THE ALASKA SOCIALIST
OFFICIAL ORGAN
of GARDEN ISLAND
BRANCH SOCIALIST PARTY
Issued by Socialist Publishing Co. at
Fifth ft Lacv Streets, Fairbanks, Alaska
A. KNOWLES Manager.
Subscription Price : $5.00 per year; $2.50
for six months ; $1.25 for three months
50 cents for one month ; single copy
25 cents, payable in advance.
PUBLISHED THE FIRST AND FIFTEENTH
OF EACH MONTH.
PUBLISHED IN THE INTEREST OF THE
WORKERS OF ALASKA
AND ADVOCATING
POLITICAL AND INDUSTRIAL ACTION ,
ECONOMIC SECURITY
There are f e w persons, who have had
to work for an employer, that have not,
at one time or another, been the victim
of competition, on which capitalism is
built, insofar as there was always some
one, not only ready to take your job if
you quit it but, would do everything in
their power to undermine you so that,
you would be discharged. Workingmen
are not the only ones who feel the evils
of the competitive labor market. In the
issue of The Alaska Socialist of Oct. 17
we said: “There are several Federal pos
itions in this district, -. . . . and it is
rumored that an attack will be made o n
the holders of those positions by the un
derground method.’’
In the Alaska Citizen of Dec. 29th,
linder the heading “Attorney’s Office’’,
the following is given out:“ . . . those
who may want to getliim (Crossley) out
of the way, might do' well to reflect a
bit.’’ a " —
It is evident that our prediction was
correct about an attack being made and
d y the underground' method. It i s re
ported that charges are to be preferred,
alleging the Heedless expenditure o f
government money, by those who are
very, very thirsty to g e t their mitts o n
govesnment money, and who imagine
it is time to get tneir feet under the pie
counter. ff"’ -■ ' - - j
Under capitalism, not even an old
party District attorney with influential
and powerful friends behind him is sec
ure in his job when the hungry and rap
acious office seeker is after his job.
The only rewedy for this is Socialism.
Socialism will give the thirsty ones jobs’
without any scheming.
THE POLL TAX -
One of the capitalist papers wants to
know what is to be done with the money
collected by the poll tax collector, while
another, evidently having obtained a
legal opinion from one of the local legal
. lights, answer the question by declaring
it to be the property of the Territory.
One of the teachings of capitalism is
never to give up any money unless you
have to, and if the money came from
the working class it would be the height
of foolishness to let go of it. Notwith
standing all the expert legal opinions
that mav be handed around to cover the
infirmities and shortcomings of capital
ist experimenting in the First Legislat
ure there i s little doubt that when suits
are entered for its recovery no court
could put itself in the position of law
maker. If you are wronged you can re
cover. We quote from the law: “Acts
done upon the faith of an unconstituiion
al statute may rliise moral obligations
.
PARTY AFFAIRS
Petersburg, Alaska.
November 28th, 1913.
To Eoeal Secretaries:
Comrades:
As I am leaving Alaska for
he States I can no longer serve in the
capacity of Provisional Secretary. I have
sent in my resignation to the National
Office. I have entrusted the affairs o f
the office to Comrade Edw. Krause of
this city who will attend to it pending
the election of a permanent Secretary.
I regret that I must leave at this time
when we are on the threshold of success
as a party, but economic condition* forces
me into another field of endeavor.
Thanking~al 1 the comrades for their
loyal support in the efforts of organiz
ation and propaganda, and wishing you
all success in the coming election,
I am
fraternally yours,
Carl A. Swanson,
Prov. Terr. Secretary.
On Sun. Dec. 21st, Branch Garden
Island, Socialist party, held its regular
meeting at E. Pozza’s cabin Garden Is
land. Three new members were admitt
ed. Bills amounting to $5.75 presented
by the Secretary were approved and or
dered paid. John L. White of Olness
got a withdrawal card and i s n o longer
a member.
Now that the Lyceum department of
the Socialist Party has come to an end,
most of the lecturers and so-called- or
ganizers have retired to their homes
excepting a few who would like to build
up machines so that they can use them
to satisfy the lust of their ambitions.
It is said that the Lyceum department
was a favorite scheme of Malon Barnes
who thought that the National Office
needed a lecture department as well as
a recreation parlor and canducted tne
same successfully until Comrade Carr
got wind of it it was quickly changed.
Anyone desiring to assist the Western
Federation of Miners on strike in Mich,
as per letter of the National Secretary of
the Socialist Party can send funds to E.
Pozza, Sec, Garden Island branch, Soc.
Party. -
E. POZZA, Fairbanks.
that the government is justified in dis
charging, when, but for such a statute
no such obligations would have been in
curred. For instance, the United States
passed an act giving a pecuniary bounty
t o sugar producers, which was after
wards repealed. Congress then passed
a n act making certain reimbursements
to persons who had expended money
upon the faith of the previous bounty
act. Regarding the validity of this latter
provision, the court decided that, even
though the original bounty act were un
constitutional, there was still sufficient
doubt about it to make it proper for the
government, in discharge of a moral ob
ligation, to reimburse those who had
spent money upon the faith of the act.
United States v. Realty Co., 163 U. S.
427. In so far as an officer, even though
acting in good faith, invades rights of
private property and personal immun
ity under an unconstitutional statute, he
is liable civilly to injured persons, just
i as though the act had not been passed
; Campbell v. Sherman, 35 Wis. 103. On
the other hand, if a public officer hon
estly thinks the act unconstitutional and
therefor declines to obey it, he is liable
: for refusal if the law' is later upheld by
the courts Clark v. Miller, 54 Is. Y. 528
I
SINGLE TAX
-A FIASCO
ment in its history, and the prospects for
the coming winter are that conditions
will get worse instead of better.
As the principle of single tax has not
been adopted by the provincial govern
ment, land is no easier to get than before.
In the cities of Vancouver and Victoria,
if a workingman buys a lot, he has to
spend money to pnfarmhouse on it at
once to escape taxation. As most of them
have net too much, the house and lot
have to be mortgaged, and the mort
gages are being foreclosed at a rapid rate
everything being lost.
From the point of view of the business
man there is no difference. Some of the
syndicates who have putup the huge
buildings that are now standing empty
would probably express themselves
strongly to the effect that it has had.a
disastrous effect, but they would be mis
taken. The present depression is general
all over this continent, and single tax
has not favorably or unfavorably affecteb
local conditions. The temporary building
boom that it created has faded away, anb
the serried rows of empty windows bear
witness that single tax is powerless to
ofFset or even mitigate the contradictions
inherent in the capitalist system of pro
duction.
As for offsetting the power o f the
trusts, Vancouver has provided a u ill
uminating instance of how it works out.
The mayor referred to above (E. D. Tay
lor), editor of the World, had a large
nineteen story building erected, and as
a result of a law suit, the facts concern
ing i t c a m e t o light. Taylor called o n
Jim Hill aijd secured from him a loan of
$300,000 for the construction, Mr. Hill
expecting some concessions from the city
to railroad interests represented by him.
Curious example as to curbing the power
of the trusts and preventing the'exploit
ation of the worker.
Single tax is a fiasco.
Yours in revolt,
J. H. Burrongh,
Sec. -Ed.
' , NEW TIMES.
A BETTER CHRISMS
There’s a better Christmas coming
In the future, not remote,
When the men who wield the hammer
Also learn to wield the vote ;
By the sighs and by the tokens
It is now upon the way.
There’s a better Christmas coming
And we’ll have it every day.
There’s a better Christmas coming
When the men who hold the plough
Eearn to hold a few opinions
That are foreign to them now.
And some mighty rural rumblings
Warn us it is drawing near.
There’s a better Christmas c&ming
And we’ll have it all the year.
There’s a better Christmas coming
i As the working men advance.
One where charity is banished
And where justice gets a chance,
When from poverty the nations
Have removed the smart and sting,
There’s a better Christmas coming
And ’twill be a steady tiling.
» .... Ex~
“I am around getting donations for
Christmas,” said the frail womau tim
idly.
‘‘What are yon going to do with the
money ?” thundered the great capitalist
‘‘Buy turkeys for the poor.”
‘‘Have they eat up already the one I
bought them for Thanksgiving ?”
READ THE DISCUSSION ON
THE RECALL OF JUDGES AND
FIND OUT WHY THE LAWYERS
ARE OPPOSED TO THE RECALL.
x < ►
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| Wholesale and Retail Bread, Cakes and Pies j
I ICE CREAM PARLORS IN CONNECTION. ♦
i Creek Orders Promptly Pilled |
♦ HOT BREAD POR DINNER t
| SECOND AVENir * Next Orpheum Theater PHONE 186 ♦
Central Saloon
Where you get the finest
Wines, Liquors & Cigars
Old Eagle Saloon stand
JOE O’CONNOR Manager.
Fairbanks Alaska
FRISS’ COFFEE HOUSE
■*
Thoroughly renovated aud rebuilt
First Class Baths, Furnished Rooms, Lunches,
Reading Room and Writing materials
^Electrlclight and all accomodations. The workerYtiome
FRONT STREET FAIRBANKS, ALASKA.
Pioneer! btel
*
Oldest And Largest Hotel
In Fairbanks.
. Warm Stables And Dog Houses.
DAVE PETREE, PROP.
y - .. . =%
Goldstream Hotel
JOHNSON AND BARBETTINE
TELEPHONE POX CITY, ALASKA
WINES, LIQUORS AND CIGARS
ROOMS AND BUNKS GOOD WARM STABLE
: L rf
SMYSER’S HOTEL
CHATANIKA
NEWLY* FURNISHED ROOMS
WARM BARNS AND DOG HOUSES
A FINE STOCK OF
WINES, LIQUORS AND CIGARS '
POOL AND BILLIARD TABLES
BROOKER’S RESTAURANT IN CONNECTION
k* J, C. SMYSER, Prop,