ous ^rts of the politician he never
practices them. The Scotch are canny,
not crafty, and it may be that racial
canniness plays some part in Suther
land’s political career. Had he Gov
ernor Bone’s education, polish, diplo
matic tendencies, he would not be
Sutherland, so why conjecture what
he might be. He’s Dan to the Alaska
electorate and the electorate seems to
be satisfied with him, just as he is.
Sutherland’s political success is due to
his abiding consciousness of whom he
is responsible to and his canniness is
displayed in his always correct inter
pretation of the will of those to whom
he is responsible. Appointed officials,
commercial bodies, business interests,
have been unable to swerve him from
a course which he believes to be in
the interest of the majority. His fight
to preserve the open market for hali
but was made against the opposition
of appointed officials and the com
mercial interests of the Pacific Coast,
and he won out.
The opposition to his present atti
tude on the salmon reservations is
much stronger than that of the former
contest but the people of the Terri
tory are with him. Should he win
out in this contest against seemingly
overwhelming odds, his place in the
political history of Alaska will be
a high one.
JOHN RUSTGARD
He grates upon the nerves of some
people. So do all strong characters.
Among an army of federal officials,
it is well that the people should have
at least one check upon their quasi
territorial activities. Rustgard also is
cognizant of the fact that he repre
sents the people of Alaska and that
his first allegiance is to them. Or
dered to investigate transportation
methods he did it to the discomfiture
of the steamship companies. He does
most things to some one’s discomfi
ture. Consequently, bitter enemies.
Undiplomatic? Very! Just hews to
the line without apology. That he is
antagonized by appointed officials is
not to be wondered at. Those who
would abolish the office of Attorney
General should remember that Mr.
Rustgard is the only official at the
territorial capital who obtains his
power by the consent of the governed
KARL THEILE
Surveyor Genera!
A most pleasing1 personality. Mr.
Theile is of the people hut unfortun
ately in an appointive office he can
not exercise freedom of action.
It is well known that he is not in
entire agreement with the policies of
Governor Bone and his advisors, par
ticularly in their efforts to aid the
fish trust in securing title to public
waters.
Mr. Theile is somewhat acquainted
with the arts and wiles of politicians
and he exercises his knowledge. Poli
tical power appeals to Mr. Theile and
his one obsession is to control both
federal and territorial patronage
through his influence with the gover
nor.
Control of political patronage does
not count for much in Alaska, and its
exercise is sometimes a detriment to
one’s standing before the people, but
Mr. Theile is an appointed official
and perhaps standing before the peo
ple is not a matter of importance to
him.
FOREST J. HUNT, Senator
First Division
Thu president of the Senate is a
conscientious, honest public servant.
Progressive but not extremely so;
courageous, the evidence of his cour
age being his stand against the preda
tory fishing interests which dominate
the politics of his home city of Ketch
ikan. ITis fairness and his unpreju
diced rulings as presiding officer of
the Senate were appreciated by his
colleagues.
FRANK A. ALDRICH, Senator
First Division
His legislative record is a most ex
cellent one. A perusal of past ses
sion journals will show that Aldrich
is author and sponsor of more progres
sive legislation than any individual
who has served in the Alaska legisla
ture. lie holds that territorial affairs
should be controlled by elected repre
sentatives of the people and not by
the appointed officials. Aldrich is a
good legislator, fearless and indepen
dent. There are no strings on him
unless his emnlovment in the Forestry
Department might bias his judgment,
but that bias would apply to several
legislators who are in government em
ploy or to the many legislators who
are seeking- federal employment.
FRED AYER, Senator
From Nome
A very capable and energetic busi
ness man. As a legislator he is wholly
out of his proper field. His mentors
and advisors are the corporation law
vers about Juneau, and consequently
his votes are generally cast for the
corporations and against the people.
Senator Ayer voted for the memor
ial condemning the fish reserves and
then apologized for doing so agains':
his better judgment
We cannot believe that voters of
the second division held the same per
spective of Senator Ayer when they
elected him that the majority of those
who have observed his legislative an
tics held.
It may be that the glamour of ma
jesty into whose presence he rushed
upon his arrival in Juneau served to
turn his head. He may learn more
of the philosophy of civil government
during his term as senator, but in or*
der to do so it would be well for him
to change mentors.
CHARLES BROWN, Senator
From Nome
Senator Brown is a young man of
great promise. Quiet and unassuming
studious and diligent. Keenly aware
of his responsibility to his constituents,
his older colleagues realize that he
cannot be moved by specious argu
ment to yield in principle.
The contrast between Brown and
Ayer, his colleague, is strikingly mark
ed. One can scarcely believe that
the same constituency elected the two
senators at the same election. Brown
stands for progress and advanced
thought; Ayer represents a type of re
actionary that is fully as dangerous in
a republic as the socialist extremist.
Senator Brown may go fsA in pub
lic life. He grasps the essential
theories of democracy and the signs
of the times indicate a purpose on
the part of the American people to re
turn to the elemental democracy of
the constitution.
F, E. CHAMBERLAIN, Senator
Third Division
“Man, proud man,
Dressed in a little brief authority,
Most ignorant of what he’s most as
sured,
His glassy essence-like an angry ape,
Plays such fantastic tricks before high
heaven,
As make the angels weep;
Who with our spleen would all them
selves,
Laugh mortal.”
“Drunk with a little brief authori
ty” and other things.
ANTHONY J. DIMOND, Senator
Third Division
A plodding, industrious legislator,
by far the ablest member from the
Third Division. A painstaking law
yer. painfully painstaking in minor
matters. I? said to have ambitions to
go to Congress. Makes the mistake
of trying to please the interests and
the people at the same time. The
b’no of cleavage between privilege and
public rights is too closely drawn in
Alaska just now for politicians to