An Alaskan Champion
When Congressman John F. Lacey of
Iowa departed from Seattle on his trip
through Alaska, he was a pronounced
opponent of self-government. Since
his return he has missed no opportunity
to publicly state his change of opinion.
In stating Congressman Lacey’s posi
tion the Seattle Times says: Mr. Lacey
believes we ought to have home rule in
form, and in substance, and that we
should adapt the government to the
situation by making the two houses of
legislature small. The fact that Dela
ware has only nine senators and twenty
one representatives goes to show that a
government can be conducted by small
numbers. Although it is a proven fact
that corruption of smaller legislative
assemblies is easier than that of larger,
much would depend upon the men elect
ed. Elect good men and the legislation
must be good.
Many modifications ought to be made
m*de in our existing laws, but congress
is too far away to work out the details.
It finds it difficult to consider and pass
on all the details for legislation for the
District of Columbia, which is about 10
miles square. Even if Alaska were
really represented in congress the task
of legislating on all details of sealing,
fisheries, forests, mines and agricultur
al possibilities, would be exceedingly
difficult at a distance of 7,000 miles. To
do that with no representative there
excepting unaccredited lobby represen
tation, who may be fighting in good
faith or not, is, of necessity, legislation
in the dark.
The idea which some men entertain
that the situation in Alaska requires
similar treatment to that of the Philip
pines, Porto Rico and Hawaii is based
on entire misapprehension of the char
acter of the' population of Alaska, which
is made up of the same races as the
population of Wisconsin, Minnesota and
Iowa. Self-government is something
learned by them from their very child
hood, and it is not education for self
government they need, but opportunity.
The problem of educating for alien
races has compelled a large amount of
consideration, while the feeling exists
that the white people of Alaska came
very near looking out for themselves in
some sort of a way, which Mr. Lacey
believes they certainly could if they
were permitted to do so.
J. W. .YOUNG
HAS ARRIVED
WITH A
NEW STOCK
.General Merchandise
AND IS NOW OPEN
FOR BUSINESS IN
N. A. T. & T. Building.
Call and Inspect Our Goods.' Fresh EGGS and Matured POTATOES; a Specialty
C. A. DAVIDSON. Succe«or To
Charles A. Traeger
Hats, Caps, Shoes, Clothing, etc. etc.
Gents’
FURNISHING
Goods....
Season Earlier This Year
The closing of the Yukon this season
bids fair to be a week, at least, earlier
than last, when it closed on Nov. 11th.
Navigation was also correspondingly
later. The steamer J. P. Light passed
Rampart Oct. 21st, for Chena, with a
river clear of ice. This year the last
boat from up river, the Seattle No. 3,
passed down Oct. 7, and on the 21st a
strip of ice extended out ten feet from
the shore line'and the river full of ice.
The snowfall this year has been heav
ier, for the same period, than in any
previous year since 1897—which was al
so the coldest. This fact, together
with the past two winters of exception
al mildness, lead some of our local
weather prophets to predict a cold win-1
ter. Others, again, claim that Alaska
winters are never alike, and is the one
country on God’s footstool where all
signs fail.
JAMES B. WINGATE
Notary Public & Conveyancer
Forum Office Rampart
GEORGE A. SALISBURY
Attorney at Law
Rampart Alaska
Masonic Association of Rampart
Meets on the last Saturday evening of each
month. All Masons invited to attend.
J. H. Hudgin, M. D. Pres. J. B. Wingate, Sec.
Jg
Julius Rahmstorf -
GENERAL MERCHANDISE
Full I me ™' GRANnE * |
1 UH L-JUC CROCKERYWARE •