bears to Congress, and an even bet
ter analogy is that of the State Con
stitutions, which are held to be
stable instruments. They are not
to be amended or changed or altered
at the whim or caprice of any indi
vidual or any minority organizations
for this request comes from very in
consequential bureaucrats in Alaska
and from no other source. Both
parties in the coming campaign
have declared in unmistakable terms
against this practice in violation of
our Organic Act.. So I am appeal
ing to you to recognize our Consti
tution as being just as sacred as
the Constitution of any of your
States and to refuse this repeal. To
repeal this provision is simply the
entering wedge on the part of Bu
reaucracy in Alaska, where today it
virtually dominates the Territory,
this is an entering wedge to the
destruction of local self governmen;
and the establishment of a superbu
reaucracy in that Territory.”
There was some further debate,
Mr. Sutherland explaining that the
reason that the Territorial Legisla
ture had not stopped this practice
before was due to the pressure ex
erted by the Federal officials, but
that local interest had finally been
aroused to the point where it was
confidently expected that the com
ing Legislature would take action
to stop it.
Mr. Sutherland further said that
he was willing that a bill 3hould be
passed, if necessary, to legalize such
payments as had been made in the
past. When asked why, if he was
opposed to this practice in principle,
he was willing to concede payments
for past services. Mr. Sutherland
replied that because he was not a
voting member he had continually
to make compromises where no com
promises should be made and beg
favors from Chairmen of Commit
tees so that he was not in a position
to ask for what he thought ought
to be put in.
Mr. Curry then said, “The gentle
man knows that far as the Com
mittee on Territories is concerned
he has never had to do that in his
life. That is an absolute untruth.'*
i Mr. Sutherland answered, “Mr.
Speaker, I will not reply to that.
I will just let it stand. The House
may judge.’’
After several more remarks, the
vote was taken and the bill defeat
ed overwhelmingly.
Thus ended the Governor’s at
tempt to get around what even the
Department of the Interior concedes
will be the Court’s action in the,
suit mentioned above. It also pre
sages the enactment of the Control
ler Bill by the next legislature.
Hoover Strength Is
Being Chilled
Many Democratic politicians won
del* why all the Republican candi
dates in Alaska, for delegate to
the Kansas City convention, do not
declare for Herbert Hoover for Pres
ident. The reason is largely because
the Republicans of the Territory are
not for Mr. Hoover. They cannot
agree that he has shown any great
capacity for handling the fisheries
Situation, and are rather inclined
to the opinion that the Great Her
bert is working off a lot of propo
ganda on the voters of the country.
If his capacity as a business admin -
istrator is to be guaged by his ac
tions in Alaska then at best he must
be considered as a fourth rater.
While the Democrats or AiasK\
are pleased to concede the nomina
tion of A1 Smith for President they
mightily want Herbert Hoover for
his competitor. But of the five can
didates in Alaska running for the
two places at the Republican Nation
al convention but one candidate,
Gus Gelles, wants it known that he
is unqualifiedly for Herbert Hoover
The two aspirants who are likely to
be successful at the polls on April
24th, Judge James Wickersham and
Dr. W. H. Chase, prefer to go to
Kansas City unshackled and with
the idea of supporting a candidate
who will prove a real friend of Alas
ka.
As time passes and the date for
holding the Republican National
Convention approaches it becomes
more evident that Mr. Hoover is not
going to get the nomination. By
injecting himself into the contro
versies of the States of Ohio and
Indiana he has shown a glaring
weakness, and the fact that Presi
dent Coolidge has made the truth
strongly evident that he is not fa
voring any candidate for President
has given the Hoover boosting quite
a chill.
Three strong factors in the Re
publican party are opposing Mr.
Hoover's aspiration. They are Se
cretary of the Treasury Mellon, of
Pennsylvania, National Chairman
William M. Butler, of Massachusetts,
and Republican National Committee
man Charles D. Hilles, of New York.
These three leaders will control 20S
delegates from their respective
States and the claim is made that
with cooperation from other States
opposed to Hoover, that they will
come nearer heading a delegation
of 600 votes, and can dictate a norni
nation. A leading Democratic writ
er in the City of Washington makes
it pretty clear why the Republican
voters of Alaska are not shouting
their heads off for Hoover, from a
mathematical view point at least.
He says:
“If you wonder why there is such
a great fuss over the entrance of
Mr. Hoover in the Ohio and Indiana
Republican presidential primaries,
do a little arithmetic. If the vari
ous opposing candidates can go in
to the convention at Kansas City in
June with 5 30 votes they will pre
vent Hoover’s nomination on the
first ballot. They would rather go
in with 000 or more votes, to make
sure that he cannot get the nomina
tion by any small trades or breaks.
(Continued On Page 5)