ALASKA FORUM
(OFFICIAL PAPER)
FoSuNr^UBUSHINGTcOMPANY™
James B. Wingate, Editor and Manager
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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30. 1905.
HOW JUDGE WICKERSHAM
REWARDS HIS HENCHMEN
The action of Judge Wickersham in
appointing H. L. Hedger to a United
States commissionership is another sub
stantiative proof of Governor Brady’s
charge—“the judge usually appoints
some particular protege,-and it is
noticed that the appointments to near
ly all the places which pay best are fill
ed by persons who are peculiarly relat
ed, socially or politically to the judge. ’ ’
Wickersham claims that lawyers only
are competent to fill the office of com
missioner, and it is a well known fact
that H. L. Hedger knows less about
law than a hog knows about paradise.
He may be another of those 'natural
bom’ lawyers—such as Commissioner J
Lindley Green claims to be, only hail
ing from Tacoma instead of Missouri,
as does the the latter.
A man more incompetent for the of
fice than Hedger cannot be found in the
Third judicial division. For Judge
Wickersham to force upon the people
such a man for United States commis
sioner, merely to repay Hedger for his
dirty work while foreman of the feder
al grand jury at Rampart, and for in
terviewing ‘Investigator’ Day; is an
act well in keeping with the ‘grand
duke’s’ corruption. The people would
not elect a man like Hedger to such an
important position, knowing him to be
totally incompetent to fulfil the duties
thereof. The appointive power should
be as discreet; knowing the people are
the ones to suffer from the imposition.
It is well that Wickersham’s name is
to be withdrawn from the senate, for
were he permitted to make a few more
such appointments, the president would
have cause to think there were none in
Alaska fit for office.
ALASKA EXPLOITED AS A
COMMERCIAL JUDICIAL FIELD
Judge wickersham now realizes in
setting his trap for Governor Brady,
by writing his ‘famous’ letter, that he
himself has been caught. Had Judge
Wickersham been honest and true to
the wishes of the people in his division,
while at Washington during the winter
of 1903-4, the Third judicial division
would have been divided, and the Yukon
district have now had a resident judge.
He could have, at that time, have made
a record which might have had him con
firmed as district judge of either divis
ion. His eagerness, however, to retain
the commercial judicial manipulation of
both the Valdez copper district and the
Fairbanks gold district caused him to
sacrifice the interests of the people,
and unintentionally ruin his own politi
cal future. That one act has kept the
division back two years in administra
tive advancement, and shows what he
would do should greater opportunities
present themselves.
District judges in Alaska are vested
with political power and great judicial
privileges. So long as this be the case
men of Wickersham’s stamp should be
kept out of the position. The judiciary
of Alaska should not be permitted to
engage in commercial enterprises with
in the District. A judge on the bench,
adjudicating financial controversies,
should not be hampered with a biased
mind caused by active personal com
mercial interests affected by such adju
dication. Judge Wickersham has de
monstrated that he is possessed of no
conscientious scruples where his finan
cial or political interests are to be bene
fited. He has taken advantage of his
judicial and political functions to ac
cumulate wealth and influence through
through illegal and corrupt channels.
He dare not permit an honest and rigid
investigation of his administration of
civil government in the Third division!
He has asked Governor Brady—owing
to the governor’s neglect to visit the
Yukon district since 1900—to tell him
how he found out about the existing
corruption of himself and others con
nected with his administration; but is
careful not to request or demand that
the department of justice vindicate him
through a rigid and unhampered inves
tigation. This being the straight course
Wickersham ignores it.
Alaska
Forum
$1.00 The
per Miners
month. Paper
Fresh Rhubarb Roots
Just received at this office, a first
class lot of Fresh Rhubarb Roots, for
next spring’s planting. These bulbs
will keep perfectly through the winter
if kept from freezing.
As we have more than we require for
our own planting, and to introduce this
valuable plant into Rampart gardens,
individuals can secure a limited quantity
at cost and carriage.
"ANNOUNCEMENT"
I will arrive at Rampart, on or about
Sept. 25, with a selected Sock of pro
visions, and establish a permanent busi
ness. My Sock will come via Dawson,
thus insuring fully matured late potatoes
and the fresheS of eggs.
.J. W. YOUNG.
The steamer T. C. Power is due here
from St. Michaels next Wednesday.