readers to draw uncertain and in
criminating conclusions from a lack
of information. The political per
sonel of the Senate was as follows,*
to-wit: First Division 2 Republican;
Second Division 1 Republican and
1 Independent; Third Division 2
Republican; Fourth Division, 1
Independent and 1 Democrat, thus
constituting a clear Republican ma
jority. Being elected as a nominee
on the Republican ticket I felt a
measure of political fealty to the
party. I do not wholly endorse
the old adage that “To the victors
> belong the spoils,’’ as I am opposed
to a spoils system, but I do believe
that the prizes and political favors
do, properly, belong to the organi
zation in power. If not, there will
soon be no organization, as without
co-operation and recognition of
party service its political power
must fail. SOon after the result
of the last election became known
I received a letter from Senator
Brown, announcing himself an as
pirant for the position of President
of the Senate and asking my sup
port. To this I replied stating that
I was opposed to any attempt to
organize the body before we met
at Juneau as such pledges might
lead to embarrassing situations and
further, that 1 felt that he, not be
ing a Republican, could not properly
expect to be elevated to the posi
tion. I soon learned that Senator
Steel had pledged him liis support,
and upon my arrival I soon learned
that Senator Dunn, of the Fourth,
had pledged his support to Senator
Brown which, of course, wasr'in
order as Senator Dunn is an Inde
pendent. To save lengthy explana
tions, I will state that Senator Bart
ley Howard was elected president,
as a member of the predominant
party.
I have no feeling but that of re
spect and friendship for Senator
Brown but I submit the following
fact3 to justify my action, First, he
has not affiliated with the Repub
lican party, Second, he has not
been a resident citizen of the Terri
tory for several years; he was out
of the Territory continuously from
the previous session until the last
session; Third, the Fourth Division
represents a very small portion of
the population of the Territory and
has been the most favored Division,
by way1 of legislative honors, of any
Division of Alaska. Senator James
Frawley, of Nome, was president
of the Senate during the session of
1919; Senator John Sundback, of
Nome, was president in 1921; the
writer held the position during the
session of 192 3 and Senator Fred
Ayer, of Nome, was president in
1925, and for Senator Brown, of
Nome, the youngest member of the
Senate, and not a member of the
i uling party, was an unreasonable
attitude. Had I known of the
change of heart to be experienced
by some of our members, I would
have supported another for the po
sition, but it would have made no
difference with the fate of the Con
troller Bill. I wish to state that
Senator Howard was very fair in
the appointment of the 3tanding
committees of the Senate, he made
Senator Steel chairman of the com
mittee sought, and arranged his
committees according to positions
sought by the various members, as
far as possible. I do not relish be
ing advertised as responsible for
the defeat of any bill supported by
me, without some showing of how
it v/as done, and further I think
it unethical for a member, or mem
bers, of the legislature to wield
publicly the shaft of either eulogy
or criticism concerning the conduct
of fellow members of the legisla
tive body; all, alike, are respons
ible to the public whom they were
elected to serve. The differences
fought out in the legislative hall3,
will be judged and punished or re
warded as determined by our mas
ters, the public. A public servant
who is not" big enough to master
his personal enmity sufficiently to
work for the public interest with
out malicious intent is incapacitat
ed by such weakness. If we serve
the people we must be of the peo
ple, and for the people.
SEATTLE CHAMBER COMMERCE
THANKS WILLIAM L. PAUL
The Seattle Chamber of Com
merce has the following resolution
with the unanimous approval of the
Alaska Committee (composed al
most entirely of cannerymen and
their attorneys);
“Whereas, at the eighth session
of the Alaska legislature the fol
lowing item was passed and ap
proved in the general appropria
tion act designated as chapter 60
which was approved by the govern
or upon the 5th, instant.
“ ‘For care of Alaska patients
in Seattle Orthopedic hospital, to
be expended by the commissioner
of health upon vouchers approved
by the governor, $6,000/
“Whereas, the recognition of the
institution, devoted to the purpose
of relieving suffering humanity by
correcting deformities in , children
and returning them to normal con
dition, by the legislative represent
atives of the Alaska people is meri
torious ; therefore,
“Resolved, that the Seattle cham
ber of Commerce expresses appre
ciation for this act of the legisla
ture in making provision for the
care and treatment of the maimed
and deformed children of the ter
ritory during the ensuing bienni
um and the designation of our Se
attle institution for that purpose;
and further,
“Resolved, that copies of this re
solution be sent to the governor
and to the newspapers published in
the territory.'*
You say that you cannot see
where the Resolution thanks Wil
liam L. Paul? The truth is that
the cannery agents who approved
the resolution did not know that
Mr. Paul was responsible for the
introduction and passage of the
item which is the subject of the re
solution, and hence, inadvertently
they did thank the so-called radi
cal.
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