THE RACE PROBLEM
IN ALASKA
We have no real race problem.
The earliest settlers who came to
Alaska found the natives here a
friendly people. Indeed, the simple
minded Indian thought the white
man to be superior in every way.
Little did they realize that these
“pioneers” came mostly to acquire
great wealth; that the fur traders
were literally skin dealers whose
specialty was skinning; that the
early soldiers and sailors took the
best girls up here and married (. • )
them only to leave wives and chil
dren when their term of enlistment
expired. Many of this class had
wives in the States and returned to
When
gin? It
them.
Of course there were exceptions,
and men were honorable enough to
their own children. It would he
dangerous to make fun of “squaw
men” in southeastern Alaska at
least for you would be hitting men
in high position, some big merchants,
town councilmen, mayors and ex
mavors.
did the race problem be
began with the advent of
Wilson Democrats. These office
holders were southern born Demo
crats who brought with them cer
tain notions of their superiority ove>
every person whose skin is not
white. Men like John W .Troy who
frequently violates the constitution
of our country, whose breach of the
laws is well known to our public
officials but who is unmolested b'
cause he belongs to and serves the
gang who feed at the public crib,
men "like these are in control of
our press. They feed what race
prejudice there is, they nourish it
because it serves their purpose.
Their editorials are full of false
1< gic. These men arrogantly assume
that they know the legal status of
these Native Americans and also
their manner of living when their
ig’^rance should be apparent to
eviTyone.
“It is not a question of the right
to vote of those who have abandoned
their tribal conditions, learned to
read and write and speak the Eng
lish language and who have been
absorbed in the community of Am
erican Alaskans,” these are not in
volved says John W. Troy, the m
v ho betrayed his benefactor.
The facts are that in law there are
no tribal conditions or relations in
Alaska. This point was well set
forth in the decision of the District
Court here last October in the case
against Charlie Jones, charged with
illegal voting since he was an In
dian. Every claim that this betray
ei of Governor Strong has advanced
against the Native Americans was
advanced by the district attorney.
But the law was so clear that the
jury of 12 men and women acquitted
Jones in 18 minutes after they left
the court room. The estimate of
the case by the district attorney
himself sums up the situation: “I
had you beat until the Judge read
his instructions to the jury,” he said
to me after the case was over. And
this is probably the truth for l lay
no claim to special eminence in my
legal attainments.
1 have read with great interest
the debate between Dr. Condit, Su
perintendent of the Sheldon Jack
son School at Sitka, and John W.
Troy, of the Juneau Empire. Dr.
Condit views the facts as a histori
an, without prejudice but with a
true appreciation of the development
of Alaska. Whereas the betrayer of
Governor Strong has for his single
purpose the appeal to the basest
passions of mankind, the desire to
set class against class, race against
race.
There is no question about the
legal status of Indian votes. They
are lawful voters whose qualifica
tions have been clearly defined bv
Congress in the act passed February
8, 1887 (U. S. v Jones) and “no
state, territory or authority has any
power or authority to modify or
add to that statute,” (U. S. v Jones.)
The lawyers of the trapmen know
this very well and that is the rea
son that there was no contest about
the count of the primary returns
this year.
Then why does the betrayor of
Governor Strong harp and harp on
the socalled illegal Indian vote when
it is not true? Because the mind
of this betrayor is so warped by
years and years of wrong thinking,
b\ years of bending facts or chang
ing them to suit his own selfish
purposes. The betrayor of Governor
Strong thought that he could raise
enough of a smoke screen that the
people would be fooled in putting
Ms tools in power. They did not,
and they will not. When the count
is made next November, he will
find that the people intend to try
( ut a new bunch and see if there
is any truth in mankind.
If I am elected, 1 intend to so
conduct myself that the common
people can never say that I be
trayed them. 1 will do or try to do
what I have promised, and this goes
for the men who are on the ticket
with me.
Home Undertaking
Parlors
Embalming- and Professional
Services
The Personal Attention of
H. V. SULLY
Given to Out of Town and Home
Funerals
Third and Gold Sts.
JUNEAU - - ALASKA
v.-/
THE DRIFT INN
L. A. OLSEN, Proprietor
Pool Hall-Cigars and Tobaccos
Furnished Rooms
Wrangell - Alaska
V-/
GEORGE COWAN
Watchmaker and Jeweler
Mail Orders Solicited
Wrangell, Alaska_
CAPT. JINKS CO.
DRY GOODS, GROCERIES
The Fisherman’s Friend
WRANGELL
Wrangell Steam
Laundry
M. 0. JOHNSON, Prop.
First Class Work
Telephone 28
SORSET’S MEAT
MARKET
ARNT SORSET, Prop.
Fine Meats and Fresh Fish
WRANGELL
THE BOSTON CAFE
H. SAITO, Prop.
Tasty Noodles and Chop Suey
WRANGELL
GEORGE OHASHI
GROCERIES, CIGARS
POOL
Rooms Upstairs
124-126 Stedman Street
Ketchikan, Alaska
Codings’ Cash Store
I. W. COLLINGS, Prop.
58 Mission St.
New & Second Hand
Household Goods
Telephone 188
Ketchikan, Alaska