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The Chitina Leader
CHITINA, ALASKA.
Entered M second-class matter, November 12, 1910, at the postoffice at
Chitina, Alaska, under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879.
ONLY NEWSPAPER IN CHITINA
Published every Saturday by
VIU A. ■TXBXi—Editors, Managers and Proprietors—W HIT •. HTBEZ.
Office: Hotel Chitina Building:.
Cordova Office: Dally Alaskan
Seattle Office: 651 Colman Building.
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Made known upon application. They will be found reasonable for the service
given. Official publication for legal advertisements pertaining to mineral lands
of the Copper River district.
CHITINA, ALASKA, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1911
TEDDY’S HIGH SOUNDING APPEAL.
In his speech at Chicago Mr. Roosevelt said, talking of his
political career:
“I found that if I could appeal to the rank and file I
could generally win; whereas, if I appealed to the political
caste, I generally lost.”
That sounds well. But how about the facts?
Mr. Roosevelt began his career as a national politician by
getting the office of assistant secretary of the navy. In order
to get his office, he and his sponsor, John Jacob Astor, went
in person to Senator Platt and begged him to request Presi
dent McKinley to make the appointment. Read the whole
story in the autobiography of Thomas Collier Platt.
That’s once Mr. Roosevelt did not appeal to the rank and
file. And once that he appealed to the political caste and
didn’t lose.
Mr. Roosevelt’s next office was governor of New York.
He was selected by Boss Platt and was offered and accepted
the nomination at the hands of that boss weeks before the
convention met. His campaign was conducted by Platt and.
Ben Odell, and was won by the expenditure in the last days
of the fight of $60,000 of corruption money, which Platt se
cured from six men, one of whom was J. Pietpont Morgan, with
Mr Roosevelt’s full knowledge and consent and at his own
urgent demand for help. You will find a full account of the
whole campaign in the volume named.
That’s twice Mr. Roosevelt did not appeal to the rank
and file and win. And twice that he appealed to the political
caste and didn’t lose.
Mr. Roosevelt’s third office was vice president ot the
United States, and Tom Platt and Matt Quay gave him that
—though it is only fair to say that he didn’t want it. That’s
three times he didn’t appeal to the rank and file. And that’s
three times the political caste nominated and elected him.
Mr. Roosevelt’s fourth office was president of the United
States, and for this nomination and election he had the vig
orous, friendly, poiltical and financial support of Barnes,
Lorimer, Aldrich and the whole kit and caboodle of bosses,
and the powerful financial aid of “my dear Harriman.”
Look over the roll of the republican national convention of
1904 and see who were there casting the votes of their states
for Theodore Roosevelt. That roll indicates every single big
political boss then in power.
That is four times that Mr. Roosevelt did not appeal tc
the rank and file. And that’s four times he did appeal to the
political caste and did not lose.
Theodore Roosevelt has been a politician and has made
his living out of politics ever since he grew to young man
hood.
It would be interesting to hear him tell what particular
time it was that he appealed to the political caste for a nom
ination or an election and did not get them. When did he ap
peal to them and lose? What hitherto unknown year wit
nessed that unrecorded tragedy?
-o—o—o
? CAMPAIGN HUMORS.
Since it is the evidence of everybody and his neighbor,
whose opinions are worth having, that this great period of
prosperity will not he affected by the political campaign,
everyone who has a sense of humor will feel the better for
looking at humorous phases of that which is so vital to candi
dates of all shade of political color.
Americans at all times, except during those intense days
preceding and during the war, and also the period of recon
struction, have refused to take their campaigns seriously as
the peoples of foreign countries do, especially those whom we
call our British cousins, illustrated by Dickens in his satire
of “Pickwick Papers.” We have a way of being “rich in
saving common sense” and in saying that, no matter what the
objurgations of a campaign and the result of an election under
all ordinary circumstances, the businesses and pleasures will
go on just as before.
The first streak of humor, if some of the utterance of all
of the candidates be excepted, is found in certain estimates of
managers of the Republican, Democratic and Progressive par
ties. Mr. Hilles, of the party of the first part, has carefully
scanned the “situation” and has made the interesting dis
covery that the party he represents will win the members of
the electoral college in 34 states. Josephus Daniels, Manager
McCoombs being ill, announces for the Democrats that they
are sure to have the electors in 38 states. The Bull Moose sta
tistician has figured to a dot that his party will carry 31
states.
Singular, indeed, how they all cling to the thirties. Is it
suggestive that one of them will feel like 30 cents after the
election?
This is a grand total of 103 states! It is evident there
must be a mistake somewhere and that figures really can lie;
and this is one of the early humors of the campaign. There
will be others. But just wait until Alaska gets started on her
Legislative Assembly fight. It is already known that steen
hundred Senators expect to fill eight chairs at Juneau next
March. .__
A MAN THE OFFICE SHOULD DEMAND.
_
The suggestion of the name of E. F. Gray as an avail
able candidate for the Alaska Legislative assembly has been
received with universal approval and satisfaction in this sec
tion. For years past Mr. Gray has been operating at Copper
Mountain, and has expended nearly a million dollars for his
company in driving thousands of feet of tunnel and otherwise
opening up what will undoubtedly be one of the largest copper
mines in Alaska. And Mr. Gray is an exceptional operator,
insomuch as he has the respect and devotion not only of the
hundreds of men who have worked for him, but of every man
who has come into contact with him in interior Alaska. In
all his dealings he is fair and considerate, and from his long
experience in mining in Alaska and Nevada, he would be the
kind of a man who would be of exceptional value in the fram
ing up of legislation that it would be adviseable to have Con
gress pass for the advancement of Alaska. His general qual
ifications cannot be questioned, and a House and Senate com
posed of men like Mr. Gray would have the effect of reflecting
credit upon Alaska, and assuring the passage of only ration*
al and necessary legislation such as would be necessary for
the prosperity of the territory and of the people who dwell
in this great land of promise. It is urged that Mr. Gray
could not be induced to enter politics, but then it must not be
forgotten that in earlier days he has been an important fac
tor in this very same game. While he would undoubtedly
now prefer to devote all his time and efforts to the big under
taking of which he is the manager, Mr. Gray is a man of gen
; erous and patriotic impulses, and he might be prevailed upon
to subordinate his personal inclinations to serve the people and
the territory of Alaska. In his case it would be an instance of
the office seeking the man, which promises to be somewhat of
a novelty in the campaign that has just opened under the new
act providing for a Legislature.
-o—o—o
THE SUFFOCATION OF ALASKA.
Editor James Keelev of the Chicago Tribune, who recently
visited this section of Alaska, impressed all who came in
contact with him with the idea that he not only was an ob
serving man but also fair minded. Although a conservation
ist, and a strong supporter of Col. Roosevelt in his present
fight, it is evident that Mr. Keeeley was not impressed with
the Pinchot aitfi Roosevelt idea of conservation as applied to
Alaska. In a recent issue of the Tribune Mr. Keelev makes the
following editorial appeal for Alaska:
“Alaska is an example of conservation run wild. Its coal
and wood and lands and all that they contain are bing held in
trust, not for any of us, but for our great grandchildren.
While we say hands off, Alaska is being starved. It is time to
give those who are striving to develop this none too lovable
land a chance to breathe and eat.
“It was a good day’s work when the hands of the Wall
street pioneers were torn from the throat of the far northern
territory, but protecting governmental fingers around the same
throat can hardly be called a blessing if they stay there too
long and grip too tightly.
“Alaskan coal and coal lands have bred many a scandal.
The federal court in Chicago will take up one of these cases
before the snow flies. But because they have incited crooked
ness that is no reason for making them incommunicado for
all time. There’s coal up there and lots of it. The settlers and
their struggling industries need it. Why not at least begin
to devise a plan for letting someone use itf
“One month ago on the dock at Cordova were two piles
of coal—550 tons n all—waiting to be shoveled into the bunk
ers of the United States cruiser Maryland. This coal came
from Capada and cost the American government, duty and
freight on an oil burning steamer included, just $11 a ton.
And less than fifty miles from Cordova, on a railroad (oper
ated also with oil brought from California) there is one of the
greatest coal fields in the world, thoroughly conserved and
corked.
“The western coast of Alaska is one enormous pine forest.
Every steamer touching at Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau, Cordova,
Valdez, and Seward carries lumber to these Alaskan New
castles. Ties and bridge timbers were imported to build the
Copper Kiver railroad. In this case the moving cause may
have been pique on the part of Morgan and the Guggenheim?
rather than economy. The road, costing $23,000,000 make?
possible the shipping of ore from their Bonanza copper mine,
the high grade worth $10,000 a car. In a little over a year
$4,000,000 has been taken from this mine, and the annual prod
uct from now on should reach at least that sum. They charge
themselves $800 a car freight for hauling this ore less than
200 miles. So the $23,000,000 will soon come back to one pock
et or the other.
“Big figures—but ice was $30 a ton in Cordova this sum
mer, with the Childs glacier, one of the largest in the world,
fifty miles away.
“And while the treasures of the land are under lock and
key the golden harvest of the sea—the salmon—is being reaped
with a thoroughness that means destruction. Millions upon
millions of fish are killed each year, and, with the exception
of puny efforts by some canneries which operate small hatch
eries, nothing is done to conserve this industry’ and avert the
inevitable day when the story’ of the buffalo will be the story
of the salmon.
“Alaska has its problems and needs counsel and aid
Coast towns that three years ago had a population of 3,000
today number 700 or less. They are living in hope, hanging on
in expectancy and praying that something will happen. Any
thing, they say, is better than nothing. Conservation isn’t
exactly a popular word up there, and yet the solid men of these
towns admit that it has done a lot of good. What they really
would like is a chance to demonstrate its benefits rather than
leave that pleasing task to the third or fourth generation.
“What Alaska suffered from first was exploitation.
“What it suffers from now is suffocation.”
-o—o—o
The idea of economy which compromises on one battle
ship that will cost as much as two is not as clear to the coun
try as it seems to be to the House.
AN UNHAPPY DEMONSTRATION.
The unfortunate predicament in which the government ex
pedition finds itself today, marooned on a scow without food
or blankets, near the entrance to the Bering River coal fields,
is regretted by all. Twenty-six men put in a most uncomfort
able night, surrounded upon all sides by an element of danger.
Then there is also the almost certainty that seventy tons of
supplies secured in Seattle for the expedition has been en
gulfed by the angry waters. And if it be not recovered it
will mean a serious delay in accomplishing the object of the
expedition. The misfortune encountered near the famous
Controller Bay harbor, at a time when there was the subsid
ing of only an ordinary storm, will be another object lesson
demonstrating the wisdom of the Copper River & Northwestern
railway officials when they decided to abandon any idea of
establishing their terminals in the neighborhood of either
Katalla or Controller Bay. And it further demonstrates the
untruthfulness of Gifford Pinehot’s assertion that he made in
an address before the Seattle Commercial club nearly a year
ago, after his return from this part of Alaska. He declared
that there was a splendid harbor around Controller Bay.
And this distressing experience will further go to demonstrate
that when the coal fields of Bering River are opened up that
the coal must find its ocean outlet at Cordova. The branch
line projected and surveyed by our present railroad is the only
feasible way of bringing the fuel to a safe shipping port
where auv size vessel can safely tie up at a dock at any hour
throughout the entire twelve months.
_A_A_A_
EDITORIAL COMMENT.
The Hon. James Wickersham, delegate to Congress from
Alaska, will not come to Southwestern Alaska ports at this
time, as he decided to go direct from Skagwav into Fairbanks,
where matters of business and polities demand his attention.
He spent a few days in Southeastern Alaska in consultation
with his folowers, conferring with them at Ketchikan, Juneau
and Skagwav. At the latter place he expected to take the
train Thursday for White Horse, there to board a river steam
er and go direct to Fairbanks. He expects to remain at the
latter place until after the election on Nov. 5. He will then
stage it to Chitina and come in on the train to Cordova, possi
bly making a short trip to Valdez and Seward, before going to
the outside and on to Washington, where he expects
to be shortly after Congress convenes the early part
of December next.
If the miners of the Copper River country could induce a
man like E. F. Gray to stand as a candidate for the Legisla
ture, they would sure pick a winner and send a representative
to Juneau who thoroughly knows the mining situation of this
section of Alaska. And then, too, he is a man of more than ex
ceptional ability, integrity and honesty of purpose, who would
prove of incalculable value in recommending needed changes
in the mining and other laws that are now applicable to this
territory.
It is nearly a year since we had the charming Mr. Gif
ford Pinchot and the astute Bull Mooser, Senator Miles Poin
dexter, as the distinguished guests of Southwestern Alaska.
And ever since they have been busy reciprocating the hospi
tality extended them by a grateful people, but in the mean
time Giff and his benighted followers continue to hold the key
that indefintelv locked up the resources of Alaska.
Dr. Holmes has a number of experienced miners with him
and they expect to do a little practical mining on some of those
claims that prospectors and locators have spent thousands of
dollars on in order to prove the value of the Bering River coal
fields. And the party will take out a hundred or two tons to
demonstrate that it is fine quality for steaming purposes for
Uncle Sam’s battleships.
It is to be hoped that President Taft has taken the pre
caution to have “Dick” Ryan or even “Dick” Ballinger, ac
company Dr. Holmes and his party of surveyors to point out
the particular advantages of Controller Bay for a government
coaling station or ocean terminus.
We had hoped that the Alaska railroad commission would
first come to Cordova and traverse the route from Chitina into
the Matanuska coal fields. However, if we can’t have them
going we will have them coming, and its reasonable to pre
sume that after they once come via the easy grade to Chitina,
that ever afterward we will have them both going and com
ing.
If the men forming the expedition to the Bering River
coal fields have had all their food and other supplies washed
out to sea they need not entirely despair. Let them come over
to Cordova and receive a new supply from our well stored
warehouses.
When Lieutenant Becker banked $58,000 during nine
months in which his pay was about $1,800, he gave a new dem
onstration of what can be accomplished by saving your salary
and putting it into the bank.
No matter who is elected to the Presidency, the reapin’ of
the grain harvests and the diggin’ of potatoes, and the huskin’
of the co’n will go on in the good and grand old style.
A New York man has died from sunburn, a blister becom
ing infected. The wonder in this neck o’ woods is where any
body could get any sunburn this year.
A Connecticut suffragist who tried to vote also for two
friends who were unable to go to the polls has a lot more to
learn about the ballot.
There is a calm before the storm that will soon break out
in the political arena of Alaska.
Chitina
Pharmacy
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CI1ITINA HEIGHTS
Cordes & Simons
PUBLIC LAND AND MINING
CASES.
If you are Interested in any content
or any matter before the Interior De
partment, write to Clark & Wright,
registered land lawyers, QO-J F Street
N. W. (opposite Gen’l Land Office),
Washington. D. C. Free information
about contests and where to obtain
scrip, locatable upon public lands,
without residence or cultivation.
eed, Fue I
and
Lumber
HAY, BRAN, OATS, CHOPS,
ROLLED BARLEY
We can make prompt ship
ments to points on the rail
road. Our feed is the very
best quality.
0. A. Nelson & Co.
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