and Roosevelt. I could wish for no greater assur
ance of real worth than that which our bi-parti
zans has thusso freely given James Wickersham.
Whether we like the man or not, we must ad
mit that he is the one above all who raised the
banner of autonomy for Alaska. He carried it de
fiantly through the storm of many campaigns,
and before he withdrew from public life planted it
firmly.at the Capital of the Nation where it has
been ably defended by his successor. It was not
until the Legislature had permitted strangers to
pilfer what he secured for us that his voice again
rung out over the Territory calling the people to
arms to protect their inheritance.
Predicts Circumstances Under Which Wickersham
Has Filed.
I think I am in position to say that he has no
expirations to hold public office again. But if ev
er through mishap or deceit, the honor of the Ter
ritory should be threatened or its aspirations mis
interpreted by any man sent to represent us at
the Capital, this veteran fighter will again grab
the old banner and hold it toward the stars, and
I know enough of the temper of the people of this
territory to assure you, that when he does so, they
will back him with a greater majority than ever
before sent him or any other man to Washington.
—From Anchorage speech of September 30, 1927.
Secretary of Alaska Native Brotherhood Writes Letter to
Hon. John Rustgard
-x
Hon. John Rustgard,
Attorney General,
Juneau, Alaska ..
My dear Mr. Rustgard:
. .1 appreciate your reply to my
letter and your answers to my
questions. I wish to thank you
for sending me copy of the com
piled opinions of yourself as At
torney General and also copy of
your platform.
Your answer to my question
on fish traps and fishing regula
tions is as follows: “I will do
absolutely nothing about the fish
traps or fishing regulations as
stated in my platform. For sev
eral years I have as Attorney
General fought for the right of
the Legislature to regulate fish
ing, and, as a result of that fight,
the Supreme Court by the deci
sion in that case which I argued
before that tribunal held that
the Legislature now has auth
ority to regulate fishing in Alas
ka to the extent of adding addi
tional restrictions to the present
regulations imposed by federal
agencies. That is, the Legisla
ture may not make any regula
tions which abolishes any of the
restrictions made by federal
agencies but may add regula
tions which increase the restric
tions on fishing. This would in
clude abolition of the traps.”
Your answer is very illumin
ating. Your published platform
on fish traps is: “I also believe
that owners of fish traps and
trap sites should be protected
m such ownership against all in
terference except by the govern
ment, to that end should receive
leases for their trap sites for a
fixed period, subject always to
revocation and whatever rules
and regulations the Government
may see fit to impose.”
By “Government,” I presume
you mean the federal govern
ment, since another part of
the platform mentions it as
such: ‘It would seem obvious
that the peace, progress and
prosperity of Alaska demands
the closest and friendliest pos
sible cooperation between the
Federal and Territorial agencies
within the Territory. With all
the navigable waters, 99 per cent
of the land, the fish, the game,
and wild fur-bearing animals
under the jurisdiction of the
Federal Government and with
the Territorial development de
pendent on that Government for
financial assistance amounting
to several million dollars per
annum, it would be unwise for
the people of Alaska to enter in
,to acrimonious disputes with the
authorities at the National Cap
ital. It shall, therefore, be my
aim to establish and maintain
the friendliest relations with the
Federal Government and its sev
eral agencies in Alaska, while at
the same time urge upon all
these which I conceive to be the
wishes of, as well as for the be
nefit of the majority of the peo
ple of Alaska.”
From this, it seems to me,
suffiiciently clear, just how you
now stand upon the fish ques
tion—the most important ques
tion to the people of the Terri
tory, and especially all coast
towns of Southeastern Alaska.
I believe that your own stand
upon this question will decide
your fate at the coming election
for the reasons I shall try to
make clear in this and other let
ters. I believe that the voters
of the Territory should not elect
you to the office of Delegate to
Congress, if they are to act for
the best interests of Alaska and
its people.
.. In your contention that we
should at all times cooperate
with the Federal agencies, etc.,