E. L. HOLT
Dealer in Gcneial Hardware
Be-l Stove P>pe. 6 inch
Bui Id.ng Paper. 500 ft r
Six foot Dog Chants, each ... .35
Watch our Windows for Bargain
Closing out all Second Hand Good
HOLTS CASH STORE
Telephone Main 11
Miners & Mints
Bilik of Aliski
NOME. ALASKA
Capital • - $100,000
Gold Dust Purchased
and Assayed
MEET ME
at the I
BOARD OF
TRADE
FORMER GOVERNOR RIGGS PROPOSES PUR
FOR RESPONSIVE TERRITORIAL
GOVERHMEHT
of .1 Territorial comptroller as a means
of irminlnr; the numerous objections
to the existing form of territorial ro'.
ernment. former Governor Thomas
Itiffps Jr . in nn open letter t« Judge
O. 1'. (\>chran, written shortly after
the < lose of the recent legislative ses
sion. outlined a plan for a forni of *e"
ritorial government which would l»e di
rectly responsive to the people of Al
aska and relieve the federally appoint
ed governor of all but n few of his
present executive duties.
The governor’s letter was directed
to Judge Cochran owing to th.- fact
that he. as a member of the low* r
house in the late legislature, introduc
ed a bill (he object of which was to
create : i,-. offic. of Territorial Auditor
in response to recen* |M>piil:»r sentiment
in that direction and also make the
offices of Territorial Treasurer. Mine
Inspe* tor and Commissioner of Educa
tion elect vc. instead of appointive is
it present.
The proposed plan, although defi
cient in many details and presenting
warn* features which will undoubtedly’
incur objections, is nevertheless one
•hat should receive the serious atten- 1
e>’i nf « very one who s interested in.
Ti rritory . The letter to Judge |
"I haw read with great interest the |
•ills proposing the creation of the of- ;
ice or auditor Tor the Territory and !
H iking elective the offices of the «' >m
nissioner of Kdiicat -in. the Territorial j
Preasurer and the Territorial Mine In- j
d*ector. 1 have also read tlie press j
rotes on the tkdxite in the House and '
Senate and have l*een told thereof !>\
hose who participated therein.
There is no denying the fact that
her-- exists a considerable sentiment
n f t vor of the creation of an auditor's |
•ffice and nxtk.ng the other office.'
•lective On the other hand, there *s !
in euually string sentiment against ;
such legislation. Jt migh^ be weil j
■o analyse the merits of both eor.ten- |
4*W»U VN AHMTOn—It has been!
itated that there exists: * j
“(a)—Extravagance in the dis
mrsetnent of territorUd funds.
•*fb> Improper audit of vouchers j
“(c) Unwarranted disbursement nn- !
ier the various appropriations. J
DIRECT ADVERTISING
■oenomizs year luxuries.
■at year 6QI don't sliot;
Tkur busifteis ft restful, aot successful,
U y*ii kwp yeor naiae out of print.
A bustooss tint isa’t advertised
Is like a bandloss parade;
If you don't make a sound, who’ll know you're around.
II*w will you increase your trade?
Vail up and lot us talk to you
About direct advertising;
If jou try cur kiad you’ll surely find
Tk« results are meat surprising
Why not try It today?
A follow up letter will make your hu.sne.w better:
’Twill -how folks that you are alive.
I “(H) I .irk of system in
I vouchers and issuance of warrants.
I “It is claimed that an auditor coulc
I save the Territory yearly vast sums
mone) .
j “It is quite true that then'. sh< ub
| be better coordination between the dtf
j ferent de|v»rtments of the territa. ia
i government, and had my recommend a
‘ Oi<%is ns contained in my message
j to the legist: turo received considera
j at ion many of the objection?
I listed above would have been quitted.
'If you* will remember. I advocated tht
j creation of a Hicnam! Board* consist
ing of the 'Jovem r. the Socritary. and
i 'he Treasurer .’a pass on all expt ndi
: tures f-orn the lump sum appropria
| tions. This would have required nn
i further machinery of government and
j Mould have given to the Territory a
['hoard audit of practically every ex
penditure possible under the law.
i "An auditor is no*, a cure-all for ex
travagance. The popular impression
' that an auditor can see behind the mo.
tive for an expenditure is fallacious.
All an auditor can do is to note that
an expenditure is made in accordiince
" lit law: that the voucher is properly
supported by receipts and that the ex
tensions are properly carried out. It
is not possible fi>r an auditor to per
sonally investigate the propriety of
•>eh expenditure unless he should have
an army of assistants in each judicial
divis.«*n to whom each voucher must
l*e returned for personal investigation -
‘ I«et us take some of the expendi
tif-os which hav. received <especi.il
«r;tici?su. like the appropriation for ~e
I ef «if influenza and the appropriation
f,,- relief of destitution or the appro
priation for the l*ioneers* Home. Kach
• •no of these appropriations is covered
by a definite law which, unless the law
itself were repealed, could not *i gaily
be set aside by an tuidPnr's* decisrion
that ••xtrav.igtmce had l»een use?I in
the payment of some certain vouchers.
The legislature has placed practically
all burdens uf administration on the
Governor or on boards of which he is
.« member In fact, a very large nmn.
1-er of appropriations carry the follow'
ing instructions: To be expended un
der the direction of the < lover nor. '
They are not expended under the di
rection of an auditor.
“What would happen should an aud
itor. with unlimited powers over ex
jpenduares. disallow a voucher which
has been authorised by the Governor,
say. Tor either suppression of influenza
or relief of destitution? TTie Governor
•would simply serve notice that he
would authorise no farther expendi
tures from either of the funds, as it
would be inconsistent with the duties
of his office to have the authorization
given to him by taw subordinated to
the ruling of a lesser official. Any
one having knowledge of the operating
functions of auditors In states knows
that an audtor cannot go behind the
face of th-» voucher, when expended In
accordance with law.
“ELECTION OF DEPARTMENT
HEADS—Proponents of the system
election of department heads cla in:
“(1> That the ideals of democracy
are more properly subserved through
the election of the public servants
<-> That the electorate will take j
more direct interest in the type of peo
ple who direct their aff Srs:
'(31 That of?’- err appointed by fed.
end. or as on»re popularly designate*
•carpet-bag.' offic'uts, may no- lie Ala?
leans in the true sense of t ’o word:
“<»> That an appointee! g ivernmen1
gives rise to an oligarchy or politic.i
“To this the advocates of appoint!1.-*
officials answer:
"(I) That pood government consist,
in procuring the best persons possibh
to fill officer ot trust and responsibil
“(-) That specialized department -
require the services of .specialists and
tlvat it is seldom that competent spec.
La lists will run for office, subject them,
selves to the political attacks of heated
ciunp.ugns and waste a pood share ot
their time, paid for by the Territory,
in promoting their subsequent elec
“(.1) That there is no assurance that
suitable persons will go into the pri
maries and the elections and that it is
usually the politician looking for a job
who will run for the office:
(♦> That specialists must do sought
for and carefully considered before be.
ing appointed:
I *•(5) That through personal popul.ir
I ity or political weight the various of
J lutely unfitted for the positions:
"(0» That there would exist no wav
by which an incompetent official could
l*e dismissal.
TerrltorLil Treasurer. Almost any
good alert man might qualify as Trcus
dut:es. It is not generally recognized
that tile most important functions of
ri to rial banks. The affairs *f every
by him as though h himself wore nn
officer of each bank. The Treasurer
:tnd the Bunking Board must safe
gmix.1 the deposits of the people of the
relax their vigilance. Hence it is most
essential that the Treasurer be a spec
ialist in banking. Such an official it
would b • hard to get by popular vote.
‘ “The ctenmissioner # of Education
must he a specialist in schood admin
istration.
**Tbe Mine Inspector must be of real
technical benefit to the mining indus
“Ikirlng the last session of the Leg
islature there was a great deal or dis
satisfaction expressed at the powers
Riven to the fedemlly appoint'd gov
ernor. The powe s conferred on him
huvo not been to his own se**k5rg.
He hits simply accepted them as part
of his duties, uncompensated and un
appreciated. At each session new du
ties are Imposed on ‘lie governor until
the breaking point has nearly beer
reached. If he performs his duties
satisfactorily, the fact goes unnoticed:
but he pursues a policy which mav
not be entirely in accord with the ideas
i f a party or cLiss. he is immediately
subjected to every possible form «.f
abuse and jiersecution. The governor
simply accepts the powers given him
t v t)ie people. As it is the will of the
people that the governor take these
powers and performs the duties there
of. it also seems that he should be |
-n titled to a voice in the choice of V. -
“Now. what l» best, not for the i di
victual holding an office, but for the
office itself and orderly government?
"I present for your consideration a
formula which may meet your objec
tion to the present form of territorial
government and yet not impair the • f.
flciency of tho offices as would un
doubtedly result should all positions be
filled by direct elections.
“It may be briefly stated as t'llows:
“To establish a form of government
by the people of Alaska and to elect
a chief executive who shall bf; directly
responsible to the people and to ‘heir
"(1) There shall be elected in each
year in winch a presidential election is
j held a Comptroller of the Treasury,
who sha’l assume the duties now dele
gated to the federal gove.not whi* h ip
part are a.* follows:
•’Chairman. Hanking B?a-d
“I’resibnt. Hoard of Tru *4 of
“Executive Officer of H.ard of Ch!l.
‘Trosident of the Hoard of Kdiir.t
“Chairman of the Torrit »**i.«! Bmi 1
“Chairman of Hoard of Depositaries
of Territoclal Funds.
. “Chairman of of leasing of
“Chairman of Territorial Hoard of
“Auditor of all special nppropriu
“Executive of law subsidising steam
ship line—Seward to Westward.
“He shall also regulate and disburse
tho following funds now placed in the
“For the. Belief of Destitution.
‘•Emergency appropriations and ail
special appropriat ons
‘There are other laws the (lov rno
mus* carrv out the duties ..f which
could be transferred t<> the* <\»inptrol
**The Comptroller shall appoint, with
the Senate approving:
•The Commissioner of Education.
“The Attorney-General.
.‘The Mine Inspector.
“And the membership of .:M advisory
boards and commissions, and shall
himself be a member thereof.
(2) At each biennium he shall ren
der to the Legislature a full report
covering the activities of each erf the
departments under his control, namely:
“Department of Finance.
“Department of Law.
“Department of Education
“All othe- departments: and he shall
moke such recommendations as to leg.
islation for each department as may
seem to he needed.
“The office trf the Cutuproller shill
l»e the office of audit and record o^
all territorial affitirs now recorded in
the office of the Surveyor General and
ex officio Secretary and audited prin
cipally in the office >*f the governor.
(4) The Comptroller shall prepare
a budget and in this connection I
should follow as closely as possible j
to the Wisconsin law. The Budget;
Crcnmitte** should consist of the Gov-I
ernor. the Comptroller iind *the Treas
urer. The Governor is included in tb©
t,ven though a fedend official, has the
power of veto and lienee must not be
(5) Salary of Comptroller to be
js.oon per annum with necessary office
contingent expenses and travel expens.
“The establishment of the oinee of
Comptroller would result in the follow
“Saving of office rent.
“Savins in clerk hire.
1 "Savins in office equipment.
The territorial government has been
so chopped up by each legislature,
generally on account of personal an
tagonism against an individual hold
ing an office that procedure is nearly
as intricate as in the federal bureau
government. It w:u» for this reason I
prepared the blue prints submitted to
each member of the legislature so
that they could cut out sotne of the
interlocking authority. I also recom
mended in my message the creation of
a 'General Board*.
"I ;un sure the Federal Governor
would be deligh’ed to have the office
of comptroller created as he could
go fishing in the fishing season and
hunting in the hunting season and
spend not more than half an hour &
day in his office instead of an average
of eight hours, fie would also khift
onto the shoulders of the Comptroller
all the personal attack now enjoyed
by the governor.
“If the Curry hill creating the Alas
ka Development Board becomes a la^o
and the Governor is made the president
of the board, os now provided, the
Governor can devote all of his time to
federal du.ies benefitting the Ter
“The suggestions made herein are
not fully developed as the idea did not
occur to m<* until after the adjourn
ment of the legislature and I may
change my mind after more mature
thought, but f think it will be:ur think
ing about by all of us. One thing Is
mire that through the election by the
people <*f a, territonni comptroller there
will Immediately be created a govern
ment directly responsible to the people
themselves. This being so, it seems to
me that nr. theCCfmiptroll«r would right
fully or wrongfully have to bear tho
•espunsilwlity for the proper function
ng of the government that he should
•e entitled to assist in selecting the of
ficers with whom he must be at all
“T have always been a great believer
n the doctrine of government by the
•onserit of the governed as it is only
in this way that the electorate be
comes educated and interested in
food government. The majority tn
my community is usually wide awake
iiid fundamentally sane. If, however,
the majority should be. temporarily
misled, the reaction is bound to come,
r«* 'all the wople cannot be fooled all
the time.*
“In conclusion. I wish to express my
personaJ Appreciation of your thought
fulness. aosiwtamre and express'd** of
•orefial good wishes.**
New end uptedate legal farm* far
Proof of Annual Asaemmcat Work
ilso Oil Location Masks, Owed btanka
Foe general use. Special and General
Power of Attorney farms, Plaesr and
Quarts Location forms now en sale
it Nugget Office. Price 15 cents sack
»r $1.00 per doasn.
FEDERATED CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday School . 11 a. If
Preaching Service. I P. M
You are cordially invited to attend
hese Services.
The Church with a Welcome.
RICHARD DECKER. Pa
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