T
hx
LÄ
· tax-IS
aus«
A. N. B. Publishing Company,
..Published every Friday by the Alaska Native Brotherhood
Publishing Company, at Petersburg, Alaska.. Entered in the Post
Office in Petersburg as Second Class Matter.
Subscribtion Rates:
The Alaskan, six months, $2.50
The Alaskan, per year, $4.00 Louis F. Paul, Editor-Manager.
JOHN RUSTGARD’S REMARKABLE PLATFORM
-x
The efforts of two such political geniuses as
John Rustgard and managing editor Pegues of the
Juneau Empire should be enough to overwhelm
the average voter. And certainly this couple of
strange bedfellows make the average reader sit up
and marvel when they try to digest John s plat
form. as recently published in his Organ.
Since the rumor became general that Henry
O'Malley had decided to nomnate John for Dele
gate it cannot be wondered that this political as
pirant, who lusts for larger salary than the At
torney General's office affords, should throw over
board his former constituency—the fishermen of
Alaska. But the real surprise is that John should
allow Pegues to pull such a boner on himself as to
make him say in one of his planks:
“I believe in elminating from the public
life of the Territory all those individuals
who make a business of stirring up antag
onism against industrial institutions for
the sake of getting a hand-out.”
For years past John Rustgard has been knock
ing the industrial enterprises of Alaska while get
ting his hand-out from the- Territorial Treasury
Now, when he hopes to get a much larger "hand
out'" from the government, he completely revers
es himself. What did John, say in his “discussion
of legislation and legislators” at Anchorage, on
Sept. 30, 1927. Listen to part of it:
“In most lurid language it is asserted
that the industries of Alaska owe their
origin and their continuance to the gen
erosity and intelligence of bureaus, and
-that we need more of them instead of
fewer. ‘ Berold,’ shout these orators, ‘is
not pulp and paper industry coming and
as the result of the work of bureaus'?
“What are the facts? If the lands of
the coastal regions had not been with
drawn from private appropriation and
placed under the bureaus, the pulp and
paper industry would have been estab
lished long ago and would probably now
have been one of our leading indus
tries. * * *
“Since that time the Bureau has been
lowering its demands and relaxing its
strictures until last Spring it offered
terms which are better than a patent to
the land. The timber is now given away
at a nominal price, etc.
“That is better than a deed, for as long as
the government holds the title the land
is exempt from taxation and the govern
ment bears the risk of destruction and
' the concomitant obligation of protec
tion. I am perfectly safe in asserting that
it is the bureau system—rather, perhaps,
I say the government ownership system
which has prevented the development of
Alaska. * * *
“The future for the development of
Alaska’s resources was never darker than
now. It would appear that the present
bureaucratic system has not only conserv
ed our resources but has embalmed them
for all times.”
Consistency is not a jewel in the crown of
John Rustgard’s dome. He is proving himself a
mental acrobat worthy of a high place among
ward leaders or heelers. After expressing him
self in such forceful and apparently sincere lan
guage, as was heard at Anchorage on that Sep
tember night in 1927, how can his present en
dorsement of the methods that he then severely
criticised be taken other than mere froht. In his
platform recently issued, writer Pegues made him
tumble all over himself, in the following words:
“I commend the Bureau of Forestry for
its determnation to have the timber with
in its keeping manufactured into articles
of commerce within the Territory instead
of shipping to foreign countries to be
there prepared by foreign labor.”
John Rustgard is certainly proving him
self a chameleon of some large size.. And the vot
ers of Alaska are just beginning to realize the
manner of man this self-important, kingly and
suave chatterer really is. He is demonstrating
just what he will really do for a big piece of money
like a Congressman’s salary. But what can be ex
pected of him when he allows such Democrats as
Troy and Pegues to flatter and lead him astray.
-x
JOHN’S LACK OF ACCOMPLISHMENT
When one seeks to determine just what val
uable service Attorney .Genera! Rustgard has
VVm. L. Pau',
Candidate For Representative
]n T he Territorial Legislature
On The Repub!ican t icket
rendered the Territory during the past nine years,
and at a cost of $45,000 for his own salary
and about the same amount for office fixtures, he
is soon stumped in his investigations. True, he
has tried and won a few important law suits
that tended to substantiate the validity of Legis
lative enactments, but any ordinary lawyer
could have done that, and possibly at a much less
cost.
Then it must not be overlooked that the Atl
torney General has written many opinions as to
the duty of officials under certain given circum
stances. But most of them have been disregard
ed. And certainly he has been of little assist
ance to the Legislature. Usually his bills have
been drawn in form incorrect, or had so many
jokers in them that they seldom received serious
consideration.
For several sessions John Rustgard submit
ted a voluminous probate code, but it was so cum
bersome and covered so wide a field that usually the
Judiciary Committee could make no recommend
ation concerning it before the session adjourned.
He would not seek to remedy any particular
wrong but most of his measures sought to correct
an entire subject, and in just the way that John
Rustgard decided should be done, which was
usually different from anybody else’s idea.
On the last night of the 1927 session of the
Legislature, the Governor did not seem to appre
ciate the fact that he should attend the session
or be available to sign the last hour measures. He
just didn’t know and the Attorney General, whose
business it was, did not inform him. As a conse
quence 18 measures were not signed until after
adjournment, thus invalidating those laws.
But John Rustgard was interested in seeing
that the general appropriation bill was signed,
because of his own salary being involved, and he
was quite active in locating the Governor to see
that this measure was legally signed. But other
important measures were no concern of his. This
is an example of John’s efficiency. What person
ally affects him is of vital concern, but what is for
the good of the Territory is more likely to re
ceive merely a shrug oi the shoulders. King John
can not be bothered with ordinary affairs unless
it be his real business of running for political
office.
And yet this same John Rustgard is ambitious
to represent the Territory in the halls of Congress
at Washington. With his indecision, Kingly airs,
and changeable views, it is a question whether he
could really accomplish anything substantial for
Alaska. Rut we rather imagine that his great ob
ject in seeking to go to the Rational Capital would
be to secure a large salary. Whether he could
earn it or not would be a minor consideration.
Ever since he was elected Attorney General,
John has sought to desert his post, have the Gov
ernor appoint his successor, and he to receive the
| salary of a Judge or Delegate. He seems to have
! no conception of the dhty he owes the electors of
Alaska of serving out his term for which he was
elected. He talks loudly of favoring elective offic
;ers but wants the personal privilege of jumping
his own job at any time he can get a larger salary,
and let the Governor appoint his successor for two
years, as in the present emergency.
JOHN STANDS ON HIS DIGNITY
As candidate for Delegate to Congress, John
Rustgard favors construction of the International
(Highway “as soon as definite steps are taken by
the Canadians to meet us at the boundary line.”
The average Alaskan is for the Highway and he
is willing to exert his influence to induce the Can
adian Government to join with us in working out
the problem of construction. But John would
stand on his dignity and do nothing until this
i great beneficial measure was assured of success.
What we need is a worker at Washington, not a
poser.
.... After belaboring and ridiculing them for
years past, John Rustgard, candidate for Congress,
is now trying to jump into the backyards of the
Federal officials in Alaska an dto be a real nice
| little playmate. But John had better be careful
for some of those boys have good memories, as well
(as good aim.
AUDITOR CASH COLE IS A
WORTHY OFFICIAL
Before the office of auditor
for the Territory of Alaska was
created the expenditure of pub
lic funds was, to an extent, a
iree-for-all. Money was appro
priated to the different depart
ments and was expended by of
ficials without any particular
reference as to whether it was
being judiciously or legally ex
pended. And there are instanc
es where money has been taken
f^om other appropriations to
pay for charges and accounts
where the regular appropria
tions had been exhausted.
But all this ended, when the
office of Auditor was created by
the last Legislature. A careful
and scrupulously clean young
man, Cash Cole, had been elect
ed Auditor by the Legislature
He was placed under bond of
$25,000, and he has been very
careful to see that his sureties
are not held to account for any
carelessness or illegality upon
his part. As a result many ir
regularities have been called
to the attention of officials who
okayed various accounts, with
the result that corrections have
been made and the law com
plied. with.
Now that he has been tested
and proven worthy, it should be
with great pride that the voters
of the Territory would give
their endorsement to the ad
ministration of Cash Cole as
Auditor. If efficiency and scru
pulous honesty counts for any
thing, there should be no ques
tion as to the nomination of Mr.
Cole at the Republican primar
ies on April 29, 1930. The Audit
or has many duties to perform,
but perhaps the most important
are set forth in the first para
graph of section 6 of the new law
>f 1929, which reads as follows:
“The Auditor shall audit and
allow all claims or demands
which are just and true and a
Iqgal charge against the Terri
tory and for the payment of
which appropriation has been
made by the Legislature. For
all claims allowed he shall draw
a warrant upon the Treasurer
in favor of the claimant, which
warrant shall designate the ap
propriation or fund against
which Is drawn, and before
being presented t*. the payei
shall b * countersigned by the.
Treasurer/'
!h!»s.v«v»vv!»Mh..it ...wv-vvvvcmWW-VVWwW-W* •
THE W\YS OF A NOTORIC
LOBBBT 1ST
i
Many people of ihe Territory
are beginning to wonder just
what the duties of Dr. Bunnell,
i
the $6,000 per year president of
the Alaska Agricultural College
and School of Mines. There are
others who know him as the
most persistent lobbyist in all
Alaska, and there are others who
think his duties require his pre
sence in Washington every win-?
ter.
As a matter of fact, Dr. Bun
nell is employed for educational
purposes and to try to build up
an Alaska enrollment at the Col
lege. This of course is uphill
work, but the Doctor likes his
frequent trips to Juneau, Seattle
and Washington. They are usu
ally taken during the winter
t’me, when he is supposed to be
busy at the College.
But with his staff of twenty or
more the 60 or 70 pupils at the
College are looked after all
right, but well or otherwise is a
question. Of course the Doctor is
making these trips at the ex
pense of the Territory, and there
can be no questions asked be
cause Attorney General Rust
gard has given the opinion that
Territorial appropriation must,
be paid in lump sums to the j
Treasurer of the College, to be;
expended as the Doctor’s wild
est dream suggests.
When Juneau sought to send,
a special attorney to Washing
ton to look after legislation and!
appropriated $2,000 to pay thej
expense, Emery Valentine sought!
Pool and Billiard Tables
At
Cigars and Tobaccos of all kinds
John R. Kolstrand
General Blacksmith
S Pe'.eresburg :
: Alaska |
■■iiriini J
Delicious Devils Food Cake And
Fresh Cream Puffs For Saturday
THE STAR BAKERY
I'Oaossa
The New ^orl<
Pool Billiard And Card Room
Choice Cigars, Tobaccos And Candies
New Tables And Equipment
Dick Kuwata, Prop.
“Florsheim,, Shoes
Okmiiman’a f
Julia’s Pies
At
Club bunch
24-Hour Service
04^><.ta>c83ec8oeoeoeoeoeo9oec8oec809ce»sec8oece3eo6sa3eoeoeoeo90tceoeoeoecaoeoeoeoB08ffioeob
ALASKA CAFE
Sam Kcmotftbara, Prcpiietor
EcjI 1VC< a Is 5cn<d si a II iir. < s.
Service: 6 a. m. to 12 p. m.
x~x~xk~xk~x~xk~xkk~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x»*x~x~x~X"X~>
v^X^X**!**!**********
Suggestions For Breakfast
“Carnation” Wheat or Oat Flakes
Puffed Wheat, Puffed Rice
“Amocat” Minute Oat Flakes
Shreded Wheat Cream Of Wheat
l Mothers Oats H. 0. Oats Bran Flakes
Cite Sanitary market