»l
THE SOCIALIST PRESS.
Published Weekly In The Interest Of The Working-Class.
—
No. 17
FAIRBANKS, ALASKA, 06t, 10, 1914.
Vol.l
To The Socialist Press.
The political cloud that
has overhung Alaska for
some time has now cleared
away, and many things that
were obscured are now plain
ly visible. All the political
parties have now made their
nominations and besides,
have furnished a few auxili
ary independent candidates
to prop up party weakness.
Fusion in 1912 has led tocoh
fusion in 1914. But from the
frame-up it is, very evident
that whether by means of
fusion or confusion the same
gang that has always con
trolled the political affairs of
this territory plan to contin
ue their grip. And as we ap
proach that biennial period
wherein the voters are usual
ly humbugged the gang are
very active.
To begin with “Our Jim”
has announced himself as a
candidate for re-election. It
was not necessary for him to
call a convention. He simply
drafts his own platform and
declares himself the only can
clidate worthy of the support
of the Alaskan voters. But
his services as a legislator in
the interest of the Alaskan
working class is very ques
tionable. But blessed is the
working man or woman of
Alaska that expecteth, noth
ing by way of remedial legis
lation, their, expectations
have been fully realized dur
* ing his six years at Washing
ton.
Should the Alaskan work
ing man or woman ever pluck
up courage enough to ask
Jimmie what he had done du
ring the past six years while
pretending to represent them
at Washington that has im
proved the moral or economic
Condition of the working- j
class of Alaska, he wo a
have so me difficulty in ans
ering. They are sorely in
need of some remedial legis
lation for many existing evils
in this territory, to which he
appears to be blind and una
ble to understand. The min
ers of this territory are at
least entitled to laws for the
protection of their lives while
working in the mines, and to
insure them in the collection
of their wages.
He has saddled upon this
territory a mine inspection
law that was never intended
to protect the lives of the mi
ners, a law that does not
give a mine inspector power
to condemn an unsafe mine
where he sees danger threat
ening the lives of the miners.
The only power given to tHe
mine;inspector by the law is
to visit the mines, and where
he finds the mine unsafe, ins
teadof condemning the mine
there and then, he must no
tify the governor of the terri
tory, invariaby a man whoj
knows nothing about mining!
or mine danger arid cares
iess.
He has saddled ri’non this
territory a miners’ lien law
that is absolutely worthless,
so much so, that men prefer
to take what they can collect
uhemselvv's from the opera
tors to going into court to
try and recover the deficit. A
law that is a good catchpen
ny for the courts and lawyers
instead of the miners. He
has saddled upon this territo
ry a legislature without pow
er to legislate in the interest!
of the people, without the1
consent oi a congress that
heretoforekasrefused or reg
lected to legislate for {he
oenefit of this territory, an us
urpation formerly exercised1
by George the third over the
American colonists. He has
allowed the transportation
companies of Alaska a free
hand in the plundering thro’
exorbitant freight charges
the people of the Yukon Ri
ver and its tributaries for five
years without protest. In or
order to secure (he Jiassage
of the Alaska Ruilroad bill,
he was obliged to expose the
transportation monopoly in
Alaska. After exposing the
conditions here as they have
existed for ten years,
five of which he was pretend
ing to represent the people
of Alaska in congress, he
was asked by Representative
Madden this question, “Did
the gentleman (meaning Mr.
Wickersham) knowing the
facts with reference to the
excessive charges there, ever
introduce a bill to change
the rates.” Mark well his an
swer. The gentleman never
has, for the very good reason
that there never was the
slightest sympathy for the
territory of Alaska until
Vv oodrow Wilson became
president.
Jimmy is waiting until con
gress becomes sympathetic
before he introduces any bill
continued on last page.
Our Candidates.
The Kind Of Men The Socialists Ask
Alaskans To Vote For.
i When people are called upon
to support a candidate for public
office jt is but right that they
should know something about
him, so’they may the better be
able to form somh idea as to his
character and capabilities. For
that.reason we give below a short
sketch of the Socialist candidates,
eneough to afford an insight into
V/hat manner of men they arc.
What is given shows them to
be men of experience in the
world, men of energy and self
reliance, the hardy type of the
frontier who had the courage to
break away from the beaten
paths, and strike out boldly and
make their own place in the
world. They are all workingclass
men, who understand the Social- j
ist philosophy; intc’ligent ar.d a
live to the needs and interests of
the people who vrork, as well as
to the needs and interests of A
laska in general.
JOHN m: brooks,
Candidate for Delegate to Con
gress, was born on a farm in Mi
chigan 44 years ago. He lived oh
the farm doing the ordinary work
of the farm boy and attending
public schools till 18 years of age,
then learned the iron molder’s
and engineer’s trades. He came
west to Butte is 1893 where he
worked as hoisting engineer, and
also did mining and prospecting.
Came to Juneau in 1895, working
at the mines there till ’97. Joined
the rush to Dawson, driving a
herd of cattle in over the old Dal
ton trail. He mined and prospect
ed around Dawson with varying
success til! 1990 and then stam
peded to Nome where he engag
ed in the same uncertain oecupa
lion, In 1904 he came to Fair
banks and entered the wood and
ice business and after building
up a busirieSs of considerable
proportions sdid it out in 1908 on
account of failing health. He
then took a trip outside to recu
perate, and returning to Alaska
acduH-etl ground on Jack Wade
Creek in the 40-mile country,
where ile has since been engaged
in mining.
While a resident of Fairbanks
Mr. Brooks served two terms on
the city council, making a good
record in looking after the inter
ests ofjjthe city as a reference to
old records and newspaper ac
counts will show.
k RINGDAHL,
our candidate for senator ha^
knocked about the world a good
deal. Born in the province of Os
tergotland, Sweden, in 1808, he
went to sea at the age of 16 and
while following that occupation
visited mahy parts of the earth,
finally landing on the Parific
coast in 1890. Thence he came
north, first setting foot on Alas
kan soil at Nusagak in 1894. For
four years he engaged in fishing
along the coast and prospecting
in the Lake region west of Cook’s
Inlet, then joining in the memo
1 rable rush to the Klondyke went
1 into Dawson over the Cbilcoot
| Pass. Remaining in that country
two years he went on to Nome,
1 and after prospecting and stam
peding about Seward Peninsula
I till 1904 came to Fairbanks, ar
riving here in September. Since
tli \i time be has been mining al
most continuously on Cleary ck.J
I being now located on 8 above
continued on 3rd page.
I
G. Langdon Everard in the
London Daily Herald charges
the Kaiser with sending reg
iments of Socialist soldiers
in mass attacks which result
in needless slaughter.
The newspaper reports a
gree that the brunt of the at
tack on Liege was borne, not
by Prussian but by South Ger
man troops. From private
advices it appears that the
Saxon regiments were given
the “honor” of being wiped
out by the forts.
The significance of that
statement from our stand
point, lies in tne fact that So
cialism is extremely strong
in the kingdom of Saxony,
and that the Saxon infantry
is composed to a very consid
erable extern or bociaiuemo
erats! ]f the reports I have
received are true—and I
have every reason to trust
my informants—those“rush”
tactics, which astonished the
military experts, are open
to a very sinister explanation.
The Prussian mi!itarists(and
it is well to remember that
when we talk of “German”
continued on last page.