C. Bone people think that it is due to personal
reasons.
The people are instructed continually that the
friends of this paper and the editor thereof are
radicals, with all the baneful meaning which
now goes with the term “bolshevik,” and ac
cordingly citizens are taught that we would
destroy business.
As a matter of fact the so-called safe and
sane politician is tlje cause of the most terrible
blow to industry that Alaska has experienced.
This blow is that law which closes our fisheries
for the period of twenty to twenty-five days
each summer, on a theory of conservation. This
rule has resulted in losses amounting to millions
of dollars. If any good were accomplished we
would not object, but the loss is needless, ill
advised, and will not produce the results which
its sponsors claim.
In the first place a correct fishery policy
would not shorten the season but would seek
to lengthen it. Instead of stopping all fishing
on August 20th, we should seek to propagate
fish so that the season would begin on May 1st
instead of July 25th as at present.
This principle of biology is not denied by
scientific men: If you breed late fish you will
get late fish. Under the J. R. Heckman theory
there is no protection to speak of until August
20th. In the course of years we will have no
fish that run prior to that date. We will not
say anything at this time about the fact that
the date of August 20th is the approximate
date when the catch of fish traps is practically
over. Seiners do not begin to make their winter
stake until that same date, when the fish have
gotten past the immense traps that line our
coast.
The responsibility for this damage, amounting
to millions of dollars, belongs to J. R. Heckman,
who proposed the bill and used his position as
vice-chairman of the Territorial Fish Commis
sion- to put the bill through. There is no deny
ing the fact that this evil genius of Alaskan
politics has a powerful and imposing personality.
His position as president of one of the big banks
of the Territory, his position as the spokesman
for the Alaska Packers’ Association, an immense
company that dominates our canning business,
and his many other alliances, have made him
the big bully of Alaskan affairs. And once he
starts to accomplish a given purpose no con
sideration whatever is able to stop him.
The time has now come, however, when citi
zens must realize that while the Heckman pol
icies have been very successful in building a big
bank, large stores, and other commercial enter
prises for him, these policies are doing tremen
dous injury to the Territory. Citizens should
resent the threat that is constantly held over
our heads, to-wit: the curtailment of credit and
the refusal of the simplest banking accommo
dations by the political bank of which he is
president. Citizens should see the bait as given
to them in the form of liberal credit at his
immense store, and realize that his guiding in
stinct in commercial matters is to “reap where
he had not sown,” and for every dollar that he
invests or gives away he collects two and up
wards. In other words, it is time for citizens
to make their declaration of independence, and
put in power men who will adopt a policy ben
eficial to all citizens.
In the matter of fisheries, we could use our
hatchery to i hatch salmon that spawn in our
creeks during May and June, instead of hatching
the fish that come to our creeks in September,
as is being done by the Heckman crowd. Abolish
the seasonal closed method, install if necessary
a longer weekly closed period; abolish all fish
traps, or regulate them by making it unlawful
to run the lead above the low tide mark; to
require all traps to have a free passageway
in the middle of the lead so that boats could
pass in and out, and also for fish to pass, and
then to require that the traps be closed by
rolling up one hundred feet of the lead nearest
the heart, so that the fishery officers can see
at a great distance through field glasses whether
the trap is really fishing or not during the
weekly closed period.
“THE KING IS DEAD! LONG LIVE THE
KING!”
Historians will recognize the above as a shout
that would be given by British subjects and
others at the moment when the death of the
king was announced. The theory back of this
is that there must always be a king. When
the old one dies, the new one instantly steps
into power.
George Parks has been nominated Governor
of Alaska.
He will make his own record. All loyal cit
izens of Alaska will wish him every success in
his undertaking. Certainly he starts out with
the good wishes of every one.
Scott C. Bone is the dead king. It is fitting
and proper for those who like his style to praise
him. Let whoever will speak words that will
soften the time of his departure.
We will say he made his own political bed.
His besetting sin was that he never could make
up his mind for himself but trusted that time
would solve his problems and remove his trou
bles.
He wanted to be the friend of everybody, the
canneryman and the trapman and the exploited
fisherman. He is the only one who wonders why
he did not succeed.
In his weakness, he turned our fisheries over
to J. It. Heckman and brought on himself the
wrath of the increasing enemies of the man
who has brought our fishing districts nearly to
bankruptcy.
It would be a good thing if Mr. Bone would
take a four month’s leave of absence on pay and
let the new appointee formulate his own policies.
“THE KING IS DEAD! LONG LIVE THE
KING!”
There will always be trouble in Alaska until
Congress extends self-government to us. A
majority of even one vote stops all argument.
Washington and Oregon did not allow any
non-resident fishermen to fish in their waters.
Why should we allow it?