Answer Ten Questions
RIVERS
1. What is your position in regard
to historic Alaska native land
claims?
I recognize that historic Alaska
native land claims exist and that
there are valid reasons for their
existence. For this reason our na
tive groups should be adequately
compensated by the Federal Gov
ernment for such rights as they
■have lost.
2. Whet is your position in regard
to historic native hunting and
fishing rights?
I believe that Natives living in
their native habitat should be al
lowed to hunt and fish for susten
ance without interference, because,
as I have previously written to the
Secretary of Interior, I believe the
historic right is basic and exists
notwithstanding the Migratory Bird
Treaty.
3. What is the difference between
the Natives’ aboriginal rights
to hunt ducks and geese for food
and the historic right to the min
erals underenath their land?
The difference between the Na
tives' aboriginal rights to hunt ducks
and geese for food and their rights
to the minerals underneath the
public land areas which they occu
py, is as follows: Under existing law,
the Federal Government owns the
subsurface mineral values underly
ing all public land, which law can
be changed only by act of Congress,
whereas the Federal Government
does not have title to the ducks
and geese.
4. If you are elected, what con
crete programs will you pro
mote to better the economy of
native villages?
I will continue to work for Feder
al assistance in obtaining adequate
water supply and waste disposal
systems, which I consider to be a
prerequisite to economic develoD
ment. To go along with this basic
improvement, I would work for
rural development projects geared
to the utilization of available re
sources in the exercise of the skills
and taients of the people of each
area.
5. What will you do to obtain vo
cational schools in Alaska?
For several years I have worked
at the Federal level to make avail
able to the youth of our villages
needed additional high school fa
cilities. I have felt that the regular
high school curriculum could in
clude vocational facilities and train
ing and th3t meaningful vocations
require at least a high school edu
cation. I will continue working
along this line.
6. What will you do to promote
ample educational facilities in
Alaska?
I will have to answer this ques
tion in two parts, since the Bureau
of Indian Affairs operates the only
Federal schools in Alaska and the
State and local school districts oper
ate all the other schools. To improve
the B.I.A. schools, I will work for
more school rooms and more teach
ers to obtain a better teacher-stu
dent ratio. As to the schools oper
ated by the State and local school
districts, I would continue to sup
port Federal aid to primary and
secondary public schools.
7. What do you think about the
proposal to build a home for the
aged Natives in interior and
northern Alaska?
As to a home for aged Natives in
interior and northern Alaska, I am
most certainly in favor of doing
what is nece33ary to meet the need.
8. If Rampart Dam is built, what
do you think should be dene
with the people who now live
in the area that would be cov
ered?
If Rampart Dam is built, the vil
lages should be rebuilt and indi
viduals resettled at good locations
beside the eventual shoreline, as
part of the cest o£ the project or as
(Continued on Page 8)
THOMAS
1. What is your position in regard
to historic Alaska native land
claims?
They should have been recognized
and settled many years ago. The
] record of Congress in ignoring these
rights since the Treaty of Purchase
of Alaska and again since the Alaska
| Statehood Act is shameful. I would
I never cease working until suitable
legislation is passed and in opera
tion.
2. What is your position in regard
to historic native hunting and fish
ing rights?
These rights should be made clear
and protected for the natives, since
they depend on them for their liv
ing.
3. What is the difference between
the natives' aboriginal right to hunt
ducks and geese for food and the
historic right to the minerals under
neath their land?
Although all Americans have some
right to migratory wild ducks and
geese, the natives have a first and
| natural right for their food for sur
vival. The international treaty must
be revised to recognize this right.
The native historic right to min
erals beneath their land should also
be clearly defined for once and for
all.
4. If you are elected, what con
crete programs will you promote to
better the economy of native vil
lages?
I would first of all work to pro
tect their hunting and fishing and
trapping rights from outside en
croachment. I would promote educa
tion in the villages in basic trades,
skills and crafts, homemaking, agri
culture and food preservation. I
would suggest providing equipment
and training for community pro
jects such as roads, sanitation, build
ings. commercial fishing, and agri
culture.
5. What will you do to obtain vo
cational schools in Alaska?
I would work to obtain the neces
sary federal funds, to be used under
state supervision.
6. What will you do to promote
ample educational facilities in
Alaska?
My answer here is the same as
above. It is shocking that all native
high school children must go down
to Mt. Edgecumbe for schooling,
and that so many hundreds are
turned away from there each year
for lack of room. Almost a year ago
President Kennedy asked the Sec
retary of the Interior to do some
thing immediately about more na
tive schools, and absolutely nothing
has been done yet.
7. What do you think about the
proposal to build a home for the
aged natives in interior and north
ern Alaska?
As much as possible care for the
aged should be provided in the vil
lages so that they would not have
to be transplanted against their
will to strange institutions. How
ever, if this is something which
most natives will feel necessary in
the years ahead, then it should be
considered in the future.
8. If Rampart Dam is built, what
do you think should be done with
the people who now live in the area
that would be covered?
I believe, first of all, that many
careful studies should be made be
fore building such a huge project,
to find out just what people and
wildlife would be affected and to
what extent. Then the natives who,
might lose their historic areas of
hunting, fishing and living should
have the greatest voice in choosing
where they would next like to live
in Alaska and what type livelihood
they would want, with training fur
nished to help fulfil their wishes.
9. Would you work or use your
influence toward getting Congress
i to define the historic rights of na
J tives in Alaska?
My answer here is the same as
| ^Continued on Page 8)
ATHABASCAN INDIAN BECOMES PRIEST
For the first time in history on
October 6 an Athabascan Indian
was ordained an Episcopal priest.
Once a carpenter by trade, Da
vid Salmon, 49-year-old native of
the Black River country northeast
of Fort Yukon, was accepted into
the priesthood.
In an impressive heavily attend
ed ceremony, Salmon was ordained
at the Fort Yukon Episcopal
Church.
During the past century since the
Episcopal Church began working in
Alaska in 1861, it has ordained six
Indians as deacons but Father Sal
mon is the first to become a priest.
Sixteen priests, deacons and lay
assistants of the church traveled to
Fort Yukon 'from Venctie, Chalky
itsik, Beaver, Fairbanks, Minto,
Tanacross, Arctic Village and Ju
neau to be on hand for the ritual.
The largely Indian congregation '
heard the gospel message read In
their native tongue by Isaac Tritt,
a deacon of Arctic Village.
Largely self-educated, Father
Salmon studied with the Rev. Wal
ter Hannum at the Yukon Valley
Training School and attended church
FATHER SALMON
training school in Michigan.
Father Hannum presented Salmon
as a candidate for the priesthood
to Bishop William Gordon in the
formal ceremony.
Since 1958, Salmon has been in
charge of St. Timothy's Mission,
Chaikyitsik. and the Good Shepherd
Mission in Venetie. He has now be
come the priest in charge at Vene
tie.
After World War II, Salmon had
a good job as a carpenter but he
approached the priest at Ft. Yu
kon and said he would like to serve
his people. He was given encour
agement but was told he would
have to pass the same examinations
as any other candidate.
For the past five years he has been
vigorously preparing himself. In
Juneau earlier this year he passed
the Board of Examining Chaplains.
“The significance of Father Sal
mon’s ordination is that we hope it
will set the whole pattern of na
tive ministry. We hope we can turn
more and more of the work of the
church over to native ministers and
let them work us outsiders out of
a job," said Bishop William Gor
don.
SUPPORT
ALASKA TRUNK
AIRPORT
BOND ISSUE
PROPOSITION NO. 3
Strengthen Alaska's Air Facilities
and Give Tourism ft Boost
H VOTE YES!
For Proposition 3
KEEP ALASKA FLYING FORWARD
13 STEVENS
for
U. S. SENATE
Why weren't you hired?
Why should outside people come
in to work on airports, roads, and
defense projects in or near your
village?
YOU NEED: Vocational education and experience on construction projects.
Rampart Dam will bring many jobs —will you be forgotten again?
VOTE AGAINST the Democrats who remember you only when they need your vote!
VOTE FOR people who remember you all year around!
VOTE FOR STEVENS for United States Senator.
STEVENS WILL WORK FOR YOU TO HELP YOU GET JOBS AND TRAINING.
(Paid Political Adv.)