CUSTOM HOUSE BLIGHT
Some weeks ago this paper took occasion to comment on the fuct of a Canadian custom
house being established at Rampart House on the Porcupine river—not with the intention
of custing blame on the Canadians, but with the hope of calling attention to a grievous
wrong. Indeed, it was pointed out at the time mentioned, that at Eagle an American
custom house constituted the first unnatural barrier to be encountered by the trader who
w ould stock the last small post on the way to the Arctic ocean. At Rampart House goods
were already high; sugar, for instance, was cents a pound, sold at about cost to iuduce
further trade from natives. It did then and does now, seem monstrous that the two gov
ernments should demand a petty tribute from and bring under their costly tariff rules this
little station that marks the dividing line between the know’u and the unknown.
The Skagway Alaskan quoted the Valley News and pointed out the undeniable truth
that northern custom houses are a barrier to progress. The paper's motive seems to have
been misunderstood, for on Sept. 10 it reverted to the subject and said;
The Daily Alaskan’s editorial on the
“Custom House Blight” lias been mis
understood by a few. It seems that it
has been considered as a reflection upon
the manner of the enforcement of the
revenue laws in the north. Nothing of
the kind was intended. The Daily Alas
kan believes that the customs service in
Alaska is splendidly officered. It l>e
lieves it is efficient, liberal, energetic,
and thoroughly honest. It is doing its
work in a manner that is highly credit
able to all connected with it.. Almost
can the same be said of the Canadian
service. With one or two exceptions—
lamented alike by Canadians and Amer
icans— the Dominion has a splendid
corps of men in the north who are as
liberal as the laws of their country will
permit them to be—and their laws are
as liberal in most respects as our own.
The intention of the Daily Alaskan
was to show the utter lack of wisdom,
from a business standpoint or any other,
of the continuation of a high-tariff wall
between the United States and Canada.
Tlie intention was to illustrate the need
for complete commerciaUunion between
the two countries.
Free trade between the United States
and Canada would facilitate the devel
opment of the commerce and resources
of both. It would remove one of the
most vexatious and forbidding obstacles
to trade that is existing. The means of
transportation between the two coun
tries has been solved. The border is
crossed and recrossed by railroads. Hut
at the boundary, everywhere, the custom
house stands, levying an unnatural trib
ute, a barrier to progress.
The general projiosition of protection
is not involved in this question. Politics
are not involved. Free trade lietween
these two countries—commercial union
—is advocated by democrats and repub
licans and by lilierals and conservatives.
It is urged by the best students in both
countries. It is opposed by those whose
monopolies would be in danger were
there a change.
lhe inconvenience anil injustice to people on each sine or the line that are so manifest
in remote and undeveloped reprions are none the less real ulniipr other parts of the l>ound
ary. The Alaskan of Sept. 18 ugain very truly says:
The question of reciprocity between
tlie United States ami Canada is one
that is attracting more and more atten
tion from the people on the line as time
goes on. Canadians have always favored
it. Now nearly all the American bonier
states favor it, and others are seeing the
necessity for it.
The disposition is to treat the subject
separately from the tariff question in
general. It is supi>orted alike by repub
licans and democrats, by free traders
and protectionists. The republican
“standpatters” of Massachusetts placed
a demand for it in their platform last
year. By that way only did they save
the governorship which they lost the
year liefore because they did not have it
there, while the democrats did. The
republicans of Michigan and Minnesota
favor it. So do nearly all the great
newspapers, republican and democratic,
in the vicinity of the line between Bos
ton and the Pacific coast, favor it.
It is urged everywhere that free trade
between Canada and the United States
would mean more trade and more profits
for those of both countries. As better)
and cheaper transportation facilities and
more trade between the east and west
hel]N'd those on lsith sides of the Mis
sissippi, so would the removal of the
barriers to commerce help those >m>th
north and south of the imaginary line
between the Knglish sjs-aking peoples
of North America.
Strike on Mt. Chicagoff.
Juneau Traii-rript, Sept. K: New-*
arrival here hy letter on the (icor)iui of1
a hitf atrike on Mount i'liicngof? hy Nor
iimiii K. Smith Smithy) an*! Mr. Slone
of lloonuh. Fifteen large nugget* were
wa*he«l out of three |*itn«of «lirt uihI the
gravel i* *ui«l to In* fairly “loui»v'’ with
the yellow
\eting u|miii a |a,titH*n |orwar»l*«t hy
the ritiit'iH of VaMei to the •le|mrtiueiit
of )ii4ti«'e at Washington, Jmlgv lto\al
\ 1 iHfthUm, of the First »liv*»ion of
Alaska ha* U*rn wtrt*«| t*» go to Vaklea.
the Thtr*l jmlu-ial tlMsioii, in Xovrue
tier, wn»l to ho|«l court there until all
urgent are dearie* I U|».
Old Paper to Suspend.
It i* announc*-*! that tin* Sitka Alan*
kan. tin* oldfHt publication in Alaska,
will juhj**i»«1 put ►libation. Thr
wan * *ta Mi*!»♦•« I twenty year* atf**—1**
lorr lhi* Catunlian IWilir railway wii«
com pl»tr.| to Pacific thlewater atxl
w hrn th«* far north wa* not *«> well
known a* at )»re*«»fit. At out* time it
wa.« tin* property • *f tiuvrreor Swim*for*l.
► or <*‘V«*ral year* it ha** I to
Mi** I'utton.
off Cap** Horn in the Hr*t |mrt »*f
'sptcmUr tlw* Hritiah »hi|» WaMcn
\t»U% po*«i| iintnctt*#* hvtirr^,
on#* of «hirh tw«* mile* Ion* an*I
M» feet hltfh
GRADUATES
SHUN THE WEST
Bishop Rowe Deplores the Preju
dice of Young Churchmen
Against the Frontier.
Episcopal Bishop of Alaska P. T.
Rowe arrived in Nome Sept. 7. The
church at that place had l>een without
a pastor since early last spring, and by
telegrams to New York the bishop was
endeavoring to have the place filled be
fore the close of navigation. In case lie
failed in this he thought Archdeacon
Hudson Stuck, now at Fairbanks, would
go to Nome over the ice and fill the
place till a permanent pastor is secured.
In a talk with the Nome Gold Digger
Bishop Rowe said the greatest discour
agement be lias ever met with is the
difficulty in securing pastors for his
parishes. It is beyond bis comprehen
sion, he said, that so very few young
men are willing to devote their efforts
to this western field. It seems next to
impossible to induce any of the young
graduates of eastern colleges to leave
the section they have been educated in,
resulting in a most serious handicap to
the churches of the west. Even women,
so Bishop Rowe said, are more willing ;
helpers, willing to accept less remunera-;
tion, and more ready to make personal
sacrifices than the young men.
U. S. COMMISSIONER
CETS INTO TROUBLE
Juneau Dispatch: R. H. Hildreth, i
who is well known throughout this sec
tion through his connection with the
census of l'JOO, faces serious charges
which are going to be aired in the dis
trict court. Hildreth has l>een commis
sioner at Seward since the founding of
that town until recently when Judge
Wiekersham called for his resignation
lavause of the charges. His troubles
arise over the sale of the claims of tin1
Matanuska Coal Company, in which
transaction lie acted as agent for the
company. The company now alleges
that although the sale has been con
summated Hildreth has rendered no
accounting, tieorge Sexton, one of the
interested parties, says that at one time
Hildreth reporter! to his associates that
they would have about $1110 apiece com
ing to them, but they have never seen
the color of the coin. Hildreth was
called to account for his alleged short
comings and replied that tho original
claims luel lapsed and lieen re-located.
Then the case was referred to Wicker
sham. who called for the commissioner's
resignation. Hildreth has held minor
government positions in the territory
for some years. He was np|">inted to
take the census through the influence
ofliovernor Itradv, ami afterward, with
Chauncey l». Shaw, run the Sitka Alas
kan for a year.
Tim ninth annual scssiowof the Amer
ican Mining Cotigre.s will he held in
IVnvcr, IM. IH-ftl, inclusive.
The
Miners Store
Junt received a full and complete
line of
Men’s Furnishing
Goods.
SPECIALTIES:
Underwear,
Overshirts,
Socks
Also a complete line of
Eggs, Potatoes
and Onions
Groceries,
(i nr vm Ione of thosc PeoP,c whov
Ant T UU seldom write home? \
They will know you are all right if you I
send them the YUKON VALLEY NEWS. I
Mail yours or let us send one weekly./
MEETING.
A. B.
Camp Rampart No. 15, Arctic Broth
erhood, will meet at A. B. hall Friday
evening, Oct. 12. Election and installa
tion of officers.
MAMMALIAN REMAINS
ON LITTLE MINOOK JR.
In the gravels [of Little Minook Jr.
creek ] are many bones of bison, musk
ox, mammoth, and horse. A very fine
specimen of the skull of Bison alleni,
with the shell still upon the horns, was
taken out of Mr. Donald McLean’s
claim, No. 115, near the head of the
creek, by Mr. Mcla-an and Mr. Thus.
Evans. This is the only specimen of
this sjH'cies that has lieen reported from
Alaska. It was carefully removed and
is now in the National Museum at Wash
ington. Some teeth obtained by Mr. C.
R. Reck from gravel next to liedrock on
the same claim and referred to Dr. T. W.
Stanton for identification were cal Its I bv
him ‘ horse teeth of Pleistocene or more
recent age.”—Frank L. Hess, of the I',
S. tieological Survey, in "The Rampart
tiold Placer Region, Alaska."
“Everybody’s” Papers.
KwryUily's will r<4tahli«h
w t «*kl\ n*w «|ni|wr* in f*ittrt**n title* *»f
I hr I’iiiI*hI Hliilr!*, »»•«• wliivh will Iw
in h'f the • »| t*«ivrrii»if
the N<»ri|inptt| .m l