less organized! (and 'have their
paid lobbyists at Washington, D.
C., at every session. The real
pioneers of Alaska are not able
to maintain, or even send, agents
to represent them, specially. With
out consulting the records, Mr.
Free made “Free” with the state
ment that “1,000 illiterate Indian
votes were cast at our last election,
a wanton misrepresentation which
a consultation of the election re
turns would have disproven. The
Indians of Alaska constitute a part
of her citizenry, with no broader
privileges than are accorded the
Indian population in most of the
states. In Delegate Sutherland
Alaska has a faithful representative
of the people and interests of this
vast and diversified Territory. We do
not need political demagogues from
California to instruct us how to
vote. We might reciprocate by
sending <*ur die.egaje into Mr.
Free’s district to pass his opinion
on his traits and fitness as a rep
resentative of the people of that
section. Alaska is a great unde
veloped territory, with as fine and
numerous opportunities fco} the
small and adventurous investigator
as any locality known to the writer.
Among the range of opportunities
are fur farming, fishing in all its
phases, mining, stock raising, log
ging and timber working of all
kinds, manufacturing in many lines,
agriculture, fruit raising and a
multitude of things unmentioned,
of various kinds. The territory
is large with a varied climate and
adaptability. The same influences
are opposing home government and
great privileges of 'the citizens of
Alaska, that dictated the policies
of the Crown toward the American
colonies until they drove them to
rebellion. There is not a state in
the Union with a class ot resident
citizens wore capable of self gov
ernment than are the citizens of
Alaska and there is not a section
so beset by selfish, non-resident
investors, who have absolutely no
interest in the development of the
Territory further than the financial
success of their various invest
ments. This is especially true of
the canning industry. What we
want in Alaska is home makers
with pluck and intelligence, who
will make enduring homes with
us. We do not want to be harrassed
by fly-by-night politicians from
distant parts, to instruct us in duties
in citizenship; it is expensive for
someone. Who bears this expense?
We want the investment of capital
in Alaska for the mutual benefit
of the Territory and the investor,
but not on such terms as to work
extra 'hardship upon actual settlers.
We can dispense, without regret
and to Alaska’s advantage, with
such instructive (?) Free visits.
Years ago, during the Civil War
feeling between the North and
South, the following verse appeared
in a Southern paper, in reference
to Horace Greeley, who, as editor
of the New York Tribune had ex
pressed himself in a manner very
distasteful to the southern editor,
to-wit:
“Oh, Horace Greeley come to the
South,
The land you have lied and relied
on.
You’ll lower your chin and open
your mouth,
When your neck stretches the rope
you are tied on.”
We Alaskans hold out no such
invitation to our friend Mr. Free,
but we have yet to hear any ex
pressions of support for him or his
advice. He will yet see himself
as others see him—perhaps.
FOREST J. HUNT.
LEST WE FORGET
The poor little fellow who pro
tests around the card table and
on the street corner against the
trapman, and makes no move to
support those who are struggling
to protect him, should consider
how the “enemy” does his work.
Many good friends of ours pat us
on the back and say “That’s fine”
and so forth, but when it comes
to spending $2.00 to subscribe for
the Alaska Fishermen will not do
it. Such do not even spend 20
cents for a copy but “borrow”
a copy from some one else.
The trapmen and their henchmen
dig up the money at $500 a lick.
Just to remind you as how it is
done, we reprint the following
letter. This has been requested.
Hotel Seattle
Seattle, Feb. 9th 1921
J. T. Barron,
Portland, Oregon.
Dear Mr. Barron:
We don’t want Alaska to go to
the devil entirely. We do not
want Wickersham for Governor,
Ri.stgard for Judge and Jack Wihite
for Marshal. Wickersham is lined
up with a faction too strong tor
the future good. Rustgard is so
constituted and connected that he
should not he judge. Jack White
should have no Place whatever
in any political position. So we
must get busy and do all in our
power to have George C. Hazelet
of Cordova appointed Governor.
After that the appointments can
be made from the best available
timber. McBride as you know,
was chosen as National Committee
man and has, so far as I know,
attended to his duties in regular
political order. The whole situat
ion has become so acute. Wick
element is so strong that it seemed
positively necessary that both Haze'
let and McBride must go to Wash
ington, there are no funds to pro
vide for Jack who had already
borne a heavy personal expense
to the cause. It; was necessary
that someone should take the res
ponsibility of gathering enough
funds to pay. So I have come to
to Seattle and have so far succeeded
in quietly gathering enough to
justify me in wiring him to leave
Juneau for Washington which he
has now planned to do on the
14th. As no one cares to have their
donations to this fund made public
I have arranged to have all checks
made payable to E. S. McCord.
So far I have not met with any
refusals. I wish you would con
sider this matter. The donations
.^
J. L. PECK & COMPANY
FUNERAL DIRECTORS AND EMBALMERS
Ketchikan Phone-White 90 Alaska
All Kinds of Engraving and Watch and Jewelry Repairing
All Work Guaranteed at
PRUELL’S GIFT SHOP
Ketchikan,
Alaska