Rustgard’s Attack on the Land Suit
# . In his recent vicious attacKs
on the contemplated suit by tne
southeastern Alaska Natives for
, pompensation for land and fish
ery rights taken from them by
the United States Government,
John Rustgard asserted that
such a suit could not be won be
• *cause the Czar of Russia claimed
absolute ownership of land and
water in Alaska and sold the
‘ -same to the United States. He
attempted to prove this asser
tion by stating that the old Kla
wock cannery, the oldest insti
tution of its kind in Alaska, had
'a grant of exclusive fishery di
rect from the Czar himself, ex
tending clear out to the ocean.
We will not touch upon the le
gal value of the above state
ment at this time. We do,
however, print a letter written
recently by Robert A. Cogo of
»Hydaburg, Alaska, transmitting
to William L. Paul, one of the
attorneys interested in the suit,
. some papers which Mr. Cogo be
lieved would help prove the
claim of the Indians to owner
ship. This letter asserts that
the cld Klawock cannery, refer
* red to by Mr. Rustgard. paid the
Indian owner of Hetta Bay for
the right to fish there each year,
AFTER it had come into pos
session of its so-called exclus
ive grant from the Czar, thus
Showing that the early cannery
acknowledged Indian ownership.
It is significant that although
Mr. Rustgard attacked the Indi
an suit hysterically in Peters
burg and Wrangell, he did not
even mention it during his pol
itical speech in Ketchikan where
he saw William L. Paul sitting
in his audience.
The letter from Robert Cogo
follows:
Hydaburg, Alaska
March 29, 1930
Dear Mr. Paul:
I am mailing to you under
separate cover “registered” two
forms of notice given to one of
my ancestors in 1881. They
were in possession of Mr. Frank
Nix of this place who was given
the right to take care of said
papers for safe keeping, accord
ing to the former Native custom.
You will note that these rights
were taken away from our peo
ple without proper notice from
the Government.
COLISEUM
Friday And Saturday
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Buddy Rogers
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With
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A “Paramount” story of the Mississippi.
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Her Famous Tap Dance Movietone
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the chic Dolores holds them all.
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JIMMY GREEN
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GOLDDIGGERS of BROADWAY
“SUNNY SIDE UP”
After securing these papers,
the Chief or the man who had
them in his possession was paid
a certain sum by the canneries
:or the rights of fishing these
waters in question. I under
stand that Mr. Watoms of the
;Klawock cannery at the time,
jpaid $50.00 a year for the privi
lege of fishing in Hetta Bay and
I understand that most all im
portant creeks on this coast, es
pecially the sockeye creeks were
m possession of the Native own
ers and all fishing rights were
paid for by the canneries. You
will also note that the Native
Indian was respected and his
rights protected. This policy
was handed down to the Ameri- j
cans by the Russian Governor!
at the time of purchase.
As time went on the Natives
secured plenty of food and were
able to make a decent living. It
was not their desire to exploit
the country and grow rich quick.
Now, when they are at the point
of destitution and need, they
are forced to pack the weight of
Conservation measures and laws,
and the very bread and butter is
taken from their tables; the on
ly thing left for them to do is to
demand the rights that were
taken away from them without
due process of law.
Goodwill as you stated in the
FISHERMAN cannot be attained
on an empty stomach. We be
lieve that if the proper methods
were used and our rights restor
ed or proper compensation
made, we can all maintain
Goodwill toward our fellow citi
zens.
.. Can you blame the Natives for
demanding their rights? Were
they not the proper owners of
this land? Was there ever a
time when our Government ever
made an attempt to secure these
rights? No! ! The answer is
simple; we have the best Gov
ernment in the world, we have
educated men in Congress who
have the vision to see ahead of
time. They are willing to help
us providing we put the matter
before them in the right way. I
hope all our brothers will take
the matter to heart so that we
can secure evidence as needed
from time to time. Who knows
but what these papers will be of
great value if the case ever goes
before the Court.
Fraternally yours,
Robert A. Cogo.
PERRENNIAL WALL FLOWER
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It looks as tho Tom Gardner
will become the perennial can
nery candidate for Senator in
the First Division. He tried it
two years ago and was allowed to
decorate the backroom of the
cannery warehouses. He is try
ing it again this year and with
out doubt will be defeated. And
two years hence, he will probab
ly run again. “Tom” Jn his pre
sent campaign proves himself
disqualified for the office because
he tells such silly untruths. As
an example, at Ketchikan he
said:
. .“In the last Legislature there
occurred a spectacle that I know
would cause every one of you to
blush with shame. Will Steel,
the President of the Senate, sat
in his seat and told the Legisla
ture that not a single dollar
would be appropriated for the
Pioneers’ Home, old age pensions
or of the other activities of the
Territory unless the Legislature
passes a bill making the office
of Treasurer, Commissioner of
Education and Auditor elective.
Yes, sir, compelling the Legisla
ture by force to yield to his will.”
Why, even the Juneau Empire
I would not attempt to publish a
statement that is so far from the
truth. No such circumstance ever
occurred. The Senate early pass
ed all the bills creating the elect
ive offices. But we won’t accuse
Gardne rof expressing a “mali
cious lie.” He is just one of those
“me too” men, who says what he
is told to say. On the last night
■of the Senate session, President
Steel had th unusual honor of
leceiving praise from both the
Jmajority and minority members
for the impartial and absolutely
I fair manner in which he presid
ed over the session.
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VOTE FOR RIGHT MEN
-x
In the Republican primaries
to be held on the 29th of this
month are the namei; of a num
ber of men who are asking for
your support. For Delegate to
Congress, Hon. James Wicker
sham and Attorney General
John Rustgard; for Territorial
Treasurer, Frank L. Knight and
Walstein G. Smith; for Territori
al Auditor, Cash Cole and El
mer Reed; for Senator, Will A.
Steel and C. T. Gardner; for Re
presentatives: J. E. Johnson, Pe
ter Sommer, William L. Paul,
Grover C. Winn, Roy Noland,
Walter P. Scott, Eugene Wacker;
for School Commissioner, Leo
Breuer and W. K. Keller.
While much ado is made about
Judge Wickersham and William
Paul receiving “fat fees” from
canners for certain legal work,
attention is called to the fact
that their pictures do not adorn
the walls of cannery offices or
supporters of the O'Malley sys
tem of “conservation.” The re
cord of Judge Wickersham, in
behalf of Alaska and its people,
needs no repeating. Further, he
is the biggest man of any of
the aspirants to the office of
delegate to Congress and Alaska
need have only the best. Among
the Congressmen, Judge Wicker
sham will not be a small man in
any respect. His previous ex
perience also will serve the Ter
ritory well.
For Auditor, Cash Cole has
demonstrated his executive a
bility, his character and his
positive and determined stand
to prevent any raids upon the
Treasury of the Territory. In
every test since Cash Cole has
been in public office, he has
served the Territory faithfully
and fearlessly.
For School Commissioner, W.
K. Keller has measured up to
every qualification necessary in
the conduct of a worth while
school system. A man of posi
tive, determined character, he
has demonstrated his ability to
develop the Juneau Schools to a |
high standard and as a student j
of education will mean much to I
the improvement of the Terri-1
torial school system.
For Senator, Gardner glibly
says he will be “independent.’
Gardner is a product of
the Forestry Bureau while Steel
has consistently lived and work
ed for control of government
and its officials by the people.
For Representatives: J. E.
Johnson is best known as a real
tor of Ketchikan. He has made
appraisal of properties for sev
eral towns in the Division and
he has been fair and just in his
dealings. He has learned that
every question has two sides
and what creates wealth in the
Territory. .As owner of consid
erable real estate property in
Ketchikan, he has studied and
learned why real estate values
have dropped -put of sight. The
laboring men will make no mis
take in supporting him. William
L. Paul, has met opposition from
the Juneau Empire, Ketchikan
Chronicle, Federal Brigade and
the ‘bipartizan” politicians of
the Division. He was damned
for “betraying” the fishermen
and now those who damned him
| axe pledged to the trapleasing
bill which is worse in every re
spect than the measure publish
ed in the Alaska Fisherman in
January of 1928 and which had
the support of Paul. Paul’s re
cord has been consistent in his
efforts to better fishing condi
tions and it is through his ef
fort that Henry O’Malley res
cinded the discriminatory “hook
off” regulation. His continuous
expose of the discriminations
against resident fishermen and
businessmen has forced the Bu
reau of Fisheries into a defens
ive position which augers well
for the future.
Paul’s record has been consist
ent in working for the interests
of the fishermen and it is thru
his effort that O’Mally’s dis
crimination against seines on
the “hook-off’ was r’emoved.
Peter Sommer is a fishermen
with experience extending back
over a period of more than thir
ty years. He has been in the
Territory for that many years
and understands fully the prob
lems that must be settled. He |
is a man with a keen mind and :
of a philosophic turn. He is
a strong character and will not
be easily stampeded. His course
of action will be from the matter
of principle.
Grover Winn is known by his
record in the last legislature.
He was right in all matters af
fecting questions relating to the
laboring class and in the mat
ter of securing elective offices.
A vote for the right men at
this time is a vote to put into of
fice men and who work for prin
ciple and not principal. They
represent the rank and file of
the Territory and will work for
the best interest of all concern
ed.
BIGGER CITIES
When a city decides to make
itself bigger, better and busier,
it automatically provides for the
last qualification of the three.
In Hoquiam recently was
launched a 70-foot cannery
lender for a cannery firm in
Cordova, she will accommodate
7 men and pack salmon in Alas
ka waters.
There are shipyards literally
starving to death in the various
communities of Alaska. There
are other ship yards that are
busy the year around. The poor
and the prosperous yards could
all be made more prosperous did
the cannery corporations leave
more of their work in Alaska to
do. To make the Territory a
better place, a bigger place and
a busier place to live in, every
corporation in the Territory
must help to bring all the labor
possible into the Territory and
provide them with work instead
of spending the couple of million
dollars annually in the States.
When the businessmen of ev
ery town get back of the idea
of this publication and its spon
sors to make Alaska bigger, bet
ter and busier they will make
their own coffers full and bene
fit directly through the labor of
the masses.
m
As Modern - As Far Advanced
As The Aeroplane
“ Piggly Wiggly ” must he classed as one of the
greatest of modern inventions.
As an advancement in merchandising it compares
with the Aeroplane, the Radio. The Talking Pictures
in the Scientific field.
As the Aeroplane saves countless transportation
hours so “Piggly Wiggly ’ cuts shopping time in half.
As the Radio is a source of enjoyment to millions
so “Piggly Wiggly” brings shopping pleasure to over
3,000,000 customers who daily pass through the many
“Piggly Wiggly” turnstiles.
Rath’s Eastern Sugar Cured
Boneless Rolled HAMS
Per. Pound . . .35
Rath’s Eastern Sugar Cured
Bacon per pound ... .40
Potatoes Yakima No. One
Fresh Bunch Carrots
Per. Bunch . . . .10