WM. D. GRANT STATES
HIS PRINCIPLES;
ANSWERS CRITICS
“The citizens of this Division are
entitled to kr.ow why I have not
gone before them in person to state
my views and principles and what
I will try to do if re-elected to the
Legislature,” he says in a recent let
ter.
“I have been a victim of the ‘flu.’
During three weeks of my illness 1
was unconscious. Futher explana
tions are unnecessary.
“I know that the best way to make
people understand the issues of the
day and win their confidence is to
see them face to face, but under the
circumstances, will you please pub
lish the following statement:
“Without doubt, the great issue
of the day is that of Home Rule.
I have been an Alaskan since lbi)b,
ai d during this entire time I have
worked for Home Rule. I believ e
we should' have Full Territorial
Form of Government, but in the
meantime, I will support any bill
that seeks to give us control of this
government to the extent of the
present Organic Act. I recognize
that there is a distinct difference
between the candidate who says that
he is for Full Territorial Govern
ment and one who is for ‘Territorial
control to the extent of the present
Organic Act.’ The first candidate
is ‘Passing the buck’ to Congress.
On the other hand I have seen such
men fighting every effort to secure
full Territorial control to the extent
of the present Organic Act. In this
class of men you will find so-called
‘Administration candidates’ which
only means that such men are con
sistent friends of carpet-baggers.
“In line with my principle here
stated, I would make every impor
tant office directly responsible to
the citizens of Alaska. This means
that we should elect our own gov
ernor or someone corresponding to
such a person to head strictly Ter
ritorial affairs as against Federal
affairs. We should elect the Secre
tary of the Territory: also the Treas
urer of the Territory. And all
strictly Territorial matters should
be placed in the hands of our own
elected officials directly responsible
to the people.
“The importance of this principle
of Home Rule is that the Federal
Machine, whether Democrats or Re
publicans, have always- been found
using their influence and position
to strengthen the hands of the
Transportation Trust, the big mines,
and the Fish Trust. Until we can
get our own elected officials in pow
er, citizens cannot expect to get
help from Official Alaska.
“The second thing I will work for
is that of Equal Taxation. Citizens
do not understand that something
like one-half of industrial Alaska
pays nearly all the taxes. By the
system of licenses and income taxes,
all business men are taxed to run
this Territory whether such business
men make a profit or not. The only
exception is that of Mines. Mines
pay a tax only if it makes a net
profit of over $10,000, and then on
ly pay 1 per cent till the net profit
reaches $500,000, and IV2 per cent
on the excess up to $1,000,000; then
1% per cent over that amount.
Please consider that a mine that
makes a net profit of $2,000,000, on
ly pays a total of $12,500, in taxes.
To make it worse for us, “net prof
it” means the “cash value of the
out-put of the mine less operating
expenses, repairs and betterments
actually made, and royalties actually
paid.”
“My third plank is that one of
Fisheries. 1 stand first, last and
all the time for Territorial control
of this Industy with the firm belief
that Conservation of the Fisheries
for the Benefit of the Residents of
this Territory will never be accom
plished otherwise.
“I am in favor of the abolishment
of the Fish Trap. 1 will work for
any measure that will REDUCE the
number of traps.
“There are other so-called issues
before the public but I hold that
they are out of our power to legis
late on them. For instance, a cer
tain group of candidates have come
out for a ‘Literacy Test for Voters.’
Judge Reed, of this Division, held in
the case of the United States versus
Charlie Jones, an Indian, that the
Territorial Legislature has no power
to pass legislation of this character.
1 think it is rank dishonesty for
candidates to talk about passing
such a law under the circumstances.
“The issue of the school question’
is also raised. I will state briefly
that I will oppose any law that
seeks to change the present school
laws except that 1 will support a
good Compulsory School Attendance
Law. 1 don't believe that the pres
ent act is adequate.
“You know I live in the Wrangell
district where the so-called School
Question first came up that caused
the bitter controversy outside of
Wrangell. The whole trouble came
about because certain white people
here did not understand the position
which the leaders of the Natives
had taken, and thought that they de
sired to force natives into our schools
without regard to sanitation or
health. The world should know that
this town of Wrangell has adopted
the entire policy of the School Ques
tion as advocated by William L. Paul
at that time. It has worked out
fine and to the great advantage of
this city and the Natives. We have
no Indian School today, but all chil
dren are attending the Public school.
Matters of health and sanitation are
under the strict control of the school
board and no Indian has been exclud
ed for failure to comply with these
conditions. *
“I am sure that if Citizens of the
United States will only keep their
feet on the ground and quit their
nightmare, and stop trying to raise
the race question, that all our prob
lems will come out fine. We have
great responsibilities to the Natives
in Alaska. I have found them to be
a timid people whose rights have
been consistently ignored by our leg
islature and city councils. In spite
of what a certain group of candi
dates are saying through their ex
pensive advertisements, the real Pi
oneers of Alaska know that the
white race has nothing to fear from
the Indian. He has nevei tried to
rule this country ana never will.
This lays a heavy duty, however,
on the ‘ruling class’ to see that they
are encouraged and not discouraged. 4
“My last statement is this: I am ^
an unqualified supporter of Dan
Sutherland and his policies in Con
gress. I believe that he is trying
to help the little fellow; that he is
an honest man; that he is not trying
to tear down, but to build up.
Yours very truly,
W. D. GRANT,
Wrangell, Alaska.
H. R. SHEPARD
CANNOT HELP IT
Shep. cannot help talking. He
has just arrived in Ketchikan and
two different men report the follow
ing statements which Shep has made
already.
“If I only had one-third the salary
which my son-in-law has, politics
and Alaska can go to hell.”
(Note: His son-in-law is the man
ager of the Guggenheim properties
at Kennecott).
“We have got plenty of money,
don’t you worry about that. All I
want to do is to beat Paul. He is
the man I am after. Nels Sorby is
the man who is collecting the money
for us in Juneau. He has gotten
over $500 already. Jack McBride,
Bert Faulkner and Karl Theile are
coming thru with their share. What
we want to know down here is what
are the people going to do to help
our cause with expense money.”
Use your brains and write your
own editorial on this man and his
“principles.” I am tired of writing
about such disgusting exhibitions.
Shep’s platform in 1922 was: “I
need the money.” This year it is
this: “If I only had one-third the
salary my son-in-law-.”
■ —
A woman’s face is her fortune
only when it draws a lot of inter
est.—San Francisco News.