they cried. “I have always had a bill,” in effect
he answered, “and so have my predecessors. You
need only enact it.”—The NATION.
SOMETHING WRONG SOMEWH iRE
While The Times is not prepared to give sup
port to the contention of Delegate Sutherland
that the fishing trust is being favored b, the fed
eral fisheries bureau, there cannot be conceal
ment of the fact that conditions among the resi
dent fishermen of the territory have not improv
ed during the years the industry has been regu
lated by the commissicn; and it undoi btedly is
equally true, as is claimed by the delegate, that
a great many persons, dependent upon fishing
for an existence, have been compelled to leave
the territory in recent years because of the unfa
vorable conditions under the federal regulation.
Maintenance of the annual salmon pack at high
levels has not tended to improve conditions
among the fisherman,—not with the big canner
ies importing low-wage Oriental and r 1 lpino la
bor for their seasonal operations, purchasing
their supplies in the states and taking their fish
from traps which function so thoroughly there is
small chance for resident fishermen to partici
pate in the annual catch. The taxes which the
big canneries pay into the territorial treasury
fall far short of reimbursing Alaskans for losses
sustained through continuance of a system of
wholesale exploitation.
What is needed to put Alaska’s fishing indus
try on a permanently helpful basis is more en
couragement for resident fishermen, an oppor
tunity for them to earn living wages while fish
ing is in progress, an incentive to locale perma
nently in a community, with assurance that there
will be enough money coming in each year to
maintain a family amid decent surroundings.
When Alaska coastal communities can begin
building on that kind of a foundation, there will
be small need to worry about the future of the
Territory.
The territory is enjoined against interfer
ference with the fishing industry; it cannot say
where traps shall be placed or how many cases
salmon may be packt. But the legislature has un
restricted powers in the matter of taxation and
in view of the indiference to territorial develop
ment which has been displayed by some of the
larger interests operating in Alaska waters, it
might be helpful to inquire into the feasibilty
of revising tax schedules with a view to bringing
about closer cooperation between cannerymen and
the territory. The question is important enough
at least to have the serious consideration of those
who will be benefitted by territorial development
—it is especially important at this time, when
candidates are coming forward seeking places
in the territorial legislature.—Anchorage Daily
Times.
(Editor’s Note:—We are getting together.
Editor Fiske should know but the facts are so as^
tounding that he has refused to believe them
We join him in saying there’s “Something Wrong
Somewhere” and call attention to the fact that
since 1924 seine caught fish have dropped to 26
per cent of the total (from 38 per cent) and trap
caught fish has increased fiom 57 per cent to 70
per cent since 1924, the birth year of the White
Fish Bill.
JOHN RUSTGARD—OFFICE HOLDER
The Republican Party has been good to John
Rustgard, and not because of any particular ser
vice that he has ever rendered the party.
John came frcm the State of Minnesota nearly
thirty years ago, and lccated at Nome. He labor
ed there for more than eight years, dabbling a lit
tle in law, engaging in mining, and seeking office.
He did final: y succeed in being elected a Coun
cilman and was made mayor. But John’s inher
ent ambition to lord it over his ordinary fellow
citizens wcs soon his undoing and he was deposed
from his high office and became only an ordinary
Councilman.
Although, generally speaking, John was an
industrious and gcod citizen, he failed to make
any headway and then migrated to Juneau, which
was regarded as the real Mecca for ambitious of
fice seekers.
Soon after reaching the Capital City, John
made overtures to National Committeeman Shack
leford, with the result that after the latter had
the Republican District Attorney fired for disobe
dience to his Master, Louis had President Taft
name ambitious John to the office, his appoint
ment was June 10, 1910.
John continued for some time until after
Woodrow Wilson became President. Then when
he thought some big interests really wanted him
as their attorney, he suddenly resigned. After
his successor was finally appointed, on April 2,
1915, John found that he had only been kidding
himself and there was no demand for his services.
During the next five years, John Rustgard
found that there was no opportunity to secure
public office, so he engaged in a desultory prac
tice of the law, achieving no particular fame or
monetary reward .