CHAS. B. FERGUSON—One of
the two men in the Legislature who
really know something about the
Fisheries of Alaska, and who made a
strenuous effort to awaken a senti
ment favorable to a desired change
in the personnel of the Federal Bu
reau of Fisheries. He is a man who
could always be counted on to vote
right, and that means that he was not
in the least subservient to the de
mands of the Big Interests. Having
for years been actively engaged in
both mining and fishing, and recog
nizing these two industries as the
great bulwarks of our Territory,
Charley’s aim has been to treat with
fairness not only the operators but
the employees as well.
WM. D. GRANT—Although not an
orator this old political veteran was
ever active in committee and gave
thought and study to every measure
presented for consideration. “Billy’s”
vote was virtually always registered
where it would do the most good for
his constituents and the people at
large. From the very start he was
enthusiastic over what he conceived
must be substantial benefits for the
Territory from the deliberations of
the House. But in that respect he
simply illustrated what Dr. Johnson
said of the man who married a sec
ond wife: “It was the triumph of
hope over experience.”
BEN A. GRIER—This Sutherland
Republican blossomed like the rose
after the Democratic Organ gave him
kind words and the High Executioner
rave him audience in the corner room
of the capitol. True, he forgot that
the common people had elected him,
hut see with whom he was permitted
to consort. His usefulness consist
ed in introducing bills furnished him,
rf which he knew naught, and voting
as ordered. Some say that Ben be
trayed his constitutents, but it is ex
pected that his conscience will be
salved if he cashes in on that
$2,500 two months’ job of collecting
taxes at the Bristol Bay canneries.
It is a perquisite that usually goes to
some Poor Fish.
N. 0. HARDY—His parents intend
ed to start Nate off right when they
initialed his name, but he has surely
outgrown the “NO.” He got mixed
up with a dominating element so that
he is now known as simply “Me Too,”
and has been permitted to join the
Order of the Golden Fleece. He is
pleasant enough and performs his
duties as a high private with scrupu
lous neatness and dispatch. At times
he has been so crowded that he won
dered what it was all about. But the
real jinx was placed upon his future
political aspirations when his merci
less bosses ordered him to favor the
bootleggers by fighting for the repeal
of the Alaska Bone Dry Law. Nate
has retired into the obscurity for
which God and nature has so abund
antly fitted him.
THOS. D. JENSEN—Possibly Tom
will be better remembered for his
jovial spirit and infectious chuckle,
rather than for hi& statesmanship. He
weighed many questions carefully,
very carefully. And when he was sat
isfied that his political future rather
demanded that he cast a vote along
the line followed by his more consci
entious colleagues from the Second,
his voice boomed forth accordingly.
But too many conferences with Fred
dy, Bobby, Joe, and others of the Pure
Dimond, rather obscured his vision,
and the result was that Tom usually
fell before the power of Might and
Official Greatness.
GEO. C. MOODY—A convivial
member of the secret sessions, who
was glad to be present. By an early
alliance with the Demo.-Rep. jugglers
George was relieved of the necessity
of losing much time in thought. Ev
erything was conveniently arranged
for him and he proved a good soldier,
very seldom forgetting how Tom M.
would have voted had he been com
pelled to personally answer a roil
call. As a legislator George under
went one spasm of joy, one delirium
of delight, all happily summed up in
the lamentation of the prophet Jere
miah. “Oh, Pussyfoot, where is thy
victorv; oh Volstead, where is thy
sting ?”
JOSEPH H. MURRAY—This mem
ber from the copper stained precincts
of Kennecott, loud of voice and com
manding; in a few terse expressions,
served well the Interests. As a field
marshal he was their one best hope.
And he has the courage to take his
medicine of scourge, when it is ad
ministered, like a man. He knows,
and hn knows that pretty much every
body knows, what he is biennially
sent to Juneau for, through the com
bination of Rep-Deni, votes. He has
very little time to study bills of real
importance but when it comes to meas
ures of intrigue and of political sig
nificance. Joe is right there, standing
on both feet. He has ability, that if
directed in worthy cause, might re
down to his credit and to the welfare
of the people of the Territory. But
experience counts naught with Sir
Joseph, the pleasant boss of the ras
cals.
ANDY NYLEN—No man in the
House seemed more anxious than
Andy to study and work for measures
that would be of benefit to his con
stituents and to all the people c.f
Alaska. A man of labor himself, he
has a high regard for the rights of
all classes. He was conscientious in
his committee work and in the
thought that he gave to the various
measures presented. His vote was
invariably found in favor of the meri
torious, and against the schemes of
jugglers. With the experience gained
in his first session Andy will be
qualified to give even better service
when he is returned for other Legis
lative sessions.
WM. L. PAUL—Coming to Juneau
under rather an unfair prejudice that
existed against him, Will was for
several weeks inclined to go slow and
take things easy. But gradually the
cry for leadership among Progres
sives became predominant and Paul
was pushed to the front. He rose
to the occasion, and in a few days
had established himself as not only
the Orator of the House but as a man
of keen perception and with a gen
eral knowledge that at times rather
staggered his colleagues and the
Corporation Attorneys. For the last
half of the session he was the watch
dog of the treasury, and it was he
who discovered and pointed out the
weaknesses and deficiencies in many
of the measures considered, some of
which had merit and others being
mere chaff or political nostrums of
the vilest kind. Paul demonstrated
that he knows FISH, and gave infor
mation on that subject that was il
luminating to friend and foe. It is
safe to say that if Paul were a Rep
resentative from any enlightened dis
trict in a state his valuable services
would be retained indefinitely. With
a majority of men like Paul in both
Houses of the Alaska Legislature the
ills of the Territory would disappear
like the winter snow under the
warmth of Old Sol’s summer rays.
H. H. ROSS—Notwithstanding that
he was under the handicap of the ne
cessity for demanding a large appro
priation for the Agricultural College
and School of Mines, Hosea proved
himself a valued member whose pre
vious experience stood him in good
need. He understood the various bills
and measures that were presented for
consideration and could talk intelli
gently upon the various subjects. His
voice could always be heard in de
fense of legislation of merit and in
opposition to the schemes and the pit
falls that were so carefully prepared
by the political junkers. In retain
ing his services the Fourth division
has exercised a wisdom that other
divisions might well profit by in re
electing certain tried and proven
servants.
ROBERT SHELDON—The Charlie
Chaplin of the House, but at all times
a perfect little lady. Takes his orders
joyfully and carries them out with
precision. All that he asks in return
is that his fellow conspirators note
his strut and occasionally applaud his
facetious observations. To Bobby the
session has been a veritable pink tea,
that will long live in his memory as
the most joyous outing that he had
ever experienced. It was most kind
of the Fourth division to give Bobby
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