the fact that any discriminatory regulation en
forced to the hurt of the fishermen, is a hurt to
all Alaska business; the sooner they join in a unit -
ed protest against such discriminations, the soon
er will every line of business endeavor prospe:
in Alaska. ,
.-x
THE STUFF ELECTIONS ARE MADE OF
-X
During the hysteria of election campaigns,
many diatribes are made against the domination
of Alaska by Indian votes. William L. Paul was
oft accused of dictating the votes of the Indians
of the First Division and every effort made to
destroy the solidarity of that vote which has
stood like a Republican Rock of Gibraltar. It
would be a good thing if the people of the Terri
tory would stop and analyze the vote in Alaska.
In the First Division, it is generally admitted
that about 800 Indians cast their ballot for Re
publican candidates. The Democrats have whit
tled off about sixty votes in Klawock and about
fiity in Metlakatla—and they are so proud of their
achievement that they are not one bit ashamed
of accepting the “ignorant, illiterate vote” from
tnose precincts.
As near as we can find out, there are more
than 1,500 Indian votes in the Third and Fourth
Divisions—a large share of which votes at the dic
tate of the bosses. It is told that in Kodiak, when
Marquam was running for Delegate to Congress,
his henchmen got more than 40 voters to put
an “X” opposite his name under the belief that
they were indicating the need of a new school
house. No where in the First Division can such
a trick be played upon the Indians for they know
what they are voting for and who. In the Second
Division, we have been told, the Eskimos have
net been allowed to vote, despite the fact that
many of them are intelligent, educated men. Per
haps the powers that be in the Second fear the
power of the ballot if they permit the Eskimos to
exercise their rights of citizenship.
The question now that every thinking citizen
should ponder upon seriously is, What makes it
right for the Democrats to vote Indian electors
in the Westward precincts and wrong for the Re
publicans to hold together their Indian voters in
the First Division? And, if the Republican pre
cinct captains challenged the Indian voters in the
Westward precincts, what effect would it have on
the turn of elections? Then, Would the Demo
crats take kindly to the challenging of the votes
of their electors? Let the Democratic leaders,
who have bought Indian votes in Westward pre
cincts with old shoes, answer these questions—if
they are not too ashamed of their actions to
speak up frankly and honestly.
-K
ARE THEY DICKERING?
--x
A Seattle paper, speaking editorially of the
possibility of President Hoover appointing Judge
J. Stanley Webster to the Circuit Court to fill the
vacancy created by the recent death of Judge
Frank H. Rudkin, raises the query, “Are they
dickering”?
“Frank Bell, private secretary to Senator C.
C. Dill, offers the novel prediction that Congress
man Sam B. Hill will be named.
“The novelty lies in the fact that Congress
man Hill is a Democrat whereas the appointment
must be made by a Republican President. Senator
Dill, of course is a Democrat, one of the most
persistent and blatant foes of the Republican ad
ministration. His secretary, Mr. Bell, no doubt
shares the preferences and prejudices of the boss.
Just hew this combination can effect the appoint
ment predicted by Mr. Bell is something of a puz
zle.”
It is an old political adage that to the victors
belong the spoils. We have oft wondered during
the past ten years if this adage were not a lot of
bunk. We have seen Republicans in power naming
and supporting Democrats for office; we have
seen men, out and out Democrats, step into offices
vacated by Republicans “by resignation,” and the
Democrat remain in office through all the years
We have seen men appointed by the Republican
national administration support elective candi
dates who oppose every principle of Republican
ism and as a reward for their efforts to destroy
the integrity and entity of the Republican party,
given political preferment.
For what purpose such effort? Are they and
have they been dickering for political preferment?
Are such actions going to continue indefinitely?
If we sense the feeling of the Republican electorate
and timber for appointive office, we must say that
unless this condition is changed, party lines will
be so destroyed that the electors will lose all faith
in the party system.
We make the further observation that many
Republicans who have heretofore been very loyal
workers, have become dissatisfied with the gener
osity of Republican officeholders to the Democrats
that they (loyal Republicans) are stepping aside
much disgusted and with little care whether or
not their party remains in power. The incentive
for solidarity being lost or destroyed by the dick
ering and bickeing of the leaders.
j