THE CHITINA LEADER
CHITINA, ALASKA
Entered as second-class matter, November 12, 1910, at the postofflce at
Chltina, Alaska, under the Act of Conbress of March 8, 1879.
% ONLY NEWSPAPER IN CHITINA
Published every Tuesday by
HARRY 6. STEEL, Editor and Proprietor.
Office: Hotel Chltina Building. Cordova Office: Daily Times.
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Made known upon application. They will be found reasonable for thd- service
given. Official publication for legal advertisements pertaining to mineral lands of
the Copper River District.
CHITINA, ALASKA, TUESDAY, JULY 6, 1915.
ELECTRICITY
The horse seems to be passing so far as most of the work
he has been doing through the centuries is concerned. He is
still needed for the plow, the polo game, for cavalry and artil
lery, though for all these except polo the horse is liable to be
superseded by the mule.
But we believe the steam engine is in about as much danger
of extinction as the horse.
Electricity is encroaching with great swiftness on the
steam engine. Its latest advance is in supplying power to run
ship s. The report is that it takes up much less space, costs less
and that its application to the turbine on shipboard is vastly
more satisfactory than that of steam because no racing of the
engine or vibration is caused when the ship pitches and rolls in
a storm.
As its use has increased during the past few years it will
not be strange ten years hence, to see a plant on a well-to-do
farm that will milk the cows, light and warm the house; cook
the food; wash and iron the clothes, sweep the rooms, work the
gong to wake the hired girl, call the men to dinner and then
spend the summer nights in increasing the size and flavor of
the vegetables and giving a more pronounced brilliancy to the
flowers.
And think of it! Through the ages it was trying to con
vince man that it was his friend and would like to be his
servant.
No wonder it got disgusted and now and then killed a man
for his stupidity.
.. t — :o:-*- ' 'V
BISHOP ROWE
The people of Cordova and the Copper River Valley
heartily approve of any movement to honor Bishop Rowe and
the following editorial from the Juneau Dispatch will recive
the commendation and support from the entire community:
“The movement on foot to secure a donation in com
memoration of the anniversary of Bishop Rowe when he was
consecrated bishop of Alaska, will meet with a liberal response
all over Alaska. Above everything else Bishop Rowe is an
Alaskan. He has devoted the best part of his life to the work
in Alaska. There are scores of Alaskans who do not know to
which church denomination he belongs. Nor has he ever
stopped to consider to which church belonged those in need
of encouragement or assistance.
“He has given liberally of the best that was in him for the
work in hand, without thought of any reward other than to be
of real assistance. The social centers have seen but little of
him. Most of his work has been in the isolated mining camps
and along the lonely trails. He has entered into the heart and
life of Alaskans and knows their trials, their temptations and
their ideals and ambitions. Therefore it is fitting and proper
that his friends should have an opportunity to show their
expressions of good will at a time when his work nears the end,
and before he shall have passed to his final reward.”
-:o:
y are we easy marks?
That the other cities of Alaska are pestered by the fly-bv
niglit gentlemen who visit our shores with a traveling bag and
an attractive selling proposition is not news to us. When we
don’t get caught ourselves, it amuses us to read of the tribula
tions of the other fellow, who bought a check protecting device,
a dictionary, etc., only to find after paying something down,
that the agent was a fraud. The man with the $8.50 maps still
makes some of our leading citizens squirm when they think of
him. Everybody in Cordova should remember not to trade
with individuals of this ilk until they have been stamped with
the approval of the Chamber of Commerce. The Ketchikan
Progressive says a kinder word for the average Alaskan than
we would have in the premises. We thought we were rather
“easy marks” but in the following outburst the Progressive
says we are not, and as some of the good people of Cordova will
feel flattered under the circumstances, we hereby submit the
article:
“For the last several years an qccasional ‘smart aleck’ has
dropped in on us, presumably taking us for easy marks, and we
reluctantly admit that some of us have fallen at some time or
other to their alluring promises. However, the smart alecks
have never been so numerous as they are now or as, they will
be with the construction of the government railroad. Recently,
a company of actors—dance hall actors—dropped in one us
with a “freezer” resulting in their hasty departure with surely
less money than they had when they arrived—and perhaps
wiser. On their trail came another with a “hot air” proposi
tion that he described as the greatest dictionary every pub
lished, expecting us to waste perfectly good and valuable time
listening to his parrot-like harangue in the elaboration of the
work. Not only that, but for daring to interrupt the ‘ ‘ spealer, ’ ’
he became very indignant and walked out.
“Now won’t some one teach those Captains of industry
manners and assure them that we Alaskans know what we want
in the way of shows, maps, lightning rods, dictionaries,
Squeaking shoes and all the rest, and save us from a great deal
of annoyance and save the smart alecks
themselves.” , • „
>m making asses of
Mi
MAKS A CALL FOE PEACE
The peace movement if pressed ought to begin to have an
effect very soon now. The war has been raging ten months
with nothing really gained anywhere except that the Germans
have been able to maintain the integrity of their country.
We read every day of the fighting along all the fronts and
the fact shines out clear in the dispatches that all the armies
engaged are tired to the limit of exhaustion except that of Italy
and when that has a few onsets with the combined Austrian
German armies it, too, will be tired. After another month the
days will begin to sensibly shorten; nothing is gained anywhere
and the awful sacrifices of life and property have not a thing to
show for them except devastated fields, ruined cities and the
tears of women and children. Let the most sanguine believer
in the success of one side or the other take a map and, beginning
at Calais, push his finger along the battle line clear to Constan
tinople, and then let him determine where he can rest his finger
on a spot where, at the present time, a hope of success rests!
Is it not about time for reason to begin to assert itself!
When the war began President Wilson tendered the good
offices of our government to help adjust the differences that set
the nations to cutting each other’s throats.
Is it not time for him to make another tender?
When an irresistible wave strikes an immovable rock, only
shattered spray is seen.
That is about all that is seen where the tired armies are
waging war now. Is it not time for the neutral nations to assert
themselves and make a united appeal for peace? The Palace of
Peace stands vacant at The Hague. Is it not time for a gather
ing there and a call for peace?
It is whispered that in all the southeastern armies there are
thousands of sick soldiers, and that the sanitary precautions
grow fewer and fewer. It will soon be time to gather the har
vest; not long until the advance guard of winter will be
trumpeting his coming.
Unless the rulers in Europe have lost their reason, they
ought by this time to listen to an appeal for peace.
-— :o:
As real estate boosters, the government officials in charge
of the sale of town lots at Anchorage have any private real
estate promoter backed off the map. Think of sending a tele
gram to the Seattle papers boosting Anchorage as the railroad
terminal, with coal bunkers, docks, etc., to be erected, and
advising the people of the country that the steamers Watson
and Mariposa would leave Seattle in time to reach Anchorage
for the sale. That is advertising a land sale with a vengeance.
--:o: ■— ■ ■
They say that a roster of the employees of the Railroad
Commission at Anchorage reads like the roll call of a regiment
of Serbian reserves. A recent letter from the new town asserts
that a plain Amrican has to beg for work enough to earn the
price to get a plate of beans.
z' ___
When you stop and consider that the boats leaving Cor
dova for the south get more south bound tonnage from this
port alone, than they get northbound for all the ports of Alaska
leaving Seattle, you can begin to realize how important the
town of Cordova is to the territory, and how much truth there
was in the statement of the Chamber of Commerce to the Rail
road Commission last summer, that this was the only tonnage
route for a railroad into Alaska.
--—— :o:
If the news received yesterday is true to the effect that
the English have been trying to secure recruits in San Francisco
it puts Johnny Bull in a bad light. Do the people of England
want to fight their own battles? The story seems incredible
and decidedly unworthy of a great nation.
■-:o:
Our Seward friends got peeved because the officials in
charge of the sale of lots at Anchorage sent out an advertising
circular by wire to the states, in which Anchorage was men
tioned as the railroad terminal. They say the Seward Com
mercial Club summoned the offending official before them, and
demanded an explanation. The next day the Gateway explained
it all by saying that a comma had been put in the wrong place.
Seward real estate took an awful slnjpp when the wording of
the telegram became known.
-:o:
For a dissatisfied bunch of people go to Anchorage. Inter
view anybody on the government’s methods of disposing of tl\;
lots there, and you will probably be treated to more plain and
fancy cussing than you ever heard in your life before.
-- :o:
The statement given the Times yesterday is an enlighten
ing exposition of the real situation and the possibilities at
Anchorage. Facts are facts, and so far there has been nothing
to demonstrate the necessity of a rush to Anchorage.
—-■— :o:
Kaiser Wilhelm and Uncle Sam are beginning to feel that
their difficulty was nothing but a misunderstanding, and they
are both preparing to shake hands and “Gesundheit.” It is
the better way.
-:o:
The Russians must all own automobiles. Frequent mention
is made in the dispatches of General So and So retiring.
-:o:
One of the war chroniclers writes it down that 36 tons of
metal was thrown into Dunkirk recently by German guns 20
miles away, and the guess is that he weighed neither the shells
nor his words.
-:o:
Lansing is sitting on the lid down in Washington, while
Wilson is batting a golf ball around up in Cornish, N. H. How
ever, the Mexican trouble followed the president even to his
summer home, so he is not entirely free from cares of state.
-:o:
While a mass meeting called to denounce false reports sent
out about the earthquake, was in session recently in El Centro,
the hall was shaken several times by further tremblors. The
remonstrants, undisturbed, continued to express their dis
pleasure against alarmists and adopted a ringing set of resolu
tions, re-emphasizing their faith in their town and its fertile
environs.
That’s fine. We could mention other cities that need some
of this unfaltering faith.
JULY 4TH
This year there is an organized movement to give the4
people a bigger and broader view of Independence Day and
what it means. The United States Bureau of Education is
the motive force behind' the movement and circulars have been
distributed stating the purposes. The bulletin says:
“Among the features for this occasion already adopted
by various cities is the giving of special recognition to the new
citizens by having special admission tickets for them and their
families so that, on entering the auditorium, they will be
ushered to a special, raised platform on the stage. After
American national airs have been rendered by a band, orchestra
or singing societies, the pledge of allegiance will be recited in
unison as the American flag is unfurled and' the entire oudience
stands and salutes the colors. Several cities are planning
pageants or tableaux presenting in vivid form American
history; moving picture films like “Uncle Sam at Work” will
be shown.
“Among the things the speakers on this occasion will
emphasize are: That every foreign-speaking person in America
should learn English by attending the public schools, because
the English* language is the master key to American oppor
tunities and life, and the first step to real citizenship; that
every illiterate immigrant should learn to read and write, so
that he can read American newspapers and attend personally
to his business matters; and that adults and' children, native
and foreign born, be given civic training in both evening and
day schools, so that everyone in our country will understand
the functions of our government, the principles of democracy
and for what America stands.”
This is a move in the right direction, and especially at this
time serves to emphasize the importance and duties of
American citizenship. Our foreign-born are usually among the
most patriotic of our citizens, but communities have been found
in Pennsylvania where English is not taught in the schools, and
the children are almost as much foreigners as if bom in
Europe. Emphasizing America, American citizenship and
American ideals is another way to help rid some of our people
of the hyphen.
---:o
The French soldiers are going to wear steel helmets,
discarding their archaic headgear. They also are taking off*
their red pants. The Germans began the war with metal hel
mets, but are said to be getting rid of them. The allies boast
that they are helping in this process of alleviation. German
helmets are held in high esteem as souvenirs in England, and
good prices are paid for them. In many cases women have
paid as much for kaiser helmets as they pay for a spring hat.
Probably French helmets will be in demand in Germany. A
dead man’s hat hanging on the parlor wall is a guage by which
we partly may measure the hatreds which war engenders.
This government seems to be in doubt whether it can
amend the English custom of opening and distorting American
mail en route to and from neutral countries. The complaint is
lodged by Sweden. The mail is tampered with, not on the high
seas, but on English soil, by English censors. Even our official,
consular mail, has been subjected to censorship. It seems that
while England professes to love us she won’t play “postoffice”
with us. “Postoffice,” you old timers will remember, Avas a
kissing game in great vogue before tango and other modern
and genteel forms of community hugging were discovered.
-:o:
The campaign being made this year to impress the people
that the Fourth of July is Americanization Day is a good one.
We are all Americans, and no other nationality should claim
any more than our good wishes. All our love of country arid
patriotism should be bestowed on this land, whether it is the
home of our birth or the land of our adoption. There can be no
such thing as a dual nationality. As Kaiser William once said,
“there can be no such thing as a good German-American. You
may be a good German or a good American, but you can’t be
both.”
-:o:
Tomorrow is a big day for the children, the same as every ^
holiday should be, and let all us grown-ups do what we can to
make them have the time of their lives. Let us remember what
the Fourth of July meant to us when we were younger, iyid
let us try to revive some of the healthy patriotism of our
younger days, and enter into the spirit of Cordova’s celebration
along with our children.
-:o:
One of the doctors speaking at a convention in San Fran
cisco said he had invented a machine for weighing the head,
without detaching it. That is an agreeable device and meets
a long-felt want, as for several years there has been a wilful
and inexcusable antipathy against having our heads removed
merely for the purpose of weighing them.
-:0:
Tomorrow is the Fourth of July, and we should all be
happy that the Eagle is not uttering a scream of defiance and^
jumping into the fray in Europe. His scream of joy because
our forefathers had the wisdom to warn us against entangling
alliances, sounds better to an average American ear, than a
scream of defiance.
-:o:- S
One of the presidents, near-presidents, pretenders and
pseudos of Mexica, Francisco Lagos Chasaro, serves warning on
President Wilson that he musn’t fiddle with Mexican affairs.
But how long does Chsaaro expect Mexico’s “next friend” to
be satisfied with the present form of serenade?
t.—.-:o:
Beware of “red eye.” A man who had been too often to
the fountain decided that he had to have 18 pairs of spectacles^
-:o:
The national game on the national day will be the rule for
nlrvTTQ nnlnlvrnfiAn r»-p ■fVi T?Ain»IVi
Cordova’s celebration of the Fourth.
-:o>
Anchorage will celebrate the first holiday of her existence
tomorrow, and here’s wishing her many of them.
-:o:
The dog tax is due, and if you value your malamute you
had better come through with two dollars.