VOLUME NO. VI.
PETERSBURG, ALASKA .
September 4, 1931.
NO. 7
Rasmuson Expresses Political
Views Touching Voters
A. E. Rasmuson, Skagwa;
banker and politician, with i
chain of banks extending thru
out the Territory, was a Juneau
visitor Saturday, and while in
town he called on The Stroller’s
Naturally, the talk di’ifted
around to politics, and the fi
nancier was asked to give his
viewpoint on politics, national
and territorial.
Mr. Rasmuson was emphatic
in his opinion that Mr. Hoover
would receive the nomination, if
he cared to run again, and be
lieved he would be elected by a
lar ger vote than in the last elec
tion.
In regard to the Indian vote,
he said:
‘Too much stress is placed up
on the so-called Indian vote.
Why not call it Territorial vote,
and not differentiate between
the Indians and the whites. I
believe and have always believ
ed that to call that part of the
Loot Returned
For a Song
Bread cast upon the waters
returned to Mrs. J. E. Gamble of
Seattle a year later whan a re
pentant burglar returned to her
a quantity of jewelry that he
and a confederate had stolen
from her home on July 4.
The burglar had been a pris
oner in the county stockade
when Mrs. Gamble, a Presbyteri
an Church worker, went there
last summer to sing for the in
mates. When he learned, thru
newspaper accounts of the bur
glary, who she was, he wrote her
a letter of apology and returned
two Sunday school pins that he
naa taKen.. yesierctay ne re
turned a pearl necklace, a gold
ring, a Masonic emblem pin and!
foui silver spoons.
She found them on her front
porch when she opened the door
And the next post brought her a
letter in which he warned her
that his accomplice was plan
ning to rob the house again.
“Dear Lady,” he wrote — or
rather printed, “keep a watch
out. Someone is going to try and
get in your home.. Upstairs win
dow was the entering place last!
time.. The guys is going to try!
and get away with two guns that'
are in your husband’s room up -
stairs.. You got no phone against
you.. The few articles I sent back
I hope you got them KO. ± got
them at Portland.. Watch cut.”.
Mrs. Gamble . was awakened
by one of the burglars at the
time of the robbery in July, and
he threw a cigar box at her when
she made an outcry. The next
day she got a note in which the
repentant burglar said:
“I am just getting over the
shock of finding out it was you
we robbed. And to think that
we hurt you. after you had come
out to the stockade and sung for
us. If I was alone in this dirty
deal I would return everything.”
—Seattle Times.
Editor’s note: Mrs. Gamble is
a sister of David Leask of Met
lakatla. Was married to John
E. Gamble for many years a mis
sion worker in the Sitka Train
ing School.
-x
NEW USE FOR BUTTER
-x
Farmers in the Imperial dis
trict, Regina, B. C., unable to get
more than ten cents per pound
for dairy butter, are using this
product as axle grease on their
farm implements. The butter is
said to make a good substitute.
—X
/ electorate the “Indian vote,” wa<
done to awaken prejudice and
( split the vote, to the benefit ol
designing pcliticains. To me
| there is no ‘Indian’ vote—it Is
jail a vote cast by Alaskans. An
! Indian who is intelligent enough
(to vote and who does vote,
! should be regarded as a citizen
■of Alaska and no distinction
| made in the laws governing such
I vote.
“The Indian who votes for a
party candidate should be re
j warded by the party he affiliates
j with, the same as the white vot
i er is regarded.
j “There are many jobs in the
j Territory which could be given
| to the Indians. They would be
'most efficient as stream ward
ens, game wardens, forestry offi
cials, and in fact in many offic
es where I believe they would
serve the government as good
as any other voter.
“I have always deprecated the
segregation of voters by race. It
has appeared fundmentally
wrrong to me to do so. The Indi
an is an American, and a citizen.
He was here before the white
man. and should have some
rights as to the laws which gov
ern him. The Indian is entitled
to official positions if he is com -
petent to fill them. To ask for
his vote and pamper him. at
election time, and then forget
his existence in the interim is
wrong, and the practice is work
ing for a division of the Terri
torial vote, to the great harm of
both parties.”
Mr. Rasmuson stated that he
believed Alaskans did not go to
the polls to elect their man, but
rather to defeat the candidate
whom they disliked.
He declared that unless the
Republican party organized and
started an aggressive campaign
in the Territory, they were liable
to lose a number of offices in the
next election.
“The delegates to the conven
tion should be pledged to Her
bert Hoover, for he is the logical
man to succeed himself.—Stroll
er’s Weekly.
-x
Alaska Should
Ask for Share
-x
Laden with 49,524 sealskins
''’lined at $1,750,000, the United
States Navy transport Vega,
Comdr. Carl Krekcw, arrived in
Seattle last week from the PrJ
bilof Islands. The Vega brought
the largest and most valuable
sealskin cargo ever landed in
Seattle. The skins were ship
ped to St. Louis where tv ey will
be dressed and plucked and dyed
and then sold at public auction.
The Vega carried 4,000 tons of
supplies and coal from Seattle
to the Pribilofs and landed the
freight in small boats. Unfa
vorable weather made difficult
landings.
-%-x
ALASKA PICTURE BRINGS
LARGE SUM
-X
I Bernard E. Smith, New York
| stock broker paid $25,000 for a
j hundred-pound gold brick souv
lenir from the Alaska-Juneau
Mining Co., last week and he also
paid $10,000 for Sidney Lawrence’
picture of Mount McKinley, the
highest peak in North America.
Lawrence was reported as re
cently suffering a paralytic
stroke at his home in Los Angel
es. The picture was purchased
'through a Juneau dealer.
I
i
Our present experience shows
us what happens when Labor is
disturbed. Speed the day when
the man who gives honest toil
will receive adequate recom
pense for his efforts. In Alaska
Labor asks for opportunity to
earn to spend. Are you giving
Labor support or do you expect
to be always on the receiving
end?
,vvv*vvvvvvvvvvvvv»>'V'vn:>'V'» i
Legion Banquet
Closes Convention
-x
The final gesture of the Amer
ican Legion Convention, Alaska
Department, held in Petersburg
August 26, 27, 28, proved one of
the most enjoyable features of
convention week. The Legion
banquet, at which all visiting
members and delegates of the
Legion and Auxiliary wrere the
guests of Petersburg Post No. 14,
was held at the Sons of Norway
Hall, Friday evening. The ban
quet hall had been most beauti
fully decorated for the occasion
in the Legion colors, blue and
gold, and the long tables were
loaded with good things that
cheer and fill the inner man,
prepared under direction of Mr.
Frank Estrada, proprietor of the
Grand Cafe. A bevy -of high
school girls under the direction
of Miss Helen Lund, served
course after course as an earnest
to all the guests of the heartiest
hospitaility of the Petersburg
Fost.
More than 120 merry-makers
sat down together for a season
of mutual felicitation and relax
ation following the more serious
business sessions and a surcease
fiom reports, resolutions, elec
tions and whatever else is done
in conventions. Past Command
er Frederick Nelson of Peters
burg acted as toastmaster and
presented to the assembly, one
after another, both the retiring
and incoming officers.
Ralph R. Reeser, of Fairbanks,
Department Commander Elect,
rallied the organization to “car
ry on” the Legion’s five-year
program of Child Welfare, the
adoption of which is being hail
ed thruout the Territory as the
outstanding achievement of the
Petersburg Convention. Com
mander Reeser has well demon
strated his ability as a leadei
and his fitness for the highest
office in the Department. He ii
now serving his second term a:
j Commander of Dorman H. Bak
► vv> VV\V*
MAIL ORDER HOUSE MERGER
IS RUMORED
Merger negotiations between
Sears Roebuck & Co., and Mont
gomery-Ward & Co., are report -
ed as having reached a stage
where terms have been discuss
ed by representatives of the two
com* anies. A preliminary re -
port on the merger was made in
July, it was said and has beer,
under consideration since.
It is said that such a combin
ation will make a saving of over
?10,000,000 in catalogs alone.
er Post and is a responsible offic
er in various other patriotic and
fraternal organizations at Fair
banks where he is also in charge
cf the U. S. Signal Corps cable
and wireless station.
Mr. Reeser was followed by J.
A. Talbot, Ketchikan, retiring
Dept. Commander; Mrs. Edith
foheelor, Juneau, president-elect
of the Auxiliary; Mrs. Laura
Johnson, Petersburg, retiring
president of the Auxiliary; D.
W. Chase. 2nd -vice president
elect of the Legion and Mrs. Ed
na Polley. Other celebraties, in
cluding Mayor Ohmer, Peters
burg, Mayor N. R. Walker, Ket
! chikan, Miss Barrett Willough -
i by, noted writer of Alaskan
stories, were presented.
The 1931 membership cup was
presented to Mrs. O’Neil of the
Cordova Auxiliary by Mrs. Laura
Johnson and Past Commander J
A. Talbot presented the member
ship trophy to Warren Taylor of
the Cordova Post. President Mrs.
Sheelor presented the Past Pres
iident’s pin to Mrs. Laura John
,son.
! Following the banquet came
(the grand convention ball with
I many happy couples packing the
I hall until in the wee sma’ hours
northbound steamers took away
many of the visiting friends who
professed appreciation of the ef -
. forts of the Petersburg Post and
Auxiliary to make their brief so
, joum here somehow enjoyable
; in spite of the weather man’s
tears.
Salmon Men
Again Unite
Leaders in the canned salmon
industry of the Northwest last
week announced a new union,
designed to rescue it from the
chaos prevailing. Pacific Salm
on Sales Corporation is the title
of the new organization. Its ar
ticles of incorporation were filed;
at Olympia last week. E. A. Sims
was unanimous choice of trust
ees for president. Headquarters
will be in Seattle; the capital
structure is 100,000 shares no par
stock. This is said to be a con
structive effort to remedy condi
tions that have adversely affect
ed thousands of fishermen as
well as the packers along the I
Coast to the tip of Alaska.
This new organization is the
culmination of discussions that
have lasted many months, dur
ing which prices of canned salm
on have fallen down to pre-war i
prices. I
The following trustees were
E. B. Deming. president of the P. i
A. F. Co., D. E. Skinner chairman
of the Alaska Pacific Salmon!
Corporation, P. L. Smithers, vice'
president and general manager
of Booth Fisheries, R. R. Farish,
Seattle manager for New Eng
land Fish Co., E. B. Hanley, Pres
ident of the Copper River Pack
ing Co., J. O. Morris, Everett,]
manager of the Fishermen’s
Packing Corp., H. A. Fleager,
manager of the salmon depart
ment of the Kelly-Clarke Co., R.
i A. Welch, president Bellingham
[Canning Co., Daniel Campbell,j
President Astoria & Puget Sound j
Canning Co., V. H. Elfendahl.i
president A. P. S. Corp., and E. A. j
Sims, business advisor of the
Washington Fishermen’s Co-Op
erative Packing Co.
-x
TIMBER FOR PENCILS
-x
Nearly 40,000.000 board feet of
wood are used annually in mak
ing lead pencils, says the United
States Forest Service. I
Politicians On Anxious Seat;
Political Pot Is Simmering
Alaska politicians are cn the
anxious seat these days. A num
ber of choice plumbs remain on
the political tree, and despite
vigorous efforts by a number of
really able candidates they can
not jar loose. Official Washing
ton hangs back in the traces
and the appointments, which
should have been made some
time ago, have been bandied
f round until even men close to
the administration are at sea.
Vacancies exist in the Second
Division in the offices of Feder
al Judge, district attorney and
United States marshal. The
reason for one vacancy is that.
Judge Lomen has not been con
firmed. owing to political bick
erings, altho he is still holding
office and administering justice
until his successor is appointed.
District Attorney J. H. Hart re
signed from office last month,
his resignation to take effect
July 31. He will go to Portland
to engage in private practice.
Charles Jones, who holds the
office of United States Marshal,
also has not been confirmed, and
there appears to be no let-up to
the deadlock affecting his ap
pointment.
In the Fourth Division, Judge
Cecil Clegg has been refused
cor firmatnn and is holding over.
Un ed States Marshal H. P. Sul
livan of the Third Division, al
so load enough political enemies
to hoM his confirmation in
abeyance, and the fact that he
has powerful political backing
and has made an excellent
marshal the past several terms,
appears to carry no weight.
Many candidates have appear
ed for the vacancy in the district
attorney’s office at Nome. Chief
among these, and a man to be
reckoned with, is V. A. Paine, a
Juneau attorney with a fine re
cord and a host of friends. Roy
Sullivan, assistant district at
torney at Cordova, also looks
longingly at the position with J.1
L. Reed, now assistant district
attorney of Seward, a pioneer
attorney of the Third Division,
mentioned as a candidate. Mr.
Reed is an able lawyer, has been
U. S. Commissioner at Valdez for
a number of years, and has held
many other important govern
ment positions. H. Castle, clerk
of the court for the Third Divi
sion, with headquarters at Val
c'ez, and Pat Gildea, an attor
ney-at-law of Cordova, is reach
ing out for support. Walter King
assistant district attorney at
Ketchikan, has been mentioned
as a candidate. With these can -
didates polishing up their ar
mor and sharpening their weap
ons for the fray, there will be
cons’derable friction develop
before the office is filled. All
candidates mentioned are very
able men, with no flaw to be
found in their official records.
Attorney General John Rust
-x
ANOTHER GOLD STRIKE FOR
B. C.
Reports of rich gold findings,
including a nugget weighing 47
ounces, in placer gold mining
in Northern British Columbia
were published in Victoria, B. C
last week. The nugget was re
ported found on Ruby Creek, in
the Atlin District, by the Lake
Superior Mining Co.
A fifteen-ounce nugget was re
ported found by E. O. Tumquist
of Atlin on his placer claim.
With a partner, it was said, he
took out sixty-seven ounces ol
• gold in two weeks.
; gam, of Juneau, the “Grand Old
Man” of Alaska, ~ with more
friends than any man needs in
£. successful life; a brilliant ,able
politician of the old school, is
mentioned to succeed Judge
Clegg’s nomination provided Mr.
Clegg’s nomination cannot be
confirmed. It would, be like
shooting off a cap pistol for a
presidential salute for The
Stroller’s to attempt to elaborate
upon Mr. Rustgard’s qualifica
tions for any office the party
might bestow upon him. He is
the best judicial timber to be
found in the legal profession to
day.
Marshal Sullivan is said to
have for his opponents Deputy
K. I. Staser of Anchorage; Harry
Close of Cordova; Deputy Boyer
of Kodiak, and several dark
horses who are champing at the
bit in their anxiety to announce
their candidacies. However, Mr.
Sullivan has some mighty pow
erful political friends, and a long
record of efficient service behind
h'.'m. He has made a good offic
er and some people are hard to
please if they want him ousted.
With Staser in office it would
really be David and Jonathan
perpetuated, as Mr. Staser could
not afford to down a man who
so repeatedly has demonstrated
his friendship. Not that Mr.
Staser is not a good officer—for
lie is—a mighty good one, and
on? who has been a power in
Third Division politics in an un
der-cover way. He is a Legion
pire a student of human nature,
and his long tenure as deputy
has never been marred by any
official act of inefficiency.,
A. E. Rasmuson has not yet
fully decided to accept the can
didacy for National Committee
man, until he finds out what the
present incumbent, A. E. Lath
rop, intends doing. Mr. Lathrop
has not announced his plans
publicly, but a wee birdie has
repeatedly whispered that he is
inclined to let the office go and
devote his time to his rapidly
growing moving picture inter
ests.
Mr. Rasmuson’s many friends
have been urging him to come
out for the office, for which he is
unusually fitted by business and
by political ties. He is a very
able man and has a general
grasp of Territorial conditions.
He is a strong supproter of the
administration and it is general
ly believed that the opposition,
if any, to his candidacy may be
overcome by the fact that every
Republican should work for his
party, and vote for the man the
majority wants in office.
For the delegate to the Na
tional convention, naturaly our
vote and our sympathies ara
with Albert White, U. S. Marshal
lor the First Division. We know
Mr. White, and are convinced
there is no other man in Alaska
with his power to smooth out
political rough spots and bring
harmony to warring factions.
He has a fine political record,
and in case he is elected we
know that he will go to the Re
publican convention with a vote
for Herbert Hoover locked up
and nailed down. He stands
well with the administration
and has a large number of
[influential Congressmen behind
him.
No matter what the outcome,
there is bound to be considerable
satisfaction in the knowledge
that so many able men can be
found to represent the party;
everyone a genuine Alaskan,
I with the seal unbroken.—Stroll
[er’s Weekly. ^