JOHN’S LACK OF ACCOMPLISHMENT
When one seeks to determine just what val
uable service Attorney .General Rustgard has
rendered the Territory during the past nine years,
and at a cost of $45,000 for his own salary
and about the same amount for office fixtures, he
is soon stumped in his investigations. True, he
has tried and won a few important law suits
that tended to substantiate the validity of Legis
lative enactments, but any ordinary lawyer
could have done that, and possibly at a much less
cost.
Then it must not be overlooked that the At,1
torney General has written many opinions as to
the duty of officials under certain given circum
stances. But most of them have been disregard
ed. And certainly he has been of little assist
ance to the Legislature. Usually his bills have
been drawn in form incorrect, or had so many
jokers in them that they seldom received serious
consideration.
For several sessions John Rustgard submit
ted a voluminous probate code, but it was so cum
bersome and covered so wide a field that usually the
Judiciary Committee could make no recommend
ation concerning it before the session adjourned.
He would not seek to remedy any particular
wrong but most of his measures sought to correct
an entire subject, and in just the way that John
Rustgard decided should be done, which was
usually different from anybody else’s idea.
On the last night of the 1927 session of the
Legislature, the Governor did not seem to appre
ciate the fact that he should attend the session
or be available to sign the last hour measures. He
just didn’t know and the Attorney General, whose
business it was, did not inform him. As a conse
quence 18 measures were not signed until after
adjournment, thus invalidating those laws.
But John Rustgard was interested in seeing
that the general appropriation bill was signed,
because of his own salary being involved, and he
was quite active in locating the Governor to see
that this measure was legally signed. But other
important measures were no concern of his. This
is an example of John’s efficiency. What person
ally affects him is of vital concern, but what is for
the good of the Territory is more likely to re
ceive merely a shrug of the shoulders, king John
can not be bothered with ordinary affairs unless
it be his real business of running for political
office.
And yet this same John Rustgard is ambitious
to represent the Territory in the halls of Congress
at Washington. With his indecision, Kingly airs,
and changeable views, it is a question whether he
could really accomplish anything substantial for
Alaska. But we rather imagine that his great ob
ject in seeking to go to the National Capital would
be to secure a large salary. Whether he could
earn it or not would be a minor consideration.
Ever since he was elected Attorney General,
J chn has sought to desert his post, have the Gov
ernor appoint his successor, and he to receive the
salary of a Judge or Delegate. He seems to have
no conception of the duty he owes the electors of
Alaska of serving out his term for which he was
elected. He talks loudly of favoring elective offic
ers but wants the personal privilege of jumping
his own job at any time he can get a larger salary,
and let the Governor appoint his successor for two
years, as in the present emergency.
-x
JOHN STANDS ON HIS DIGNITY
As candidate for Delegate to Congress, John
Rustgard favors construction of the International
Highway “as soon as definite steps are taken by
the Canadians to meet us at the boundary line.”
The average Alaskan is for the Highway and he
is willing to exert his influence to induce the Can
adian Government to join with us in working out
the problem of construction. But John would
stand on his dignity and do nothing until this
great beneficial measure was assured of success.
What we need is a worker at Washington, not a
poser.
-X-:
THE UNDELIVERED SPEECH
“After discussing the various planks in his
platform and calling attention to what he hoped
to accomplish, Mr. Rustgard continued as fol
lows:”
So reads the first paragraph of the report of a
supposed speech which John Rustgard has had
printed and is now circulating.
Where did you ever deliver this speech, Mr.
Rustgard?”
Nowhere?
Then why deceive the people by calling it
“Problems to be Considered. A Speech by John
Rusagard?”
Some Mistakes in the Undelivered Speech
Mr. Rustgard says that Mr. William Paul has
been explaining to the Natives “that I am the
candidate of the cannery interests.”
What Mr. Paul said was that Mr. Rustgard
was the candidate of attorney Bert Faulkner and
John Pegues, agents of the canneries in political
matters.
But since that time, Mr. Rustgard himself de
clared that he will cooperate with Henry O’Mal
ley if elected. ' *