As early as last
June, the writer pointed out that there were many
unemployed in the town of the Big Mine and that
the situation would become more acute with the
coming of winter.
Without year around industry to provide em
ployment for labor, Alaska must look to its fisher
ies to provide sustenance for its people.
Three thousand are employed in securing the
salmon packed each year. This includes a thou
sand trap watchmen for five hundred traps arid
another thousand imported fishermen. The earn
ings of resident seiners this year did not average
much over $100 per man. This is all these people
earn during the year, practically speaking for the
mining and lumbering industry are closed to them
and increment from fur-game trapping is nill.
Removal of the illegal trap system will give
gainful summer employment to thirty thousand
Alaskans. The earnings would be an average run
ning from $500 to $1,000 per man—all of which
would be spent in Alaska. Supplies for the.win
ter would be purchased, there would be no-drag bn
the municipalities, business-'Would be on a strong