THE ALASKA FISHERMAN
Published the 16th of each month at Ketchikan, Alaska
WILLIAM L. PAUL, ATTORNEY FOR THE
Alaska Native Brotherhood
Entered as second-class matter at the Post Office at
KETCHIKAN, ALASKA
SUBSCRIPTION PRICE $2 00 FOR TWELVE ISSUES
OUR PLATFORM:
ALASKA FOR ALASKANS.
FULL TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT.
ABOLISHMENT OF ALL TRAPS.
COMPETENT CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP.
Progressive Republicans
General Election, Nov. 4th.
Fishermen, miners, working men, the small
business man must remember that our victory
is not complete until after the November elec
tion.
November 4th is the date.
The following men are your candidates, pledged
to protect your interests. There is great danger
in scratching:
Dan Sutherland, for Delegate to Congress;
John Rustgard, for Attorney General;
F. J. Hunt, for Territorial Senator;
William D. Grant, for Representative;
C. B. Ferguson, for Representative;
Perry M. Hern for Representative;
William L. Paul, for Representative.
We stand for Alaska for Alaskans in a real
sense; abolishment of the fish trap; a tax on
non-resident fishermen; the Controller Bill; Elec
tion of all principal Territorial officers; a decent
workmen’s compensation law; a fair and equal
tax on all industry without favoritism; abolish
ment of the J. R. Heckman scheme of closing
the fishing season on August 20th, this last as
being unfair to cannerymen and fishermen, being
in the interests of traps, and not a correct con
servation measure for “If you breed late fish,
you will get late fish.”
The Indian Uprising
By DR. JAMES H. C0ND1T, D. D.
Charles Edward Russell, in the March Century,
says: “Nothing* is as bad as it is painted in a
campaign and nothing is as good. Very little
actual disaster comes to pass, in this world; most
of it is on the hot lips of the propagandist.”
Some twenty years ago, the writer witnessed
an “Indian uprising” at Juneau. At least it
was reported in lurid head-lines in Eastern
papers. It consisted of a drunken brawl between
two old tribesmen resulting in their escort to
the Federal jail on either side of the town mar
shall who, unassisted, quelled the “uprising.”
Now the sequel: Under the stimulus of a false
alarm, reputable, but highly excited citizens,
marched to Indian town armed with repeating
rifles. Among them was one wild eyed Chechaco
clergyman. Reversing the order of the wise
men of Gotham they marched down the hill
and then marched up again. It was a false
alarm. The laurel crowns of victory are even
yet unclaimed.
Pre-election fervor has led to extravagance in
utterance as well as in expenditure. There is
no “uprising” among the Native people, at least
such as present, partisan politics proclaims.
It is now fifty-seven years since American
civilization came in contact with the Natives of
Alaska. Government schools, missions, com
merce and trade, and especially the daily inter
course contigent upon proximity, have had their
leavening influences upon Native life. If other
wise, the indictment is against the white people
and not the Natives. If, after all these years,
there are no Natives qualified for citizenship,
as office seekers affirm, we should look to our
civilization. The division among Natives should
not be along racial lines, as The Verstovian has
consistently asserted, but along the line of quali
fication. There are many Alaskan Natives who
are now qualified to assume the responsibiilties
of citizenship.
In the editorial columns of the Empire of
April twenty-eight was the following: “It is
essential for the welfare of both white and In
dian that the white people of Alaska should
control affairs.” Such an attitude tends to shut
the door of hope in the face of the Native. We
do not believe that this is the intention of the
Empire and the statement is inconsistent with
its former utterances. The Native of Alaska
has an important contribution to make to the
economic and political life of the Territory. He
is a component part of its population, is here,
and is here to stay. The doctrine that the road
to the elimination of race prejudice lies along
the line of shutting the Indian out of participa
tion in government, is preposterous. While the
present agitation is in some aspects unfortunate
in that it has had a tendency to arouse race pre
judice in the end it must prove beneficial.
Right and justice will prevail and clear
definition and intelligent discussion are essen
tial to the proper adjustment of disputed ques
tions.
The Verstovian makes two affirmations: first,
there is no “Indian uprising.” The present
prominence of the Native question in politics
is a natural result of fifty-seven years of asso
ciation with American civilization.
Second, the Native of Alaska has a right to a
part in the affairs of his native land, political
or otherwise.
As the qualified Indian of the states has been
recognized in all matters pertaining to govern
ment so will the qualified Alaskan Native be. It
will continue to be the goal of school and church
to make of the Natives “Competent Christian
Citizens.”
“What a difference whose ox is gored. When
the democratic federal brigade were lining up
the Indians for Sulzer, who was betraying them
with the most vicious fish bill anyone theretofore
had ever had the gall to introduce, Indian votes
were all right. But now that the Indians are
organizing to protect themselves from despoil
ment, they should by hook or crook be barred
from the polls.”—H B. LeFevre, of Juneau.