vote, a:ivI ! see no re '.so i why the
natives in this section should be
denied the privilege granted to them.
I believe it has b e e n understood
thruout the Territory that when
ci native lives a civilized liie,
and re rogni/es no chief, clan or tribe,
he is entitle 1 tothe right of franchise.
I don’t think there is any doubt iU» t
it, especially when they come in co -
tact with the white citizens as they do
and work with and beside them in
their daily life.
We see them carrying United States
Mails, Taking Government contracts,
!>eing sig..ed on ships’ Articles as
sailors under the United States Ship
ping Laws, iCnlisting in the U. S.
Army. Navy and Coast Guard Serv
ice, Te idling i ; United States Gov
ernment Schools, and in met being
employed by whites wherever labor
is wanted, and in diverse capacities.
My belief is that .vliiie they aree ti
tled to vote,they are just as much s,»b
ject tothe poll tax asthe white, and
the fact that a native does not vote,
would not excuse him from paying
his poll tax. It would seem to me un
just to excuse any particular body
of citizens from p~> mg .. poll tax,
which was imposed i.j o.. ali otl er
citizens.Of course if the natives vveie
wards of the Government,they would
be excused from paying the tax,
but I know of no action of Congress
which has made them such wards
of the government.
Very Respectfully,
Cli as. J. K oe n,
U,S Com.St Michael I'recirct.
Oue hope of the future.
ICditor Northern Light,
Dear Sir.
In your issue of Feb. the question
is asked, have natives a right to vote
and are they subject to taxation?
The writer is not a jurist nor has
he any legal knowledge.so he can but
quote authority. Treaty rights are
the supreme law of the land. The
following is from the treaty cession
between Russia and the U.S.
“The inhabitants of the ceded
territory, according to their choice,
reserving their natural allegiance,
may return to Russia within three
years;but if they should prefer to re
main i., the ede'1 territory,t h e v,
with ti e exceptio of u civilized
native tribes sir'll 1 e /’mitted to the
enjoyment of all the rights, advun
t. gcs a: r ir.in t : hits of citizens of
the U. S , and shall be miutained.
and protected in the free enjoyment
of their liberty, property a i. d
religio i.
The uncivilized, tribes will he sub
je t to such laws and regulations as
the United States mry from time to
time adopt in regard to aboriginal
tribes of that country’’.
The fourteenth amendment declares
th it“ \11 persons born or naturalazed
in the United Stated,and subject to
the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens
of the United States and of the State
wherein they reside.”