ALASKA FORUM
(OFFICIAL PAPER)
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James B. Wingate, Editor and Manager
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SATURDAY, AUGUST 12, 1905.
JUDGE DAY AND PRIVATE
AXE-GRIND INVESTIGATION
Washington correspondents claim
that so many complaints have reached
that city relative to serious corruption
existing among federal officials in Al
aska, and the abuse of their official po
sitiohs; as well as charges of gross in
competency, that the president is per
plexed as to which is the right course
to pursue. The charge claiming that
Judge Day, during his trip of investiga
tion, “permitted himseif to be used by
designing persons having their own ax
es to grind,” is well founded. Day’s
actions on the Yukon certainly created
the impression that he readily submit
ted to the wishes of certain travelling
companions who are known to be per
sonally interested in the reappointment
of Judge Wickersham.
The president must certainly be sat
isfied that Judge Day failed to perform
the duties imposed upon him, as special
investigator, in an impartial manner.
The only attempt at an excuse for the
refusal of Day to investigate Rampart
court center, was given at Rampart re
cently by Congressman Lacey, who
said he understood that the steamer,
which was conveying Judge Day down
the Yukon, would not wait for him at
Rampart. Such an excuse is equivalent
to admitting that Day was manipulated
by the boosters of the transportation
corporation upon whose public. convey
ance he was riding, and who caused
him to neglect and refuse to perform a
duty involving the rights of the people.
Judge Day would not have had to re
main at Rampart very long, even had
the Susie proceeded on her way with
out him, until another steamer would
have conveyed him to Fairbanks. His
time belonged to the government, and
it being but July 26, when he passed
Rampart, a day or two at this impor
tant point would not have caused' him
any serious delay, and would been more
bennficial to the cause of justice—but
not for Wickersham—than was the sev
eral days he remained at Tanana, en
route from Fairbanks to Nome, where
no matters of record could be obtained.
All such facts having been made as
clear to the president as they were to
the senate, it surprises the people to
learn that the president is perplexed as
to the proper course to pursue. It is
not only for “the good of the service"
that these corrupt officials should be
“summarily dismissed," but also for
the future safety to government funds
which they have been so outrageously
pilfering.
WHY NOT PUBLIC INSTEAD
OF PRIVATE INVESTIGATION?
_\_
Alaska is full of “special investiga
tors” this summer, it is claimed, and
while they are not travelling with big
brass bands, as did that star investiga
tor, Judge Day, the hunted “partrid
ges” are keeping an eye on their move
ments. These investigators all seem
to leave Washington with the same re
commendations a3 did Judge Day: that
of experience and ability, and “enjoy
ing the fullest confidence of the execu
tive. ” It is to be hoped they will not
betray that confidence as did Day,
The people only ask for justice, legis
lative measures applicable to condit
ions of the country, and honest officials
to administer the laws. When such
corrupt officials as Judge Wickersham,
Deputy George Dreibelbis and Commis
sioner J. Lindley Green are upheld and
protected in their nefarious manipula
tions by their superiors in office, it
causes the monopolizing criminal ele
ment to strengthen their ranks with the
patronizing influences so detrimental
to the individual rights of the people.
When matters are so manipulated as
has been in the Third judicial division,
protected by the highest officials in the
National administration, it creates a
doubt in the minds of the people as to
Roosevelt’s sincerity in the promises
he made before election, relative to
corrupt officials. The senate is not in
doubt as to the proper course to pursue
and should the- charges filed against
Judge Wickersham be read in open
session of the senate, as it is now alleg
ed it will be, and the whole matter thus
ventilated in the halls of congress,
there will be political and financial man
ipulations exposed that will cause the
operations of Boss Tweed to appear as a
“jewel beside a dung heap.” -
There is no denying the truthfulness
of the charges made against these of
ficials. Matters of record cannot be
disputed, nor can facts known to the
people be obliterated. Harmony can
not prevail so long as such corrupt of
ficials are kept in office.
Op all the whelps of Satan the
meanest is the lawyer who stirs up lit
igation for the sake of making a fee.
Barratry, as this practice is known in ,
the legal profession, is not only a vio
lation of law, but is condemned by the
code of honor of high-minded, honest
attorneys, and always has been from
the time of Blackstone down.—Ex.