WHO’S TO BLAME?
Lynn Canal fishing* district was
closed by a telegraphic regulatory
order from the Secretary of Com
merce. Judge Stout is much in
censed over the discrimination
against his cannery and district in
that he is compelled to close the
season’s operations in shorter time
than any other district. The “sci
entific armchair fisherman” of the
Juneau Empire, Capt. John Troy, is
rising in wrath over the mistreat
ment of the “poor Haines Natives”
who must starve and become a bur
den upon the “white” population of
the Territory. Of course Delegate
Sutherland was to blame in permit
ting the passage of the White Bill
which was supported only by the
Bureau of Fisheries, the Allied Can
ning Interests, the allied banking in
terests, the allied tinplate interests,
the allied transportation interests,
the allied associated canning inter
ests of the United States. With
this little support Dan got the bill
through but was not successful in
regulating the traps as he knew was
desired by residents of the Terri
tory. Of course Mr. William Paul
was also to blame for the closing of
the Lynn Canal district for he is in
favor of taxing the traps out of com
mission. If the Natives of Haines
and other districts quit following
his leadership and follow* that of
Jav*n Troy and his associates they
will be wearing diamonds and pay
ing heavy income taxes, so Jasvn
says.
Let us look into the true cause
of the closing of this district: When
the closed season took affect in the
Ketchikan district practically all the
canneries in Ketchikan had their
packs up. The Yes Bay, Chomley
and Kasaan canneries having the
least number of cases put up.
Smiley, Sunny Point and Fidalgo
had their complete packs up, all be
ing 100,000 cases or over. Fidalgo
closed dow*n their season but the
other canneries sent for more cans
and sent fishermen around to the
West Coast of Prince of Wales Is
land for the extra five days of fish
ing. When the closed season took
effect they sent their fishermen to
the Lynn Canal district. They then
packed salmon 300 miles. All the
fishermen from the different can
neries concentrating on the Lynn
Canal district made proper escape
ment of seed fish impossible. There
fore Mr. O’Malley realizing that the
canneries were doing themselves a
wrrong, and the consuming public a
harm, wired to Secretary Hoover for
an order prohibiting fishing for the
balance of the year.
This condition of affairs in our
fisheries demonstrates the fact that
the canners are after the greatest
profit from the industry regardless
of whether the industry will be des
troyed or not. They have cans to
fill and they will be filled regard
less of whether or not any salmon
escape. They want their profits and
they want them quick so that they
can get out and go to “Pasadena
where they can bask in the sun of
California.”
If the canners would seriously con
sider the depletion of our fisheries
and the resulting economic loss to
white residents as well as native,
they would take steps to limit pro
duction in order that seed fish might
escape to spawning grounds. The
punishing of resident fishermen as
at Haines for the greed of canners
in and around Ketchikan and other
districts is wrong. The working of
the regulatory powers of the depart
ment of Commerce is not fair for
the entire burden of conservation as
is being worked out today is placed
upon the residents of the territory.
The property losses through regula
tion of tiaps is taken care of by the
fact that they are practically un
touched by the regulations of the
present year. —L. F. P.
WHAT THE INDIANS WANT
It seems to me that the test of
the puddin’ is the eatin’.
Those of you who are afraid of
Indian votes, please examine the
following' principles honestly. If it
is good, do not let foolish prejudices
influence you. Vote ’er straight.
1. Abolishment of all fish traps
and stationary gear for catching fish.
2. Direct Election of all principal
territorial officers. This means
adoption of the Controller Bill.
3. Abolishment of carpet-bag gov
ernment.
4. A decent workmen’s compen
sation act along the lines of the
United States act.
5. Abolishment of fish hatcheries
and thus save the Territory 40 thous
and dollars a year.
6. A fair distribution of taxes.
No more favoritism to the big mine
owner as against the little fellow.
7. Fair and adequate provision for
all the aged and needy citizens of
our Territory, and also for all out
needy orphans.
8. A tax on foreign fishermen so
high that outside fishermen will be
compelled to make their homes in
Alaska or else stay away.
9. Full Territorial government for
Alaska.
10. Abolishment of the bureau of
fisheries.
11. Territorial assistance to pros
pectors by establishing a public as
say office.
12. Road building by the terri
tory for practical business purposes.
13 Support for our Delegate Dan
Sutherland in his fight for a sane
conservation of fish for the benefit
of the residents of this territory as
against the residents of Seattle,
Portland and Chicago.
THE LITERACY TEST
This issue is born either of dis
honesty or of ignorance. Here is
the first fact that you must know.
The courts have already decided that
the legislature has no right or power
to pass any test whatever. If you
do not know this fact you must
confess ignorance. If you do know
it and still advocate a law by the
legislature, you are dishonest.
Here is a second fact. The liter
acy test is un-American and cannot
be supported historically.
The Declaration of Independence
says that “governments derive their
just powers from the consent of the
governed” and nowhere says that it
comes from the consent of college
presidents.
Our constitution says: “We, the
People, in order to form a more
perfect union” and does not say “we
who can read newspapers, etc.”
The third point is this: the de
mand for a literacy test comes al
most entirely from the Juneau Em
pire and for the express purpose of
stopping Indians from voting.
The Juneau Empire is a strong
Democratic paper. The Indians are
voting the Republican ticket. Would
it not be a fine stroke if the Em
pire could decrease by law the Re
publican vote by several hundreds ?
Again:—-The Juneau Empire is the
organ of the fish trap interests.
The Indians have combined with the
White fishermen to abolish the fish
traps. Would it not be a fine stroke
if the Empire could hamstring the
enemies of the traps?
The medium had aroused much in
terest throughout the crowded hall by
leading a newspaper through a thick
black cloth while blindfolded. The
judges examined the bandage over
his eyes and doubled the cloth over
the newspaper, but he still read with
ease anything placed before him.
At this juncture a colored woman
arose and started toward the door.
“You aren’t leaving, are you,
aunty?” inquired a lady who had
employed her.
“I suah is,” replied aunty. “Dis
heah am no place foh a respec’able
colo’ed woman with nothin’ on but
a thin calico dress!”
If the peon labor is allowed only
$30.00 spending money for the en
tire season} according to section 12
of their revised regulations, where
are they going to spend the balance
of their $250 to $350 earnings other
than the $75 stipulated they must
have when they return? May be
some of our small businessmen who
refuse to fight the Fish Trust and
Trap System can tell us they will
get the balance.