ALASKA FORUM
(OFFICIAL PAPER)
FORUM PUBLISHING COMPANY
James B. Wingate, Editor and Manager
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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1905.
A PUBLIC OFFICE:
A PRIVATE SNAP?
The press, and people of Alaska,
who are free from the financial-politi
cal-hypnotic influence of Judge Wick
ersham, are beginning to awake, as
from a-mesmeric trance and proclaim
that the “grand duke" is not what he
seems. Never has man so unworthy,
wormed himself into the confidence of
the people as has this would-be Czar of
Alaska—Wickersham. Every rightful
judicial act; every public utterance—
which contained a political boost -for
himself—coming from him during his
judgeship in Alaska, has been herald
ed to the world through a sycophantic
press, as “famous.”
Federal officials deserve no exaltation
for being occasionally' honest and just,
and conscientiously doing that which
they are sworn and paid to do. When
ever they accomplish some extraordin
ary achievement, beneficial to the peo
ple at large, they should receive proper
endorsement. Judge Wickersham has
been false to the people in his judicial
division in matters pertaining to their
financial and judicial welfare. He has
been false to the federal government
in his administration of affairs pertain
ing to civil government in the Third
judicial division. He has demonstrated
himself to be a shrewd political manip
ipulator, willing to sacrifice his con
stituents .welfare for 'political power
and judicial prestige.
He delights in harassing, with his
rule or ruin policy, those who are not
submissive to his corrupt methods.
Why has he and his henchmen so bit
terly opposed apy honest investigation
into the charges of graft, corruption
and incompetency made against him
self and appointees* and other federal
officials connected with his administra
tion? Judge Wickersham’s betrayal of
the sacred trust reposed in him by the
appointive power, should not cause the
president to think there are no men in
Alaska competent to honestly adminis
ter the functions of civil government
within the district. Roosevelt should
remember that Wickersham is not an
I
Alaskan—merely a political carpetbag
ging federal official, forced into the
district for the political relief of some
other unfortunate oppressed locality.
PEOPLE OF ALASKA ONLY
DEMAND “SQUARE DEAL”
Since Judge Wickersham has be
come the possessor of valuable mining
claims, town property and water rights
within his division, obtained through
his official position and power, he at
tempts to create a perpetual grand
dukeship for himself, with the Third
judicial division as his duchy. Had the
president sent a more reliable man into
this division in 1904, than his “special
representative,” W. A. Day, proved to
be, to investigate judicial affairs, he
Would have been spared considerable
“weariness”—caused by constant com
plaints regarding the corruption among
federal officials in Alaska.
The charges of graft and corruption,
emanating from Rampart precinct, rel
ative to Judge Wickersham and others
connected with his administration, are
true, and based on matters of record.
So lopg as the president refuses to re
ceive the proofs of same, and retains
the accused in office, he must expect
the complaints to grow stronger as the
corruption becomes greater. If these
federal officials have abused their pow
er, why haggle with them as to why
they done so? If they are the only
available timber in the Republican par
ty, then let the president choose from
among the democrats, as he has done
in other cases—W. A. Day, for exam
ple.
The similarity is quite noticeable in
Judge Wickersham’s protection of his
appointee. Commissioner J. Lindley
Green, against the charges of incompe
tency, graft and corruption filed against
that official, and the action of President
Roosevelt in his protection of Judge
Wickersham against the charges of im
proprieties in office, graft and corrupt
9
ion filed against him. Judge Wicker
sham declined to permit the proofs of
the charges against Commissioner J.
Lindley Green to be submitted to him
personally, and stubbornly persists in
retaining his appointee in the commis
sioners office against the wishes of the
people.
President Roosevelt, through his
* ‘special representative, ’ ’ refused to re
ceive matters of record pertaining to
the truthfulness of the charges filed
against Judge Wickersham, and arbi
trarily persists in retaining his appoin
tee in the judgeship of the Third divis
ion against the wishes of the senate.
* McHugh & Smith
McHugh &
*
*
m4«MW«««««44444«C4444>
NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATOR S SALE
NJOTICE i3 hereby given r that pursuant to an or
I ^ der of the Probate Court, Rampart precinct,
Listrictof Alaska, the undersigned, G. R. Wand,
administrator of the estate of Lars Svendseu, de
ceased, will, on the 25th day cf September. 1905,
at the hour of 11 o’clock a. m. on said day, at the
Court house in Rampart, sell at public auction to
tne highest and best bidder for cash, all the real
estate belonging to the said estate, described as
follows, towit:
The lower three hundred [300] feet of placer
mining claim No. 2 below discovery claim; the
placer mining claim No. 5 below discovery claim;
the placer mining claim No. 6 below discovery
claim. All said mining claims being situated on
Little Minook creek, Rampart Recording District
District of Alaska. G. H. Wand,
Administrator of said estate.
Rampart, Aug. 19, 1905. First pub. Aug. 26, 1905.
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. ^
# 1 “.-«■ n • r- - i -- ■ i - - ■ *
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