ANDREWS EXPLAINS ESKIMO
REINDEER IN LOMEN HERDS.
77 Marion St, Seattle, Wn.
August5, 1930
To the Editor
The Alaska Fisherman,
Ketchikan, Alaska . .
Dear Mr. Editor:
In the Juneau Empire, and in
the Seward Gateway, of recent
date has appeared items which
state that I have accused the
Lomen Reindeer Corporation of
“Stealing Reindeer.” I wish to
state that this is incorrect, and
that I have written .to both pa
pers asking them to correct the
statement. They have not giv
en me the opportunity to an
swer it, which I believe is un
ethical in the situation.
I have stated that there are
about ten thousand native own
ed reindeer in the Lomen Cor
poration herds. That some of
the natives have asked for them
to be cut out and turned over
tc them.
The Lomen Corporation has
asked for lands which were us
ed by Eskimos for grazing before
the Lomen Corporation had an
existence.
I am asking that these deer
be cut out and turned over to
the owners, and that enough
land, adjacent to their homes,
be given to these natives, Eski
mos, on which to range these
deer, under the Grazing Land
act.
I do this because it is a right
of every man to have the man
agement of his own property,
and because the management of
the reindeer owned by Eskimos
in the hands of the Lomen Cor
ncration has not been satisfac
tory.
It is also against the purpose
for which the reindeer were
brought to Alaska, for the Eski
mo to be compelled to hire any
.one else to herd his deer. He is
entitled to the education, and
the experience of handling his
own property. The Eskimos be
long to the country, and to try
absorb their lands or to crowd
them off is unfair, and unjust.
It is also sought to compel the
Eskimo to take $3 per head for
his deer at the corrals of the
Company. This is not fair.
The Corporation is offering
stock in their company for sale
to the people of the United
States. It quotes reindeer as an*
asset, at the following valua
1ions: Females $25.00; Breeding
bulls, $10.00; Steers and fawns
$5.00. The comparative value of
the offer for the Eskimo deer is
not consistent.
If you will give this letter
space in your paper, I will be
obliged.
Very truly yours, . . . .
. .C. L. Andrews,
The Legislative Record of Lomen and Others
Can any good citizen explain?
On Senate Bill No. 27 entitled
“An Act to protect the records
of the Legislature and its en
actments against fraudulent al
alterations, Alfred Lomen and
Henry Burgh recommended that
the “Bill do not pass/’ The na
tural inference is that Messrs
Lomen and Burgh are not in fa
vor of protecting the Territory
against fraudulent alterations
of its enactments.
When Senate Bill No. 27 came
up for final passage, Messrs Ny
len and Winn voted “Yes” and
Messrs. Burgh, Lomen, Donnel
ly, Fisher, Foster, Murray, Mc
Cain, McCormack, McDonald,
Shattuck, Tarwater, Woofter,
Ziegler, and Rothenborg, voted
“No;” i. e., they were against
n-’otectiug the Territory from
tradulent alLerations of their
enactments.
Representative Donnelley in
troduced a bill, No. 33 for “An
Act directing the Attorney Gen
eral to investigate the possib
ilities of, and to prepare an in
come tax measure.”
But only Donnelley, McDonald
Nylen and Ziegler supported the
bill. Messrs. Henry Burgh, and
Alfred Lomen, together with
Fisher, Foster, Murray, McCain,
McCormack, Shattuck, Tarwat
er, Winn, Woofter, and Rothen
burg, voted “NO.”
The principle of such a bill is
simply this—that taxes shall be
paid according to the ability to
pay. If a man makes $50,000 a
year, he should pay more than
one who makes only $5,000 per
year. But 1VP\ Pirr,1i
ed (as was Mr. Lrnu l) io such a
policy.
The Senate wished to make it
simpler for cities to publish de
linquent tax rolls and so passed
Senate Bill No. 26, but Mr.
Burgh moved that the bill be
“laid on the table.” He was sup
ported by Donnelley, Fisher,
Foster, Lomen. Murray, McCain,
McCormack, Sliattuck, Tarwater,
Woofter, Ziegler and Rothen
burg.
Only McDonald, Nylen and
Winn supported the bill.
The Senate passed Bill No. 19
to amend the present laws relat
ing to the “Bribery of public of
ficials,” by a unanimous vote,
but Burgh and Lomen helped
Fisher, Foster, Murray, Mc
Donald, Shattuck Tarwater and
Rothenburg to defeat the same
in the House.
McCain, I" : Cor
mack, Nylen, Winn, Woofter and
Ziegler voted for the bill.