Cordova Daily Times
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H. G. STEEL
EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.
MEMBER OF ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Associated Press Is exclusively
entitled to the use for republieation of
all news credited to it or not other
wise credited in this paper and also
the local news published herein.
All rights of republication of special
despatches herein are also reserved.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY *12, 1918. ~
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
One hundred and nine years ago to
day, in a humble cabin in the state of
'Kentucky, Abraham Lincoln first saw
the light of day. Amid scenes of
poverty and hardship such as are not.
happily, common in these days, the
igreat soul which was to have such a
marvelous Influence upon the coun
try of whose spirit and ideals he might
be said to be a personification grew
and developed. With no advantages of
education or cultural environment, he
absorbed knowledge and experience
from his wild surroundings which in
later life were to stand both his coun
try and himself in good stead. The
self-taught boy became the lawyer, the
politician, the statesman, and later the
martyr.
In all history there is probably no
record of a life which has more to in-j
spire the humble and down-trodden
to hopes for the future, and the more 1
favored by fortune to a useful life, j
than that of Lincoln. Ungainly in
appearance, and homely in speech and
manner, he became the pattern after 1
which American fathers have en
deavor for generations past to rear
their sons and to instill in them that
love of knowledge and sense of jus
tice which were the distinguishing fea
tures of this great man's life.
The present is a fitting time to pon
der on the work of Lincoln and the
Ideals for which he stood and for
■which he died. His was indeed the
Ikind of democracy of which the fathers
rat this great republic dreamed when
they reared the fabric of its govern
ment from the wreck of the revolu
tion—a man who “with charity to
ward all, with malice to none,” could j
mete out justice to the humblest slave :
with as generous a hand as to the]
greatest in the land. His simple, j
kindly heart could conceive of no dif
TeiCnce before the law as between
iQfcres and Lazarus. 1
Itihs not difficult to picture the pos-j
ition of such a man as Lincoln in the
present crisis of this nation. Let us j
hope that the men into whose hands
llhe destinies of this government have
been entrusted will see an inspiration
in the life of the great civil war presi
dent, and attempt to solve the momen- j
tous problems before them in the same ,
spirit of democracy which he would,
have brought to the decisions before
them.
LET US BE CONSISTENT
—
One fears at times that some of our
Democratic politicians are, in their j
anxiety to preach patriotism to their
fellow citizens, getting the cart con- j
tinually before the horse. For in
stance: In one breath we are sol-j
emnly reassured of the popularity of,
the war and in another we are warned j
that the people are not keeping pace |
with the administration in the prose-;
cution of its war program. We are
told, also, from time to time, that j
one of the chief labors confronting'
the administration is that of having to
educate the people up to the necessity
of waging this war for the safety of
themselves and the salvation of hu
manity in general. This accomplish
ed, then we are assured that a tremen
dous obstacle will have been removed.
Perhaps so. But why worry about
the attitude of the great American
people? If deeds and declarations are
fcny criterion of their attitude toward
the administration, then surely they
have been backing up the President
jn splendid fashion. This too, in spite
of the fact that much has been done
by those in authority to make the war
decidedly unpopular with the people,
both before and since its declaration.
The result follows that the American
people are in no mood to listen to
pretentious preachments of politicians
and others, who take patriotism for
their text and have the gall to as
sume a holier than thou attitude them
selves, while they proceed to read the
riot act to their fellow citizens.
This disposition is altogether incon
sistent with the facts. Any man con
nected with the administration shoulc
carefully measure his words before
undertaking to accuse the America!
people of holding back. At least, hi
should first make certain that his owe
skirts are clean and that he has con
tributed nothing to the spirit of in
difference said to be prevailing. And
speaking of “backing of (he I’resi
J dent"—8 cry that has become a waste
(of words, in view of (he magnificent
response that has been made to the
President's every request—we wonder
whether it has ever occurred to those
who would still complain of conditions,
that the great rank and file of the
American people have as a rule been
ahead of the administration rather
than behind it in all matters incidental
to the war.
It goes without saying that the
i American people were strongly in
, favor of preparedness long before the
I administration accepted that policy
j The force of public opinion was
j against the shipments of cotton to
I Germany to be made into ammunition
j for warfare against humanity while
the administration was still insisting
upon the right to continue such ship
ments through the medium of the neu
tral nations adjacent. When the
Lusitania was sunk, the American peo
ple were ready to go to war to hold
Germany to a “strict accountability”
for that crime, while (he administra
tion simply contented herself with
preaching about it. And who will say
that the President's declaration that
we were “too proud to fight” found
favor with the American people? Also,
if we as a people are a little slow get
ting under way, is it not just possible
that our dull sense of honor and duty
as American citizens is due to the
education we received from the admin
istration in a recent campaign when
the favorite texts some of these same'
patriots preached about were "Peace
at Any Price,” and “He Kept Us Out
of War ”
Consistency is still a jewel, and
while it is as rare as ever among poli
ticians and public officials—if not
more so—it may be found in abund
ance in the makeup of the average
American citizen. Were it not for
this, the country might find itself in
sorry straits some day. And it is
because of this consistency, based
upon the prevailing common sense
and charity of the American people,
that the ultimate issue of the war, ond
the part we will play in it, is no longer
in doubt. Don’t lecture the people.
Let them alone. They have long
since demonstrated their capacity for
taking care of themselves—presump
tuous politicians and political blather
skites notwithstanding.
-*
BRYAN’S IDEA OF SERVICE.
The Commoner is quoted as saying
recently that “there is one thing we
can all do for our country, and that is
to hold our tongues.” A splendid sug
gestion, at that, but does Colonel
Bryan really intend to observe his
own rule? If so, then greater sacrifice
will no man make for his country.
The thought occurs, how'ever, that
the silver-tongued Nebraskan is just
a bit inconsistent. Either that, or
else he desires to do all the talking
himself. Perhaps what he had in mind
was to simply curb the tongues of the
crtics who are making life a misery
for certain officials at Washington.
Most certainly he wrould not close the
mouths of those who are joining in
the chorus of shouting “Stand behind
the President, right or wrong.”
One can readily observe that a great
change has come over Mr. Bryan of
late years. He has become more
charitable of the shortcomings of
those in power, and the jingle of a
discontented people now grates on his
nerves where once it was music to his
ears. Also, he is more careful with
his criticism. What a fix he could
find himself in if he should suddenly
reverse his politics. Or suppose Mr.
Hughes had been elected, and the in
evitable had happened; would the
greatest Democrat of the tribe then
have insisted that the people hold
their tongues?
-♦
WHAT ABOUT RUSSIA
It was with considerable amusement
that we read of the experience of one
I of the best informed editors in Ameri
ca in attempting to write a timely
comment on the Russian situation. He
writes somewhat after the following
fashion: “For six weeks now we have
carefully prepared an editorial each
week dealing with the situation as it
existed at the time of writing, only to
find that it had become ancient history
by the time we go to press. We have
tried waiting until just before oui
forms close to pen our observations;
in return for our pains the situation
upsets over there before our publics
tion is distributed through the mails
God only knows what’s going on ii
Russian; we don’t.”
We can attest to experiencing simil
ar perplexities ourselves. The situa
1 tion in Russia has been an enigma;
i one is just about as sure in guessing
how far a frog it going to jump froir
where it sits as to venture a predic
tion as to what will happen next in the
new republic. Still affairs seem t(
have been fairly settled for la time
over there; things are altogether too
[ quiet for the good of our own partic
ular cause, and for the ultimate good
of Russia's own cause. The Bolshe
vik! are in the saddle, stronger than
| ever at the present writing, and (heir
peace negotiations with Germany arc
i causing the remainder of the world to
shudder.
We may discount these overtures all
we please; the fact remains that this
peace parley is working out to our
own disadvantage and that of our al
, ties. The exchange of prisoners will
result in doubling the size of Ameri
ca's job across the water, and the re
sumption of commercial relations be
tween Germany and Russia means
more to the enemy in the long run
(than several million man power. At
. iong distance it would seem that a
diplomatic blunder or oversight has
been committed by the allies, and
America perhaps, that will have more
to do with prolonging the war than
| all other elements combined. We do
not begrudge peace to Russia, but if
those In power there persist in deal
! ing with the enemy, then the sooner
another upheavel comes among them
11 he better.
-»
CHOOSING HANGMEN.
Former Governor Ralston is anxious
to hang all traitors and hang them
at once. That's a classy little pro
gram all right, and one to which we
will all cheerfully subscribe. But we
would most of us prefer that some one
other than a partisan politician be
selected to pick ’em out. There are
too many blatherskites abroad today
insisting that the true test of loyalty
is worship at their particular party
shrine and that treason is involved in
a criticism of the blunders and mis
deeds of their party leaders.
-*
HE WONDERS.
THERE WAS a sign.
IN A restaurant.
AND it said.
THAT ALL of the patrons.
WOULD BE glad to know.
THAT WITH their help !
THE RESTAURANT had saved.
A TON of sugar.
SINCE IT started to save.
BUT IT didn't tell.
WHAT THE restaurant man.
HAD DONE with the money.
HE HADN’T paid.
FOR THE ton of sugar.
* * * «
THERE WAS another sign.
IN AN office building.
AND it said.
THAT BECAUSE of the war
AND THE shortage of coal.
THE ELEVATOR service.
WOULD BE cut in half.
AND THERE wouldn’t be heat.
AFTER 5 o’clock.
BUT IT didn’t tell.
WHAT THE landlord would do.
WITH THE money he saved.
* » * *
IT ALWAYS worries me.
HOW SO many stores.
CAN SELL goods.
AT LESS than cost. a
AND keep open.
—K. C. B. in Puck.
-+
LUTE F1BIK NEWS
OF GEOEOIL INTEREST
Reports Trail as Being Bad.
Robert Menzie, manager of teh
Northern Commercial Company stage
line returned to Fairbanks on the
stage which arrived January 31, after
a several weeks’ inspection trip over
the line, during which he went all the
way to Chitina.
Mr. Menzie reports the trail to be
in very bad condition at the present
time, and says all the stages are be
hind schedule on this account. The
stage line is doing everything possi
ble to get the rigs through on time,
but the heavy condition of the trail
makes good time impossible. Be
tween Salcha and Paxson the trail is
very bad, being heavily drifted, and
covered in many places along the Del
ta with overflows. From Paxson in to
Chintina the trail is not so bad as on
this side, but it is very heavy, and
travel across this stretch is extreme
ly slow-. On the other end of the trail
there is more snow than there has
been for years. In fact, at Gulkana
there is more snow than has been re
corded at any time since there has
been a trail through.
The continual fall of snow and the
heavy winds make things bad for the
stages on account of the fact that
there are no other rigs at all except
stages going over the trail, and the
road is snowed right over as soon as
one stage passes, so there is no trail
broken for any length of time. So fast
does the trail snow under that teams
i may pass within a few minutes cf
each other and the road will be com
pletely obliterater. Mr. Menzie gives
as an example the fact that the stage
passed Harry Warren’s outfit with
several teams, and within a few yards
the tracks of Warren’s outfit could not
be seen at all.
From yesterday’s report the storms
seem to be dying down, and the trail
is getting better, and if there are sev
eral days of good weather now in suc
cession, the stages will be back on
schedule once more.
-♦
Children Burned.
Mrs. Fred Day and young Joe Day
were seriously burned, and the other
five children were more or less burned
In a disastrous fire that gutted the
Day home on the morning of Feb. 2.
The fire broke out downstairs, and be
fore the family could get out of bed
on the second floor escape by the stair
way was cut off by the flames, and
exit had to be made by the windows.
Mining Decision.
By a judgment handed down by
Judge Bunnell in the district court on
Januarly 31 in the case of O’Connor
vs Cascaden, O'Connor is given a deed
to an undivided half interest in the
Gold Dollar association claim at
Brooks, besides being entitled to an
accounting from the defendant for all
gold and gold dust extracted from that
claim. This is what the plaintiff was
seeking in the suit, and there is abso
lutely no concession made to Casca
den. This case is the second suit
to go against Cascacen within a few
weeks. By a previous decision in the
case of Bell vs. Cascaden, Bell was
given a large part of a sum of money
he was seeking to recover from Cas
caden. There is still another decision
yet to be handed down in a case in
which Cascaden is defendant, this case
being another Bell vs Cascaden.
-*
Stenographer with general office ex
perience would like position in or near
Cordova. Address 500, care this office.
Don’t Be Deluded
THE TIN CAN OR THE STOCKING WILL NOT PROTECT
YOUR SAVINGS IF YOU ALLOW OUR GOVERNMENT
TO LOSE.
THE NECESSITY FOR PUTTING YOUR SHOULDER TO
THE WHEEL IS REAL. IF YOU ARE A FRIEND DON’T
BE TIMID. IF YOU ARE AN ENEMY BE FRIENDLY
AND HELP SAVE WHAT YOU HAVE. BUY GOVERN
MENT WAR ISSUES AND PUT THE BALANCE IN CIR
CULATION BY DEPOSITING WITH
Bank of Alaska
ALASKA’S BRANCH BANKING SYSTEM
CAPITAL AND SURPLUS $105,500.00
“AN INSTITUTION OF STRENGTH AND CHARACTER” I
If You "
ARE LAID UP IN THE HOSPITAL
YOUR EARNING POWER I
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Got -i Q IN 1 POLICY IN THE J. D. Hollenbeck
"J A NORTHERN LIFE District Agent, Cordova
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