in all their movements by that eminent educa
tor, Lester D. Henderson, without whom these
teachers said “their convention could not have
been a success,” asked Congress to please relieve
them from paying any income tax.
Third: These non-voters and tax-evasion-seek
ers passed a resolution asking this Territory to
pass a literacy test for voters bill. Theydecried
the dangers that might come to this Territory
if illiterates were allowed to vote.
Here is my criticism: A convention of school
teachers might be a good thing, altho there is
yet no evidence of it; but teachers might very
well stick to the business of their convention and
refuse to allow Mr. Henderson to convert it into
an aid for holding his $4,000 job. Mr. Hender
son is in politics up to his ears, and the sole
purpose of defeating a bill to make his office
elective, is to insure his job in order that “he
might continue to serve his masters.”
Secondly: School teachers do not put them
selves in a very good light as patriotic citizens
fit to resolute on how this Territory should be
run when they themselves pass resolutions seek
ing to make of themselves tax exempt tourists
with a stop-over ticket in Alaska for the winter.
Third: Their resolution on the Literacy Test
for Voters Bill is illogical. Sound political poli
cy would first have passed a resolution demand
ing that the Territory assume its full responsi
bility and educate all its children at least thru
the grades. The sin and the shame of the de
mand for a literacy test is this: that there are
thousands of Indian children who cannot go to
school if they would; that our highly intellectual
Commissioner of Education has never interested
himself in correcting this wrong; that our legis
lature has never concerned itself in stopping this
crime against its citizens; and that “The gentle
man from New York,” who governs Alaska, has
done nothing to change this evil.
By way of contrast, let me state 4 few facts.
First: All Indians, literate and otherwise,
have been proud and glad to pay all taxes to
wrhich they are subject. For many years, com
munities like Yakutat, Iloonah, Sitka, Kake, and
other places have been paying the Territorial
school tax even tho their children have been
systematically excluded from the very school
supported in part by their tax. And yet, no
school teacher has ever heard these illiterates
asking the Legislature or Congress to “exempt
them from paying a tax.”
Secondly: Even the school teachers must ad
mit that the great political issue of today is the
Fisheries Question. O11 this subject, the teach
ers’ convention was silent. This was right. But
suppose the illiterate Indian did not speak on
this question, and the solution of the Fisheries
Question were left entirely to these literate
school teachers, would we not be in a terrible
plight and in great danger of being governed by
the grossest ignorance of highly literate people?
And would not resolutions coming from the il
literate Indian be of much more value on this
subject than the school teacher? These ques
tions merely prove that illiteracy does not mean
ignorance.
Thirdly: On another page of this issue, you
will find the program of the Alaska Native
Brotherhood which is the organization which is
charged with having manipulated the illiterate
votejn this division. Will you not in fairness
to these condemned people, compare their pro
gram with that of the school teachers? Or else,
if there is a school teacher who will read this
article, can you suggest any improvement or bet
ter solution of this problem, towit—the elevation
of 50 per cent of the population of Alaska and
the only really permanent part there?
The last illiterate plank is “That 1 shall not
leave Alaska weaker than found it, but
better and stronger.” Good citizens will join
with them in whatever is good and right.
Where Frank A. Boyle Is Strong
—Reveals His Bosses
The best argument against the election of
Frank A. Boyle, John W. Troy’s candidate for
Delegate to Congress, is contained in the follow
ing news item printed in the Organ of the Demo
Republican paper of Juneau:
“Copper River is strong for Frank A. Boyle.”
‘ Telegraph advices received from Frank A.
Boyle, Democratic nominee for Delegate to Con
gress, who is at Kennecott, declares that condi
tions in the Copper River Valley and Cordova
are all light, and he is confident that he will car
ry that section of the Territory
Of course, why should he not carry that sec
tion? That is the section that is entirely owned,
controlled and dominated by the Guggenheims.
In that section of the Territory the citizens have
to vote as the big Kennecott boss dictates. There
is no such thing as ‘‘mass voting” in that sec
tion of the Territory because the masses there
are voting with the big boss. But just the
same, Mr. Boyle will get all the votes there be
cause, and only because, the big boss has issued
orders that the masses must vote for Mr. Boyle.
“Bone Praises Republican Ticket”
This headline was taken from the Juneau
Empire of June 13th. Governor Scott C. Bone is
quoted further: “The ticket, in my opinion, is
the strongest that could have been nominated.
“It is a republican ticket and gives evidence
that the party is ready to meet issues and as
sume its responsibilities unequivocally. The ac
tion is in full keeping with the courageous
courses pursued by President Coolidge which has
so inspired the confidence of the country/’
Those who know Scott C. Bone, skillful poli
tician that he is, know that -the above words of
praise would have been spoken by him concern
ing any one nominated by the Republican con
vention.
Here in Alaska, the same eminent Republican
Governor is going about whispering that “This
year you must vote the Democratic ticket.” lie
thus reveals himself as a true Carpet Bagger.
When he loses his job as Governor, he will
pack his suitcase and depart forever, but not be
fore the Juneau Empire has published this state
ment: “Governor Scott C. Bone, one of the best,
governors Alaska has ever had, is leaving for a
much needed rest, after which he will return to
make his beloved Alaska his home.”
It was also said of Governor Tommie Riggs.