The Chitina Leader
CHITINA, ALASKA.
Entered as second class matter, November 12, 1910, at the postoffice
at Chitina, Alaska, under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879.
Published every Saturday by
WILL A. STEEL—Editors, Managers and Proprietors—Harry G. STEEL
Office: Hote IChitina Building. Cordova Office: Dally Alaskan
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CHITINA, ALASKA, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1911
JUST A STATE OF MIND.
What is public opinion ? What are laws, customs, and j
the institutions of society and government? What are the
rights of property, and the rights of man?
Just a state of mind.
Sometimes the state of the public mind is rigid, like the
mountains; sometimes it is fluid, like the sea
The great eras of progress are those in which the state
of mind rapidly changes, when the flowing tide of public
opinion washes new continents of thought.
We are living in such a time. Men are forgetting that
they “belong” to this party, and they are beginning to
feel that the parties they support should “belong” to them.
A new state of mind.
Men are less reverent of old constitutions, less satisfied
with the rule of courts. They no longer respect the dead
hand of the past. ^ __ sitJ&
A new staate of mind!
But a few months ago the entire country was wrought up
over some gigantic suggestion that a few capitalists were
trying to engulf entire Alaska, and within the confines of
the territory political difference, ran at white heat and
there was dissention in every section. Now from everywhere
comes a realization that this northland has been neglected
and almost persecuted by an abnormal sentiment. Everybody
is now anxious to do something to bring relief and prosperity
and the internal elements are getting together with commend
able zeal.
A new staate of mind!
Men are even beginning to look differently upon prop
erty rights. Why should a few own the earth? Why should
the many need beyond their possessions, while the owners of
privilege possess beyond their needs?
A new staate of mind!
There was a time when there was no such things as re
ligious toleration in all the world, when everybody was the
subject of religious tyranny handed down through the cen
turies. All that was changed, and even- child was born heir
to complete intellectual freedom.
A new staate of mind!
Great social-and economic changes are coming. Life will
be made easier for the masses who bear the burdens of the
world. Laws, constitutions, and customs will be different in
the future. A new world is now in the making. But when
this has been accomplished, and written into the history- of the
human race it will mean only this:
That a new state of mind has taken possession of men and
women.
-oooo
THE REINDEER IN ALASKA.
A writer in the Southern Workman reports that the total
number of reindeer now in Northern Alaska is nearly 23,000.
This is the product from a few hundred imported some two
decades ago. The enterprise evoked widespread ridicule
then. The outcome now is the best answer to the ridicule.
The main service of the reindeer is the use in trans
portation during the winter. The superintendent of the
service traveled last winter more than 2,500 miles with a
reindeer sled in the lower Bering Sea region. In addition to
that, the value of skins for clothing and of the meat used for
food is great. Miscellaneous reindeer products last yeai
amounted to $18,000. The spread of the reindeer herds is
aided by the government loaning to natives who have served
five year’s apprenticeship as herders a flock of a hundred
reindeer. Five years later the hundred animals must be re
turned and the herder can retain the increase as his own.
Thus an experiment which was condemned apparently
for no reason except that it was a novelty is furnishing Alaska
with animal wealth admirably suited to the region, capable of
furnishing transportation, food and clothing. The value of
the animal was proved in Lapland for ages before it was im
ported into this country. But the acclimatization in our own
country is bound to turn out an immense benefit.
-oooo
DON’T JOLLY WOMEN VOTERS.
How shall a candidate talk to the women voters? The
Los Angeles campaign answers the question. One speaker
began by referring to “the youth, beauty and charm of the
audience.”
“Silence, broken only by whispers of criticism,” says the
account.
Then came the speaker who said: “I shall waste no time
in compliments.”
“Profound, prolonged applause,” says the chronicler.
The women don’t want to be jollied—not in stump speech
es anyway. They want the facts and arguments; want to
listen to appeals to their reason.
Save your boquets for vour best girl.
--—oooo
A CAMPAIGN OF EDUCATION
If the voters of Great Britain can be convinced, as Mr.
Redmond is now trying to convince them, that the Irish de
mand for home rule means merely “the right to manage
our own local affairs under a subordinate parliament, subject
to the supremacy of the imperial parliament, a demand thuu I
has never been made by any community of white men in m
empire and refused, except in the case of Irehmd^” tllfiT n
should be no doubt of the result- I
But in making the sweeping assertion contained in the 1
latter quoted clause, our Irish friends needn’t think they i
are the only white men on earth who have been thus treated, i
Alaskans know a thing or two about the denial of self- gov- <
emment. I
-oooo- j
R. J. Barry has returned from Seattle full of enthusiasm i
and news that portends prosperity for Cordova. He is op- <
timistic over the early action of Congress in matters that I
will tend to the advantage and general welfare of Alaska.
' <
Texas farmers who are holding 1,000,000 bales of cotton '
for higher prices are opposed to combinations in restraint of <
trade; but not as much so as they may be if they have to ]
sell out their cotton at a loss next spring. ^jfjjj^ *
BOOMERANG ATTACKS.
The omissions of the Ohio orator who is down on Taft are
notable. Judge Wannamaker, of Arkon, made a record for
himself in that line the other night.
Taft was set down as an impossible reactionary. Some
of the reasons why are delicious. One count of the impeach
ment was that the President allowed his subordinates to sug
gest the removal of Dr. Wiley. That the president himself
sat down on and squelched the removal is not worth mention
ing; but that Wilson and McCabe proposed and Wickersham
endorsed what Taft refused is charged as a sin of Taft’s.
Rather more delicious is the impeachment of Taft for
heading Ijis cabinet with such a too) of the corporation as
Knox. If that is an offense, what becomes of the -‘foremost
citizen of the world” who not only had Knox in his Cabinet
but left him in charge of the trust prosecutions, with the result
of Knox showing how the combinations can be brought into
obedience to the laws? Of this puzzling point Judge Wana*
maker said nothing more than of another salient feature of
the ‘‘foremost citizen’s” administration in the form of sup
pressing prosecutions when the charge of rebating was laid
on the doorstep of another of his cabinet.
Judge Wanamaker should be more discreet. It is not wise
to boom the Colonel by attacks on Taft that hit the Colonel
harder than his successor.
That non-partisan convention for the third judicial dis
trict should not be lost sight of- It will be held at Valdez
the fore part of January. In the meantime the various towns'
and localities should arrange to select representative men
as delegates and only such persons as will make arrangements
to positively attend the convention. It will be an important
gathering and should not be allowed to go by default.
-oooo
REDUCTION OF CABLE TOLLS
The commercial organizations of Seattle are concerning
themselves these days over a reduction in the Alaskan cable
rates. Efforts have repeatedly been made heretofore to secure
the accomplishment of this much desired result, but without
avail. Now that there is more consideration for the things
that effect Alaska, efforts may be more successful. On the
subject the Times says:
Every progressive business man in Seattle and Alaska
will be interested in the efforts that will be made at Wash
ington, D. C., by W. A. Mears, of the Seattle Chamber of
Commerce to have the federal authorities reduce rates on
the federal cable line to the northern territory.
The Times repeatedly has voiced the criticisms of promi
nent men, both in this city and in the northland, who pointed
out that the charges on the government line are absurdly
high. ,
It has been shown that they are out of all proportion to
those imposed by land telegraph lines and other cable services
serving various sections of the world. That the government
should impose a needless hardship upon business has been
considered absurd.
The cable, like the telegraph, in this time is essential.
Particularly is this the case with a section like Alaska, that
enjoys only steamship connections.
Under such circumstances, the only speedy means of
communication with the continental United States should be
rendered just as cheap as possible. This is merely extending
to a territory the same fair dealing that the Unitqd States
iias made it a point to practice with even the smallest for
eign countries.
Charity begins at home, as much with nations as individ
uals. So does justice- The northland is not looking for char
ity, although it has been asked to extend it to the acts of
many so-called statesmen for lo these many years.
It does feel that justice is due it, and one little instance
where it could be displayed would be by rendering the opera
tion of the government cable monopoly less burdensome to its
patrons.
-oooo-—
SENTIMENT FOR HOME RULE.
Seattle is surely getting pretty much worked up over the
various conditions in Alaska, both political and industrial
And there is a strong feeling there that the territory is en
titled to have a voice in the administration of its own affairs.
They are lending themselves to an effort to create sentiment
favorable to territorial government, and the Alaska bureau,
tnrough the Pacific coast delegations, will undoubtedly do
much at Washington to foster that sentiment so that there
will be a probability that Congress will pass a home rule bill.
In all probability it will be either the measure prepared by
Delegate Wickersham, with amendments, or some similar bill
The Post-Intelligencer has always favored a measure of that
kind, and is now more insistent than ever. In a recent issue
of that paper the following appeared:
There were two utterances of speakers at the “Develop
Alaska” dinner given at the Arctic Club, which, if read and
pondered by every liberty-loving American citizen, would
certainly result in the prompt giving of justice to Alaska.
One was by Bishop Rowe, who as missionary bishop of the
Protestant Episcopal church has “mushed” over all of the
settled parts of Alaska; who knows that territory as few oth
er men today know it, and who certainly could never be sus
pected, even by a professional muckraker, of being actuated
by any motive save a desire for the welfare of the people
among whom he has cast his'lot.
Said Bishop Rowe, among other things: “For several
years the <V.elo mrnt of Alaska has been made impossible
through < :. . ti l I am not going to dwell upon. I hesitate
to do so bee ruse they were so unjust and cruel that my indig
nation might get the better of me.”
Dr. Alfred Thompson, who represents Yukon Territory
in the Dominion parliament, put the matter concisely, saying
that the people of the United States are “denying to your
iwn now the boon your fathers demanded more than one
hundred years ago.”
The revolutionary war was fought because the British
government of that day denied to the people of the British
?olonies but one small portion of the rights which are per
sisstently denied to the people of Alaska by the American
•ongress of today. Everything of which the colonist com
ilained has been inflicted upon the people of Alaska, and
nore. The original colonies at least had their own local
government, their own legislators. They were asked to pay
•ut a petty fraction of the taxes paid iu^Epgland. The people
if Alaska have nothing. They ;havan©t a single right save
he right of jury trial. They pay not only the same federal
axes that do the people of the states, but special, onerous
axes covering every occupation in the territory. They are
tot permitted a voice in either the levying of these taxes nor
n the disbursement of the proceeds. They are governed as
lependents—as colonies. They have not the right given any
ribe of American Indians living in the Upited States. They
ire even denied now the privilege of discovering and develop
ng the resources of their own territory, under the laws of
Congress, for the operation of those laws has been suspended
ly executive action
• This contrasst with conditions in the Canadian Yukon
iould not fail to impress itself upon the Canadian guest, who
fitnesses in his own territory conditions precisely to the con
rary, and who, himself represents that territory in the
mrliament of the Dominion with all the rights and privileges
•f any other member of parliament.
LIMIT THAT WOULDN’T WORK. *
--- i
A fellow with a real novel scheme for ready relief of <
social questions ought to get some sort of a show, and so <
here are a few kind words on Sociologist Dr. William <
T. Belfield. «
Dr. Belfield says that the government should limit thej;
number of children a man may have according to his income. J
Government statisticians say that $900 per year is the lowest ;
income a man can have and maintain his efficiency and an ;
average family, and the average nuihber of children being '
three. <
Clearly, considerable headway would be made toward re- ;
duction of the high cost of living by limiting the fatherhood ;
of every man whose income fell below this government stan- ;
dard, and though consequent condensation of effort some other !
social and economic questions might be affected. But great :
difficulties at once present themselves. There are some tilings ;
that even governments cannot do. It will be a long time before :
governments successfully limits parentage for any reason. :
Such governments as tried this are pretty dead.
Again, children are good things, positiVe necessities, and :
if the law is to require a man with inadequatae income to get
along with a limited number, it is but logical that the law
require fathers of unlimited income to produce an unlimited
number of offspring. Will the good Dr. Belfield please figure
out wlmt’s due posterity, under such requirements, from
gentlemen like Messrs. Rockefeller, Carnegie and Morgan,
who are headed the other way and soon to leave millions upon
millions to a very limited number of progeny?
-oooo
HEARST OR ROOSEVELT.
It is interesting to observe that in a recent interview Mr.
William R. Hearst, being asked whether he thought that
Colonel Roosevelt would be a candidate for the Presidency
next year, replied that the ex-President always had been anil
always would be a candidate, but that in Mr- Hearst’s opinion
he would not ever again be the candidate of any party. The
critical editor, after characterizing Roosevelt as “the most
boisterous, bombastic, destsructive and disturbing President
the country ever had,” is astounded that “he should criti
cise Mr. Taft for disturging business when he himself as
President so completely disturbed it as practically to put it
out of business.”
Among the striking political developments of the time
this example of the pot enlarging on the sootiness of the
kettle stands pre-eminent. Mr. Hearst lias been a candidate
at sundry times. So far as we can recall, the difference be
tween the Hearst and the Roosevelt candidacies is that the
latter resulted in election.
-oooo
SAUCE FOR THE GOOSE.
From time to time suggestions have been offered, and in
some countries tried, of encouraging matrimony by a tax on
bachelors. Statistics have not been forthcoming to show
whether or not those in a state of “ssingle blessednets” pre
ferred to pay for the privilede or valued their cash above their
liberty. But now conies the little principality of Ruess in
Germany, which has adopted not only a tax on bachelors but
a tax likewise on “old maids.” It is in the form of an income
tax penalty. Men who have failed to take life partners before
30 are assessed five per cent more on their income tax and
women who have passed that age without embarking on mat
rimony are similarly penalized. The Duchy of Oldenburg
thinks so well of the idea that he is about to follow suit.
Reuss has a population of about 85,000, and Oldenburg of
about 500,000. The income tax begins on $720, and when it
reaches those having an income of $1,440 in the bachelor and
“old maid” classes their penalty is raised to 10 per cent.
It will be interesting to hear from Reuss and later from the
larger population of Oldenburg whether there has been a
rush to the marriage license office under the new law. Pre
vious attempts limited to bachelors were, of course, unfair,
since they might have tried to break into the ranks of the bene
diets, but failed becauses of inability to find a partner. Xow
that Reuss has put the fair sex under the same compulsion,
matters are even.
-oooo
KEEP ETERNALLY AT IT.
The Fairbanks Times takes the same viiew as does the
Daily Alaskan as to the importance of grand juries, commer
cial organizations and all representative bodies in Alaska, in
speaking out broadly and positively in behalf of the needs of
the territory. On this subject the Times says:
“The Alaska good roads movement has extended into
grand jury rooms. The grand jury which adjourned in Cor
dova recently called upon the government for larger appro
priations for the construction of good roads in the interior.
Although there is no law to compel the government to take
notice of the recommendations by a grand jury, such bodies
are in any community-the most truly representative of all
bodies, and their recommendations are therefore bound to
carry weight with those who are sincerely desirous of serving
the public welfare. Governments are very much like small
them to understand. The greater the number of organizations
children. It is only by much repetition that you can teach
that remind the government of the needs for good roads, and
the more frequently the recommendation is presented to
the government, the more likely it is that the government will
pay heed to the recommendation.”
-xxxx
TROT OUT THE RECEPTIVES.
Numerous dispatches are issuing from Washington to the
effect that Mayor Carter Harrison of Chicago is “a receptive”
candidate for the presidency- We have never been near
enough to a “receptive” Chicagoan to discover whether that
brand signifies halo or horns, but the idea in Mr. Harrison’s
case seems to be that he is outside of Democracy’s warring
factions, stands for nothing in particular of a serious nature .
and, after the belligerents have failed to settle matters, will
be in attitude and condition to let the honor settle comfortably
on his brow.
There’s probably no taint about being “a receptive” can
didate, and we rather guess that it’s good for the country •
to have its merely “receptive” candidates lined up early. |
There’s bound to be a lovely fight next year, and it will be
clear waste to devote thought and energy to men who run up
lightning rods simply as a gamble.
J—-oooo—
Every time some smart editor says T. R. is getting pro- (
fanely silent, T. R. shoots out another editorial on something or ,
somebody.
The reported discovery that beer is the best bait for flies ,
will no doubt furnish many thirsty individuals with a new £
excuse for “rushing the growler” next summer- t
Mayor Gaynor’s dislike of reformers has grown since he t
went into office. Before that he posed as somewhat of a re- t
former himself. s
If Colorado sends a woman Senator to Washington that t
outworn phrase “Senatorial courtesy” may take on a new v
meaning. • * j.
Canton, China has gone insurgent, perhaps to mark the
difference between itself and Canton, Ohio.
Strange how persons persist in accusing a worthy gentle- g
man like John D. after he has repeatedly intimated that his v
sole purpose ip life was to scatter seeds of kindness, charity C
and benevolence. 1
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I* Only First-Class Hotel in Chitina Prices Reasonable !
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Hotel Chitina i
| J. PALMER and T. CLONINGER, ;
| Proprietors. ■
I The Only First Class Hotel in Chitina
£ Heated Room, Bath, Ladies Parior
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* Bar with all Standard Liquors and Cigar* ;
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WHEN COMING TO CORDOVA REMEMBER
Cordova Steam Laundry
THE ONLY REAL LAUNDRY IN TOWN
Let us wash and clean your canvass covers, blankets, clothes,
overalls, etc.
If you are in a hurry we cun do your work in an hour’s time if
necessary.
Leave your work at any hotel, rooming house or bar tier shop
anj it will receive prompt attention.
’PHONE **>7 F. A. JONES, Manager Second Street
ALASKA STEAMSHIP COMPANY
Fast and commodious steamers sailing between <
Cordova and Seattle. <
Sails from Seattle— Sails from Cordova— <
Dec. 8.ALAMEDA .Dec. 16 <
Dec. 16 .NORTHWESTER ..Dec. 24 <
Dec. 24 ..ALAMEDA.Jan. 1 <
This company reserves the right to change schedule of steam- <
ers without notice. ^
Tickets on sale at up-town office Alaska Steamship Iildg. \
Baggage or freight will not be received at dock later than one ^
hour before sailing time. ^
R. J. BARRY,
General Agent.
THOMAS TALLENT, <
Ticket Agent. <
AAAA AAAAA **>*■*>*>*
ALASKA COAST CO.
“The Inside Route”
To Juneau and Puget Sound Ports and Southwestern Aluska.
Steamer Bertha leaves Seattle December 20th.
Steamers connecting at Seattle with the Alasl.a-Pacinc Steam,
ship Company's steamers sailing from Seattle Monday and Thurs
day of each week for California points. Through service. Low
rates.
Right reserved to change steamers and sailing dates without
notice. ALASKA TRANSFER CO., Local Agents
B F. WATSON, General Agent.
A POINT WELL TAKEN.
In Cardinal Gibbon’s plea for tiie ratification of the gen
*ral arbitration treaties lie points out that “duels between
ndividuals were once frequent but have been relegated to the
nuseum of extinct social monstrosities, lie cannot see why
lie same influence that led to the suppression of dueling be
ween individuals should not produce like results in xegan i
o the resort to war by nations.
In this connection, there is a further parallel- V.
lueling, under the disfavor of an aroused public opinion,
hreatened with extinction, the very same arguments now
ng made by the opponents of the general arbitration trei|
rere being advanced by the fire-eaters. They declare
bsurd to suppose that men of honor and courage would V
lit points of honor to the decision of the law just as ot.
f similar mind are declaring today it is absurd to sup
hat a nation jealous of its national honor will ever sub.
uch an issue to the decision of a court of arbitration. I
lie duello passed into limbo just as war is doomed to pi!
lieu the world gets as far advanced in thought on the
itionship of individuals when it abolished dueling.
-uuoo
Chancellor Day says that the Almighty never intended
ive all women equal chance- Certainly the trusts do no!
hich may stand as the impersonator of the Almighty >
hancellor Day’s system. But such persons as Jefferson an
incoln did so far as the laws of our country are concerned.