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VOLUME 10, NUMBER 34.
HYDER, ALASKA, SATURDAY, MAY 12, 1934.
SINGLE COPIES 10 CENTS
ROOSEVELT OFFERS
FURTHER COMPROMISE
ON SILVER ISSUE
Forced by threat of manda
tory legislation for silver re
monetization, President Roose
velt offered further concessions
to Congressional silver leaders
following a White House con
ference Tuesday, according to
radio' news reports.
The President’s offer was
said to include a proposal to
nationalize silver by taking
over the available domestic
supply on the ba'siis of 50 cents
per ounce, in addition to pur
chasing foreign silver at the
same figure, and to increase
silver currency backing to 25
per cent. Mr. Roosevelt made
it clear, however, that action
under the proposed program
must be discretionary with the
executive rather than manda
tory.
The latter provision, although
diametrically opposed to the
declared intention of silver ad
vocates to insist upon enact
ment of mandatory legislation,
was apparently acceptable to
many of the Senate conferees,
but was flatly rejected by Sen
ator William E. Borah, who
was said to have left the con
ference openly declaring his in
tention to continue the fight
for better terms for silver.
Senator Elmer Thomas of
Oklahoma, who drew the cur
rency expansion amendment
enacted at the special session
a year ago, was one of the
number acquiescing in the
presidential program and was
delegated to draft a bill em
bodying Mr. Roosevelt’s pro
posals.
Reports indicate that the
President’s concessions were by
no means inspired by any in
clination to broaden the sphere
of silver. On the contrary,
they were said to have been
forced by a surprise maneuver
by the silver bloc in attaching
'to the Glass bill, providing for
directing loans to' industry, an
amendment embodying the
main features of the Dies bill.
The effect of this action w'ould
be to bring the silver legislation
to a vote in the Senate.
To avoid this unwelcome con
tingency, the President is said
to have hastily agreed to fur
ther discussion of the silver
issue.
What the final outcome of
the new situation will be is con
jectural, as the presidential
proposals must run the gaunt
let in both the Senate and
House.
Although the President’s
compromise proposals appear
ito have won over a portion of
the so-called silver bloc, re
ports received Thursday indi
Independence To Resume Soon
S. P. Fitzgerald, president of
Independence Gold Mines, left
Thursday for Seattle to com
plete arrangements, for reopen
ing that promising Bear River
property at an early date.
The Brown-Draper Company
cf Seattle, a machinery equip
ment corporation, has under
taken financing of the proper
ty and plans extensive devel
opment work, according to Mr.
Fitzgerald. There will be no
change in the capital structure
of the company, Mr. Fitzgerald
said.
F. K. Houston, formerly a
member of the Granby staff,
will be consulting engineer and
geologist.
More than $200,000 has been
expended Jn development work
on the property and over 2,000
feet of underground develop
ment has been done, much of
it in good grade milling ore and
some shipping ore. Over 3,000
--4 :n:_v
* VVl. Vi, U1UIUUUU Uillllilg 11UO
also been done.
-O
Senate Investigates War Talk
Word comes from Washing
that the Senate has organized
a committee to investigate
charges that arms manufactur
ers and munitions makers are
carrying on a propaganda cam
paign designed to promote war
for private gain and profit.
Sponsors of the (investigation
claim it can be proved.
cated that the remainder of
the group share the determina
tion iOif Senator Borah to contin
ue the battle for remonetiza
tion in spite of the defections.
Radio broadcasts Thursday
evening announced that Senat
or King of Utah had issued an
appeal for national support of
the group’s efforts. Declaring
that “now is the time for re
monetization of ■silver,” the
Utah solon urged supporters of
the remonetization cause to
throw their weight into the
scale and intimated that the
struggle to break down admin
istration opposition may be
continued in the forthcoming
election campaign if present
efforts fail.
A second conference held
Friday apparently failed to in
duce any change in the presi
dential attitude, as it was an
nounced later that Mr. Roose
velt refused to consider any
form of mandatory silver legis
lation during the present ses
sion of Congress.
Senator King also Issued a
statement ‘that progress was
being made in drafting a bill
embodying the President’s
compromise proposals, as indi
cated above.
i
ELECTION RESULTS
STILL UNDECIDED
With only one* precinct unre
ported, returns from the recent
primary election indicate with
almost certain assurance the
nomination of F. J. Baronovich,
A. H. Zeigler, of Ketchikan,
Joe Green, of Hyder, and A.
P. Walker, of Craig as the
First Division Democratic leg
islature candidates, and of
Harry G. McCain, of Ketchi
kan, Louis F. Paul, of Wrang
ell, and Frank Foster and H.
R. Shepard, both of Juneau, as
the Republican candidates. The
unreported precinct is Lorlng,
which returned 30 vote's at the
last general election in 1932.
At the time of the last report,
Green was still leading Henry
Messerschmidt of Juneau by a
small margin of votes and was
apparently due to land in
fourth position.
In the Republican division
Shepard and Fester were tied
for third place and Walter B
King was a few votes behind.
Allen Shattuck of Juneau is
certain of the Democratic nom
ination for Senator.
Oscar G. 01sori of Oordoya
was more than 400 votes ahead
of Martin Harrais for Terri
torial treasurer with only a
third of Territorial precincts
still missing and his nomination
is considered certain.
Totals of the divisional vote
will be given when received.
-o
LATE NEWS REPORTS
William H. Wcodin, 65, for
mer secretary of the treasury
in President Roosevelts cabinet,
died late last week of a throat
affection.
Plate gla‘S3 windows were
broken in a 90-second earth
quake in Anchorage last week.
A short, violent .shock which
stopped clocks was also felt at
Cordova.
A bill authorizing the town of
Seward, Alaska, to issue up to
$60,000 in bonds for construct
ion of a municipal light and
power plant has been intro
duced in Congress by Delegate
A. J. Dimond.
-o
Alleged Boat Thief Captured
Pat Kelly, alleged boat and
fur thief, sought last week by
the U. S. Marshal’s office, w'as
captured Saturday at Prince
Rupert. The power boat T1957
and a quantity of furs valued
at $1,500 were also taken by
the provincial police. Kelly
was returned to Wrangell,
where h i s alleged thefts
occurred. A
I Govt. Planning Mineral Policy
Word comes from Washing
ton that President Roosevelt is
considering the appointment of
some agency to study the min
eral production situation in the
United States and work out a
national mineral policy.
Secretary Ickes was said to
be considering the subject now.
A larger governmental inter
est in mining and assistance to
the industry when required has
been urged for some years.
Canada’s policy of fostering
the Canadian mining industry
has been of vast benefit to both
the industry and nation.
-o
Delegate Asks Extension of
Poor Convicts Law to Alaska
The “Poor Convicts’ law”
will be extended to Alaska if
a bill recently introduced by
Delegate Dimond is approved.
At present tnose wreo are
fined for violation of law must
'serve out the fines at a speci
fied daily rate if they are un
able to pay, the result being in
many cases that men are im
prisoned for months for non
payment. In continental Unit
ed States, where sentence and
fine has been imposed, the pris
oner can, after serving 30 days
beyond the expiration of his
sentence, declare himself a
pauper and if he can prove this
at a hearing he is released
forthwith. Delegate Dimond’s
bill would have that section of
the law apply to Alaska.
-o
Willow Miners Share Ice Pool
Jack Johnson and Nick Py
kil, miners of the Willow
Creek mining district north of
Anchorage, are said in reports
from the latter point to have
been the winners of the Nen
ana ice pool this year.
The fortunate miners will
divide approximately $60,000
for guessing the correct time of
the break-up of the ice on Nen
ana River.
-o
Reynolds Undergoes Operation
E. M. Reynolds, proprietor of
the local Nugget Shop, became
the victim of an appendix at
tack Saturday and left Monday
evening for Prince Rupert,
where he underwent a success
ful operation Tuesday.
A telegram received Wednes
day by Dr. J. R. Kennedy, who
is looking after his business,
said Mr. Reynolds was doing
nicely. .
ASSESSMENT WORK
SUSPENSION BILL
FINALLY PASSED
The bill postponing annual
assessment work on mining
claims was finally ratified by
Congress this week, according
to telegraphic advices from the
Cantu Mining Company re
ceived by E. D. Haddon. The
act grants exemption for the
year ending July 4, 1934.
Full details of the previsions
have not yet been received but
the enactment lis understood to
grant assessment exemption
only to claim holders who paid
no income tax for the year
1933, and to exempt only six
claims in the case o.f indivi
duals and twelve wherein part
nerships and corporations are
owners.
It is also understood that no
tices of intention to hold ex
empted properties must be
filed for record on or before
noon July 1.
o
Moose Hold Memorial Services
Impressive memorial services
in honor of deceased members
of the lodge were held Sunday
evening by Portland Canal
Lodge, Loyal Order of Moose,
and were attended by a large
gathering from both sides of
the international boundary line.
Ritualistic ceremonies and an
interesting address by Rev.
Frank Bushfield comb ined
with vocal selections by the
Stewart Anglican Church choir
and individuals, and read
ings by Rev. Father P. L.
Wholey, formed the highlights
of a program of unusual beauty
and interest.
Individual vocal solos, “My
Task” and “The Holy City,”
were rendered in pleasing and
effective manner by Jas. Mor
rice of Stewart and Leonard R.
Traversy of Hyder.
Choosing as his topic, “What
is Life?” Rev. Fi'ank Bushfield
discussed the question from an
unusual and highly interesting
viewpoint and also paid a
marked tribute to the ideals of
the Moose order. Piano ac
companiments were contribut
ed by Mrs. E. D. Haddon of
Hyder and Mrs. H. Gibson of
Stewart.
-o
Col. Stivers Transferred
Col. Edwin R. Stivers, former
local representative of the U.
S. Customs Service and during
the past three years stationed
at Nome, has been transferred
to Seward, according to advices
reaching the Herald this week.