William L. Paul’s
Record
-X
William L. Paul never sought
the “leadership” in the House. By
the force of circumstances, by
his ability as a speaker, his
training as a lawyer, and his
courage and independence, he
became a leader of his party in
the legislature. In the 1925
session, the liberal party num
bered only SIX. Even so, but
for the opposition of Attorney
General Rustgard, the important
till protecting resident fisher
men would have passed.
In the 1927 Session the liberal
party number nine except on the
tax measures. But the Senate
stood four to four. It was in the
Senate, and not in the House
where Mr. Paul was, that the lib
eral measures were defeated.
Mr. Paul was instrumental in
correcting many bills, to name
but one, he it was who forced the
amendment raising the percent
age of compensation from 50 to
05 per cent for injured workmen.
In view of Mr. Rustgard’s at
tack, it is worthy to note that
Mr. Paul rc ured passage of
more bills in the 1925 and 1927
Legislature than any other two
members of the Legislature.
The first increase amounting
to $10,000 per year in the school
refunds, came from his efforts;
$2,000 for the Gustavus school;
$7,000 for the Yakutat school;
$3,500 for the Douglas school;
the first markers for the Gasti
neau Channel; the official flag
for Alaska; watchmen’s lien on
property; the improvement dis
trict bill; and many others, be
sides measures which passed the
House but failed in the Senate,
like the Women’s Community
property Act; elective Treasurer;
release of the Attorney General
from the very restraints he now
complains of; a liberal school re
fund bill; Controller Bill; besides
he wrote important bills such as
repeal of the tax on fur; or
phan’s home; compensation act
approved by the American Fed
eration of Labor; monthly wage
bill and many others. All of
which may be verified in the
House Journals. If such a record
of “accomplishing nothing” can
be duplicated by election of leg
islators from this primary, then
let us have more of them.—The
Alaskan.
X
THE JUNEAU BALANCE SHEET
-x
An audit of the books of Ju
neau shows that the city is in
debt $51,513.86 for current ac
counts. This does not include
the school bonds of $100,000 of
which $10,000 is due every three
years after June 1, 1928. Nor
does it include tire sewer bonds
amounting to $10,000.
By the device of listing all the
properties of the city, the Juneau
Empire argues that the city is
not broke but in a fine, healthy
condition. As far as these “as
sets” are concerned, what good
are they ior raising money to pay
the debts of the city?
The fact remains that the va
rious city councils all sponsored
by the Empire has spent for cur
rent expenses and for -street im
provments the sum of over $37,
000 more than its income.
We have full sympathy for
many of the improvements made
with this money, but we doubt
the wisdom of mortgaging the
income of the city for three years
in advance.
^asn uoie s lart in Juneau s
Finances
If the school refund were paid
once in three months instead of
under the liberal policy institut
ed by the Hon. Cash Cole, Terri
torial Auditor, the city of Juneau
could not pay its school teach
ers. And yet Juneau does not ap
preciate the ingenuity with
which Mr. Cole has enabled Ju
neau to pay its school debts.
X
THAT CHURCH PAPER
-x
A merchant walked into the
office of a Ketchikan attorney,
and, seeing a large bundle of
Congressional Records, and being
rather near-sighted, first peered
at them and then said: “What’s
these”?
“Why that’s the Congressional
Record,” replied the attorney.
Merchant, “Congregational Re
cord, lieh? Well, I never did
have any use for these damn
church papers.”
-x
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