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\ VALLEY-NEWS
VOL.7 _^PALMER ALASKA.__FEBUARY 11_1944. ■_NO._e.
( The following article was prepared
by Mr. Parry Ee Land,due to the facl
that the Editor missed the meetin0)
V V
Govern' r Ernest Gruoninp. mar’s a
visit to Palmer last Saturday, Feb.
5th. While visiting with Harry
Delan^ an1’ Walter Huntley, candi
dates for the Territorial Legisla
ture, he expressed the desiretoget
a few of the representative people
cf the valley together, for an in
formal ,jot together. 1 .
All available people were contact
ed an^ arrangements made to use the
lounge at the Recreation Hall. At
two about thirty people had
pothered.
Vr. Pn-.itley introduced the Govor
nor to the few people he hadn’t met
Our Governor’s remarks were,made
on, a direct and informal basis stress
ing the fact that fanning has now
become third or fourth in the lead
in0 industries of the Territory and
that we have new come to the time
when the farmer must be represented
in the Territorial Legislature.
Said the Governor, "People are in
the habit of shuddering at the word;
politics and politicians. We must
wake up to the fact that politics
is the science which treats of*
Government. A vital part in our
democratic society is played by
politicians. Our laws are made by
them, our policies set by them. Lot
us therefor support politicians we
know and can talk to when our needs
must be met. Support your local
men. They know your problems as
8ny outsider hasn’t a chance to know
them.”
A few words were spoken by M. L.
Snodgrass, Republican candidate for
the Senate, and by DeLand and Hunt
ley, Democratic candidates for the
House. The list of filings for the
various ffices, Territorial and
Divisional, were read. The merits
fof the candidates for Delegate to
;Concress were discussed and Tony
Eimends choice, E, L. (Bob) Bart
lett. was. lauded by all the local
candidates ns . a youn^. a^ressive
and extremely capable person to
take over where Tony leaves o£f-»
The merits of Ralph Rivers for At
torney General was also discussed.
He holds the endorsements of local
Democrats.
Machinery priorities were discuss
ed. The Governor told the Oathor
'in^ that he has been assured that
all requisitioned machinery will be
available to the valley. The matter
of'Statehood was brought up. The
Governor stated, "Certainly it
[would appear that any Alaskan would
iwant to share full citizenshinri hts
with the rest of the people of the
'Uniter1 States, To share that privi
lege we will also have to share
the responsibilities. There are
many pros-and cons on this question
ns to whether we are economically
capable of considering State Govern
ment ct this time. That question
‘we will have to decide for ourself
when the time comes. I do not 'con
sider it a question that we must
decide today or tomorrow. It will
take four or five years at the very
least to’ <_et Statehood, and if we
desire it within that time, we
should start thinkin^ about it now.*
It seemed that the hi^h licht of
the Governor’s remarks v/ero that we
people of the Matanuska Valley • re
now considered Alaskans and acc "t
able as such. We must start th‘ lk
in<_, alonc Territorial lines, an
take an active part in Territcri .1
affairs. We must consider alon^
with our problems, the problem of
the miner, the fisherman, the trader
and’ the trapper. We are rll an in
tegral p?;.rt of the structure of
Alaska and us such must take our
share of the responsibility.