straddle it. Throughout the United
States, including Alaska, the electors
are demanding that candidates for
public office take a position on one
side or the other of political issues
and are intolerant of candidates who
tke both sides. Senator Dimond stood
with the people in demanding the
withdrawal of the fishery reserves, but
stood with the fish trust in opposi
tion to the use of the instrument pro
vided by the constitution for protec
tion of the rights of the people. Sen
ator Dimond knows very well that the
trusts have no fear of memorials to
Congress, and he also knows well that
the trusts dread action, in the courts.
Senator Dimond’s fifty-fifty policy
with the interests and the people has
been tried repeatedly by politicians
in the past but has always met with
failure.
JOHN H. DUNN, Senator
Of the Fourth
Senator Dunn is honest. He strains
at a few gnats and swallows a few
camels, but does so with honesty of
purpose. In voting against the con
trol. bill, a measure intended to place
more power with the people through
elected officials, his purpose was ab
solutely conscientious even though his
inconsistency in praying for a greater
measure of home rule from Congress
and rejecting an opnortunity to ob
tain greater territorial power through
the organic act as it now stands was
not apparent to him. Senator Dunn
was not influenced in the leas', de
gree by the impressive majesty of ap
pointed officials as other senators were.
He failed to analyze the control bill.
Dunn’s thoughts are along progressive
lines. He has the courage of his con
victions. He represents his district
well.
SNODGRASS,
Senator cf the Fourth.
This Senator is a fine type of a
man, easily approached, listens care
fully to all sides, then makes up his
own mind and votes as he thinks is
right. Many think he was opposed to
Commissioner of Education Hender
son, but those who asked him knew
that he favored Henderson from the
start. The people mistook his open
mindedness and willingness to be shown
how the schools would be bettered by
making a change as indicating opposi
tion. Sober minded citizens must ad
mit that no candidate appeared who
promised so well as Mr. Henderson the
maintenance of the standard of our
schools. We are sorry that Mr. Snod
grass will not run again for the Sen
ate. He represents his district well.
The official class do not seem to stam
pede him. But observers found out
that he can be persuaded by “facts.”
A positive and determined character,
elected to serve the people, he does
so conscientiously and courageously.
GAL FOUR
E. M. POLLEY
cf Sitka
A young man with an honest pur
pose to serve his constituents but in
fluenced by the blandishments of ap
pointed officials. The flattering at
tention of high officials places men
of the Policy type in an uneasy pre
dicament. The legislative views of
the electorate and appointed officials
rarely coincide.
This man made no promises before
election. IIis published platform was
“I believe in the present policy of
coordination and progress.” (?) His
friends said he was “progressive,” at
one time head of the labor union in
Juneau; that he once ran for city
council; was defeated but got the job
of Street Commissioner from his suc
cessful opponents.
After election, he promptly forgot
that he had constituents; was said to
have dined frequently with certain
high officials; became a messenger
boy for the same officials; and sought
to impress others with his intimacy
with the higher-ups by saying every
now and then, “\\ hile I was dining
with the king yesterday, (or was it
the President or Senator or Gover
nor?) he told me, etc., etc.” During
the debate on the Foster Literacy Bill
designed by its author to stop Indians
from voting, Policy accused his fellow
members with being corrupt and spon
sors of “rotten politics.” The insult
did not go unanswered. Later he
introduced a bill to get $40,000 for a
museum. The defeat of this bill was
directly due to Policy himself, his
charge of “rotten politics,” “corrupt
fellow-members,” the loss of respect
by his turning ingrate to the very peo
ple who elected him, and to the fact
that his promises on many bills to his
fellow members was found to be good
for ony about ten minutes—we should
say five minutes.
The record of this man should teach
electors that they should not support
a man who makes a secret of his prin
ciples, and who runs on a personal
platform. Too often it results in
personal gain.
H. R. SHEPARD
of Juneau
Representative Shepard ran for of
fice on the platform “I am an old
timer and I need the money.” He has
ffiyen public service commensurate
with his platform.
RICHARD DECKER
of Nome
An excellent legislator who by his
talent and devotion to public interests,
soon became the floor leader of the
Progressives. He has strong convic
tions and the courage to express them.
Like all men who think ahead of their
time, he must bear the jeers of' those
who look upon progress as dangerous.
He stood squarely for R Home Rule,
against handing over Territorial mon
ey to Federal officials, for the model
workmen’s compensation act, against
the Fish Trust for a fair tax on ex
cess profits on mines. He could not
be bullied or stampeded. As a re
sult of his effort to repeal the syndi
calist law, certain prominent members
of the American Legion have ceased
attending his chudch. However, Deck
er stands for Freedom of Speech and
the Press in its real sense as meant
by the founders of this Republic and
not as one who would destroy our
country as some would lead the people
to believe.
JAMES DALY
of Nome
He understands the “ropes” probab
ly better than anyone else in the
House as he is the oldest member in
point of service. He is a man of in
ordinate ambition who will not stop
at anything to gain his point or avenge
a fancied wrong. His studied insult
ing of the Speaker and his own col
leagues lost him the respect of his
fellow-members and the public. His
were the only remarks which were
ordered “expunged” from the “re
cord” by the vote of the House. He
is a sly, sleek, foxy man of the “in
terests,” who feigns support of pro
gressive measure but knows where to
put the “knife.” His votes generally
went with the group Foster, Murray,
Price and Staser, an ominous group
serving the big interests.
“DICK” RAELSON
of Nome
Here is a man that gave us hope
that Nome had sent a man who was
“close to the people.” He has the
manner of the common people, talks
like them, a fine “glad-hander” and
has an imposing appearance. Un
doubtedly he is a fine man at home,
but just why when he got here he
locked up his brains and gave the key
to Daly we do not know. This man is
so full of inconsistencies that we can
hardly describe him. We understand
that the issue in the Nome election was
“progressiveness.” We rather believe
now that the Nome people did not