THE ALASKA FISHERMAN
Published the 15th of each month at Ketchikan, Alaska
WILLIAM L. PAUL, ATTORNEY FOR THE
ALASKA NATIVE BROTHERHOOD
Entered as second - class matter at the Post Office at
KETCHIKAN, ALASKA
SUBSCRPTION PRICE $2.00 FOR TWELVE ISSUES
OUR PLATFORM:
ALASKA FOR ALASKANS.
FULL TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT.
COMPETENT CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP.
ABOLISHMENT OF ALL TRAPS.
AN APPEAL TO TIIE INTELIIGENT PEOPLE
OF ALASKA
Can we not, in the ensuing contest, address
ourselves to the ISSUES that that are of vital im
portance to all Alaskans?
In the matter of pulp mills, is it necessary for
you to believe that certain “radicals” are opposing
them? Will you continue to believe that fabrica
tion printed for the very purpose of prejudicing
certain persons? Has anybody shown you a single
statement to justify that charge except what has
come from these “interpreters” who are admitted
ly hostile
It may not be possible to have pulp mills with
out accompanying “company towns” and cheap
labor,” but as ideals, do you not yourself favor
“pulp mills in or near the cities of Alaska” and do
you not yourself “oppose the company town and
cheap foreign labor?” If you do then we are in
accord.
Do you not favor a law protecting our local
merchants against irresponsible travelling ped
dlers, some times called “solicitors”? Such a pro
position once passed our local legislature. Do you
knot favor the discrimnatory tax on non-resident
trollers?? Would you not then support men who
would place a discrminatory tax on the non-sesi
dent seiner? If so, then we are in accord.
Don’t you think that it is now time to revise
our labor laws so that when disputes arise, the
laborer would be protected in all cases where it is
shown that the employer contested the case with
out cause? Don’t you believe that marriage is a
partnership and that property acquired AFTER
marriage should be declared the joint property of
husband and wife? We do.
Virtually every state in the Union has a Work
men’s compensation fund to protect its injured
workmen except Alaska. Alaska is the only unit
in America which does not GUARANTEE its injur
ed workmen shall be paid. Don’t you believe that
every employer of five or more persons should be
compelled to pay a premium into a Territorial
fund for the benefit of men who might be injured
unless such employer can satisfy the Territory
that he is financially strong enough to pay the
benefits without insurance? We do !
I believe you do favor these progressive meas
ures. Then, why not favor candidates who will
support these measures? Let us leave out of the
political discussion the race question which you
must admit is un-American.
To many of you, politics is more or less aca
demic. But to the Indian, it is his bread and but
ter. Why not give him a chance. “Bread and but
ter” is it? Yes. His average earnings are less
than $200 per year per family. That is what
makes the fish question so acute to him. Do you
think that is right? The Indian, too, is “endowed
with certain inalienable rights, and that among
these are life, liberty and the pursoit of happiness.’
Faithfully yours,
William L. Paul.
-x
EARLY AND LATE BREEDERS
*-X-*
The tendency of fish runs in Alaska is to come
later and later. The trouble is the CLOSED SEA
SON SYSTEM of conserving salmon.
The late Dr. Charles H. Gilbert of Stanford
University said: “I realize that the weekly closed
seasons have certain disadvantages which must
be taken into consideration. (These related to the
industry and not to the fish). But in spite of these
disadvantages, I feel that the countervailing ad
vantages more than compensate.” * * *
“Another disadvantage in the seasonal closing
come from the strong probability that early fish
breed early fish, and the late spawners again give
rise to late spawners. If it be true, the net result
of our seasonal closing would be to build up an
early and a late run, which would yield nothing
to the fisheries, while the mid-season would feel
little or no benefit from it.”
This was our j udgment even before the learn
ed doctor made this statment.
-X
YAKUTAT FISHERIES
When Senator Jones, Republican, Represent
ative Hadley and Mr. O’Malley were in Yakutat
about two years ago, they sent for a man to come
to them to talk fish. This man said: “Tell them
to come to me. I can’t talk to them on the can