THE ALASKA FISHERMAN
Published the 16th 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.
ABOLISHMENT OF ALL TRAPS.
COMPETENT CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP.
TERRITORIAL PLATFORM OF THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY PROPOSED
A number of the members of the last legislature
met informally one night and some one suggested that
a proposed Republican Platform be adopted for the
entire Territory.
We herewith print the result of this and other
discussions for the consideration of the Republican
Party in Alaska, to-wit:
1. Elective Territorial Officials for all major offices;
2. Separation of Territorial offices from federal offices;
3. Equitable taxation;
4. Trap-tax based on catch;
5. Discriminatory tax on non-resident fishermen.
6. Repeal by Congress of Section 27 of the Jones
Merchant Marine Act.
HE COMMANDS THE TIDES
The Native’s of Alaska in their story of the creation
say that there once lived a man whose name was “He
Commands the Tides.” When he drew up his feet un
der him, the tide rose. When he stretched them out,
the tide ebbed.
And so it is with the fish of Alaska. Doctor Charles
Henry Gilbert says that the good run of 1926 was due
to the wise regulations of Herbert Hoover. But the
good doctor’s love of the great Hoover is such that
rather than blame the poor run of 1927 on Mr.
Hoover, he blames the Almighty who rules the seas.
We rather believe the good doctor is creating mam
mon for himself for the Bureau of Fisheries give him
not only fine fees but also grat prestige, while the
Almighty—.
Several thousand years from now, the Leland Stan
ford University will be sending out great and wise
men to find out about a certain peculiar being that
used to swim in the waters of Alaska, that had fins
and a tail, and these men will report that this species
of life disappeared from the earth during the time
when the scientists of Stanford University had full
control of the fisheries of Alaska.
THEY BOW TO HIM AND CADE HIM THE
GREATEST AUTHORITY ON FISH
All the cannerymen and the entire Bureau of Fish
eries, and the Great Stanford University bow to the
transcendant wisdom of Dr. CHARLES HENRY GIL
BERT and call him “Fish Expert.’’
We suspect that Dr. Gilbert is really only an e..per,
“chef” who fixes up the fish to suit the palate ol
the King.
Here are two remarkable statements of the Doctor’s
February 18th, 1927, as he bows very low to King
Hoover, puffing with over-adulation; “J now for t h >
first time feel confident that the salmon of Alaska
will be saved for the sustenance of future genera
tions. It is not too much to claim (Oh King) that
a very considerable proportion of the increased run
in 1926 was due to the regulatory measures imposed
upon the commercial take * * * (due to the) escape
ment of 1924, the first year the regulations under
authority of the Act of 1924 were in effect.”
Give Herbert Hoover or Henry O’Malley the praise
for the increase.
Then came the failure of 1927, when Dr. Gilbert
says this: “It, is like the farmer who sows his field
with wheat in the most approved fashion, but whose
crop for some untoward reason fails. Now we have
a condition of few fish, the whys of it WE DO NOT
KNOW.”
Damn the Almighty for the bad run because of
some “upheaval in the ocean.” But don’t forget, if
there is a good run in 1928, Dr. Gilbert will give all
the credit to Herbert Hoover.
HONOR SOCIETIES
The high school honor society has entered Alaska.
We rise to express our unqualified approval of thif
organization. Information at hand is to the effect that
the Torch Society, a high school honor society nation
ally recognized, has been organized at Anchorage, Jun
eau, Ketchikan and Wrangell. Other Alaska high
schools may have similar organizations but the fact
has escaped our notice. To such high schools we re
commend a study of the Torch Society. Literature on
the subject may be obtained from Clint W. Lee Com
pany, 708 Fourth Avenue, Seattle, or from this ofllce.
—Alaska School Bulletin,