ALASKA FORUM
(OFFICIAL PAPER)
FORU!^^
James B. Wingate, Editor and Manager
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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1905.
“Investigator” day's Canadian
plan of establishing a mounted police
system in Alaska, receives the same
endorsement from the people, as -does
his recommendation for the re-appoint
ment of Brady and Wickersham. Had
Day remained a few days longer in the
Dawson district he might have favored
the adoption of the Canadian system
of hydraulic mining concessions,—so
much in vogue with land grabbers in
that country. It looks as if our gov
ernment is sadly deficient in originality
if it has to look to foreign countries to
tell it how our frontiers should be po
liced. Americans are competent to
devise adequate plans for their self
protection and home government.
Had Day devoted less time and at
tention to Dawson, and more to impor
tant points and official matters in the
Third division, he might have finished
his work in Alaska with as much honor
and respect as he commenced it. Many
a good man has gone wrong by not be
ing strong enough to withstand the
wild, glittering influences and represen
tations at Dawson.
Everyone who has travelled from
* Skagway to Dawson knows just what
kind of an organization the mounted
police is, and when an American be
comes so infatuated with he system
as to recommend its adoption by our
government, he is also the man to en
dorse the administration of Brady and
v Wickersham. No doubt the mounted
police scheme was inoculated into Day
by the same inoculators as originated
the idea that he endorse the above
mentioned candidates. Brady's sole
ambition is to advance the Indian, anci
claim a decreasm} white population;
Wickersham has rendered a decisioi
that all the Indians from the mouth o
Copper river to the Aleutian islands an
American citi.ens! With Brady an:
Wickersham re-appointed, and thi*
mounted police system under thei
manipulation, the entire po'ije fore
would be composed of these “Amer
icanized” Indians. All of this portion
of Day s report can easily be traced tc
a common purpose, and the key is very
apparent to those have given the mat
ter some attention.
One excuse given for Day's unjust
actions is tha£ he ip not a Westerner;
that, —4'he is eastern born and bred;
has never been a Westerner, but has
resided in Washington as a federal of
ficial since receiving a commission from
President Cleveland many years ago.
He is not a pioneer, and it is not to be
expected that he would fully under
stand pioneer conditions when he came
here, and he was in Alaska only a short
time.”
Day’s demonstrated submissiveness
to official manipulation shows that he
is not a Westerner. It being his offic
ial duty to investigate matters pertain
ing to the good* government and wel
fare of frontier country; why were not
the ideas and experiences of our peo
ple worth some consideration? If he
did not fully understand pioneer con
ditions, the ones to give him proper in
formation were the pioneers of the
country, and those familiar with west
ern ways, and the needs of the people.
The fact that he was in Alaska but a
short time is no excuse for his misrep
resentation of the wishes of the people
and their condition.
AH frontier sections of these United
States have progressed satisfactorily
without this system of mounted police
and Alaska can be no exception tb the
rule. Eastern ideas and Canadian cus
toms may; coincide with the plans of
the Brady-Wickersham combination,
but will never receive the approval of
Alaskans as being applicable to. good
government. Day appears to have
made all manner of recommendations
for absorbing government money thro
channels beneficial to federal officials,
,but he suggests, no provision for the
care of the prospector who becomes
disabled and helpless thro his efforts to
overcome the hardships and dangers of
this NoHidafidv Were the money* nec
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m
essary to maintain such a police system
devoted to the maintainance of hospi
tals, and providing proper medical at
tendance for the sick and needy, it
would be more appropriate and bene
ficial to the people.
)
i
Washington dispatches state that#
if the bill introduced by Senator Nel->
son become a law, Canadian vessels
would be allowed to enter the Yukon
river trade, and a general lowering of
freight rates, due to increased compe
tition would probably follow. At least
that is what the author of the measure
expects. If the measure be enacted '* .
Canadian steamers now plying between *
Dawson and Whitehorse will be allow
to proceed down to the several rivex^i
points in Alaska. The bill will be bit- |t
terly opposed by the American trans-. 1|
portation companies in Alaska.—guide. 1 \ t
Next Saturday, the term of the Fif
ty-ninth congress begins, and its pre
decessor becomes but a memory. Of#
the present senate, the terms of thirty
of its members expire. Nearly all of
these members have been re-elected.
This leaves but six days for the present
congress to dispose of all business
originating therein.
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