THE ALASKA FISHERMAN
Published the 15th of each month at Petersburg.
Alaska, by A. N. B. Publishing Co.
-x
Louis F. Paul - Editor
C. O. Parks - Business Manager
Entered as second-class matter at the Post Office
at Petersburg, Alaska. Permit Applied For.
SUBSCRIPTION PRICE $2.00 FOR ONE YEAR
OUR PLATFORM
ALASKA FOR ALASKANS.
FULL TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT.
COMPETENT CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP.
ABOLISHMENT OF ALL TRAPS.
“INDIAN RESERVATIONS”
-x
The Verstovian opposes the creation of more
Indian reservations because it says that these re
servations will interfere with the civil rights of
the Indian and make him a ward.
We must say that once citizenship is granted
no power of government can restrict his rights as
by making a ward of the citizen. Therefore the
fear of “wardship” is groundless.
What then is the effect of a reservation?
The answer is that it merely restricts the use
of the land so reserved. It must be remembered
that the ownership of virtually all land in Alaska
is in the United States Government. Therefore
by a system of reservations, it might restrict the
use of the land as in the Forestry Reserves by
prohibiting logging; in the bird reserves, by fore
bidding shooting, or the United States might cre
ate reserves where only natives of the class men
tioned in the treaty of cession with Russia, may
hunt seals.
Theoretically we are opposed to the crea
tion of reserves. But this pre-supposed that the
chance to make a livelihood would be equalized.
In view of the practical difficulties, we are not so
firm in our opposition to reserves for the Indians
of Alaska.
In competing with other hunters than In
dians, the Indians are handicapped by the fact
that the white man cares nothing about law,
either of God or man. Not only dees he hunt
during the closed season, but he is ruthless often
killing the last animal, caring nothing for the
future.
A reserve does two things, it saves the anim
als from extermination, It also saves the native
people from starvation,
TIME TO WAKE UP
-x
The political powers which have been in con
trol—the minority control—of Alaska has opposed
the ‘radical,” bolshevik” Indians and their friends
who vote the Republican ticket and they have
supported in preference such men as Senator Lo
men, Senator Shattuck and Representative Frank
Boyle whose chef brand of politics have been cre
ation of race and class differences.
During the recent sessions of the Legislature,
t he sslmon canners declared that what was need
ed was lower taxation and to make lower taxa
tion, less moneys had to be appropriated. The
men who were elected with the support of this so
called “radical” vote, in the main fought to keep
down special bills and large appropriations, which
were nothing more than raids on the treasury.
What is the Problem?
We ask the serious thinking citizens ct the
Territory, What is the real problem? Is it lower
taxation? Lower appropriations? It is our con
viction that lower appropriations will not come
save through election of right thinking men who
will not come to the legislature to serve their own
or some special interest. Senator Lornen defeated
Mr. Anderson by twenty votes and those twenty
votes cost the Territory $7,200—which was the
amount that Senator Lornen secured for his trans
portation company. Other instances may be
pointed to wherein appropriations were made high
when they might have been made less or not op
propriated at all. So long as the salmon packers
and their friends elect and support such men as
Lornen and his tribe of herders, the salmon inter
ests may expect the taxes will remain high because
of the high appropriations.
x
LOMEN ECONOMY
-x
The chief clerk in the office of Territorial
Treasurer received a salary of $3,600 per annum.
The chief clerk in the office of the Territorial
Auditor’s office receives $2700 and the burden up
on this clerk is greater than upon the other. Ef
fort was made to raise the salary cf the Auditor’s
clerk to $3600 but Senator Nome of the Lcmen Di
vision fought the measure on the grounds of
economy.
Economy and Economy
During the closing hours of the sessions, Sen
ator J omen made effort to secure appropriations
f°r a elephone subsidy for his telephone system;
ship subsidy for his transportation company; large
appropriations for the dredging of Nome Harbor
Which has been declared to be an unpractical pro