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.
ONLY NEWSPAPER IN CHITINA
Published every Saturday by
WILL A. STEEL—Editors, Managers and Proprietors—HAEET G. STEEL
Office: Hotel Chitina Building. Cordova Office: Daily Alaskan
Seattle Office: 561 Coiman Building.
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of the Copper River district.
| CHITINA, ALASKA, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1012.
CANDIDACY OP GEO. E. BALDWIN
If there is any question concerning
the strength of feeling possessed by
that sturdy Alaskan pioneer, Geo. E.'
Baldwin, over the inherited rights of
the people of this northland, it will
only be necessary to read an article
published in another column. Upon
every possible occasion the voice and
pen of Mr. Baldwin has been raised
and used against the injustice that
a horde of “shadow dancers” would
Inflict upon Alaska. Mr. Baldwin
was one of the first men to aid in the
development of the mineral resources
of Southwestern Alaska, and particu
larly of the Copper river country.
He is a man of the people; he knjws
their needs, and he appreciates the
injustice that is being done in lock
ing up the valuable resources of this
section of the country. While at
times his langugage is forceful and
more than vigorous, it is because of
his relization of the great iniquities
that have been visited upon a patient
and more deserving people.
Mr. Baldwin has spent the l ost oi
his life in Alaska, and thoroughly
understands the conditions here and
the needs of the people. He is a man
of convictions and of sturdy honesty.
His views on Alaska, expressed be
fore the American Mining Congress
and other organizations, have been
sound and convincing. He is a man
who believes in upbuilding and devel
opment. And it is because of these
and other facts that the Daily Alas
kan takes pleasure in supporting the
candidacy of Mr. Baldwin for a seat
in the Senate of the new Legislative
Assembly, that will convene at June
au in March next. We consider by
education, training and experience,
that he is eminently qualified to well
and faithfully srve the best interests
of the people of Alaska, in the new’
Legislature.
PRONOUNCED ADVOCATES
T. B. Tansey and Geo. E. Baldwin
have pronounced views with refer
ence to the immediate opening of the
Alaska coal fields. After they get
to Juneau they may be expected to
work up a sentiment that will result
in a strong memorial to Congress
declaring the desires of Alaskans on
this burning subject. And of course
Capt. “Bob” Gray of Katalla, will be
one of the most enthusiastic support
ers of the measure in the House.
-X-X-X
COPPER RIVER CHOICE
From all accounts the Copper river
people are beginning to realize that
they entitled to a Representative in
the Legislative Assembly, and that
to secure representation it is neces
sary that they unite on one man for
the office. And they have about con
cluded that the strongest candidate
is E. H. Gilman, of Chitina. About
everybody along the line will vote
for him. Some will vote for Mr.
Barrett and two candidates from
other sections of the territory.
A VITAL QUESTION
There are reports going around in
dicating that one of the candidates
for Senator has declared that he
doesn’t care anything about the open
ing of the coal fields. That he came
to Alaska to make a stake and that
he intends to get out so soon as it is
made. Mr. Millard is quoted by a
Valdez paper as having so declared
himself at a Pinchot meeting held
In that town a year ago. If those
are his views it hardiy seems possible
that Seward, Cordova, Katalla and
the Copper river country will flock
in very great numbers to the support
of a man who has so little concern
in one of the vital questions of the
hour.
STANDARD GAUGE FOR ALASKA
As the Daily Alaskan was the first
publication to take issue with Secre
tary Fisher in his Utopian dream of
operating the five foot gauge equip
ment of the Panama Railroad on the
four foot-eight-and-a-half gauge road
in Alaska, it is with some satisfaction
that we find our argument endorsed
throughout the land. Newspapers
generally have ridiculed the idea and
technical journals have shown the
utter impossibility of utilizing the
Panama equipment. Mr. Fisher, him
self, when he came to Seattle a fort
night since, carefully refrained from
putting out any additional “press
dope” on this plan that has only ser
ved to bring forth some stinging
eritcism on the administration. In
the August number of “The World’s
Work" is found a fine series of artic
les on the Panama Canal, that en
gineering accomplishment that all
patriotic Americans are following
with so much pride. Farnham Bish
op contributes an article on “The
Builder of the Canal,” and in the
course of his interesting story he
says.
“When asked nis opinion (Col.
Goethals) of the scheme to use the
Panama Railroad and Canal equip
ment, after it is no longer needed
on the Isthmus, for building Govern
ment railroads in Alaska, Col.
Goethals replied: ‘Its advisability
must be determined by two things:
The cost of transfer and the character
of roads to be built. If what are
contemplated are comparatively short
isolated lines running from the coast
to the coal fields, then our five foot
gauge equipment would probably <
well enough. But if the Govern
ment is going in for railroad build
ing there on a large scale, tnere
would be no economy in anything bui
new and standard gauge equipment.
As for transferring ihe organization
from Panama to Alaska, they will be
none left to transfer.”
This gentle hint, coming from the
uilder of the canal and one of Arneri.
ca’s foremost engineers, ought to for
ever put a quietus on the plan of
Secretay Fisher in his effort to have
the government operate the Alaska
Northern with narrow gauge equip
ment.
-x—x—x
A SCIENTIFIC STANDPATTER
Explorer Stefansson, who reported
the discovery of the supposed Norse
Eskimo tribe in the Arctic, offers the
'••oi!d a posture of standpafis:n that
eclipses anything on r cord, llo is
utterly and unalterably opposed to
any attempt to civilize or Christianize
his blond discoveries lest they may
get measles and be exterminated be
fore he has time to study them. His
tory, he says, shows that wherever
the trader and the missionary have
come in contact with primitive peo
ples their extinction has followed or
is following. He cites the natives of
the South Sea Islands and the Eski
mos in corroboration. He fears the
trader would debauch them and the
missionary pauperize them. The"
are now healthy, prosperous and con
tented. The kindest tlCog civiliza
tion can do for the reputed descend
ants of Lief the Lucky, he contends,
is to let them alone.
A Japanese steamship company
now has a coupon for a seat In a life
boat attached to each ticket sold and
the passenger is requested to assure
himself the boat is there when he
goes aboard. Those Nipponese cer
tainly do improve on some Western
ideas.
-X-X-X
A week from today and the people
of Alaska will be busy recording the
verdict that will sadden the hearts
of many a deserving candidate.
COL. B. F. MILLARD'S VIEWS ON
CONSERVATION
In another column will be found
an exerpt from an article published
in the Valdez Miner in its issue of
Sunday, October 8, 1911. It is with
reference to the utterance of Col. B.
F. Millard, at a meeting gotten up by
his supporters to give GifTord Pinchot
an opportunity to foist his views
upon an already much suffering Alas
kan people because of the practical
application of those views to the coal
and timber resources of this north
land. The remarks of Col. Millard
at the Pinchot meeting are of particu
lar significance now, because he is a
candidate asking the support and
votes of the people of the Third divi
sion, for representation in the senate
of the new Legislative Assembly. He
has never denied the truth of the pub
lished statement of his utterances,
and he presumably continues to en
tain the same views.
He lays great stress on the thread
worn and oft exploded cry of "mon
oply.” He would prefer to have the
coal lands “idle for generations”
rather than have them fall into the
hands of a "monoply.” In other
words the Col. agreed with the ex
forester. Lest by any possibility an
aggregation of capital should get
control of a few of some of the hun
dreds of coal claims that have been
located in Alaska, and engage in ac
tive mining, he would have the seal
so placed that only the decendants
of future generations would have an
opportunity of unlocking tne rich
coal beds. The thousands of sturdy
pioneers who came to this territory
expecting that the mining of coal
would be but the beginning of many
industries, are to be impoverished
and disheartened because Mr. Pin
chot, Col. Millard and a few others
would “conserve” our vast coal fields
for our children’s children.
But possibly Col. Millard’s lack of
Interest in the development of the
Bering river and Matanuska coal beds
is contained in his closing remarks,
when he is credited with the state
ment that he was in Alaska to make
a stake, and that he would get out
just so soon as he made it. The Col.
was supplied with money by men of
large means to develop some copper
property, and we presume that so
scon as it was sufficiently developed
to unload the Colonel’s idea was to
make a * clean-up” and get out of the
country. In tVat event the loci'is;
up of the coal fields wou'd pot be a
matter of much concern to the Col.
Neither is it to the pampered child
of fortune, the theorist and million
aire, Gifford Pinchot.
Of course Col. Millard is entitled
to his personal opinions, and it is
only as a candidate for the Senate
that his views are of public interest.
But it is a matter of the greatest
concern to know what the first Legis
lature will recommend to Congress
concerning the vital questions that
have to do with the happiness and
prosperity of almost every man, wo
man and child in Southwestern Alas
ka. Cutting out the platitudes and
the silly cry abut monoply, which all
the Pinchot conservationists harp on,
the fact remains that this combina
tion has been the curse of Alaska
and have thus far succeeded in im
poverishing the people of this section,
and discouraging capital from com
ing here to make investment.
And Col. Millard says that Pinchot
is right. And this same gentleman
has ambition to represent the people
of this division in the Territorial
Senate. Holding the views he ex
pressed but a year agoi, he would sim
ply represent Pinchot, the arch enemy
of progress and development. What
we need at Juneau are men whose
views would not tend to retard, but
rather to expand. No one here
favors monoply. But where is the
monoply? Not in Alaska, but in the
outsides states, where big trusts have
been thriving and sending up the
cost of living while the Pinchot satel
lites have been crying “stop thief”
at some imaginary bugaboo in far
away Alaska. It is Col. Millard's
privelege to make his stake and get
out, but the needs of the territory
require in the Legislature men who
are actuated by the highest motives
for the good of the people who are
now in Alaska, and not for the gen
erations who may never come, if
Pinchotism and "conservation” con
tinue to thrive in Alaska.
What a pronounced difference
there is in the views of the two op
posing Senatorial candidates from
Valdez. George E. Baldwin has
startled the thinking men of the
states in his vigorous denunciation of
the Pinchot theroies as applied to
Alaska. He has been the means of
opening the eyes of thousands to the
iniquity of the policy as applied to
Alaska, and is largely responsible for
the turning of sentiment that is now
beginning to favor the development
of Alaska instead of continuing in
the ruinous inactivity of the past
few years. As a member of the Sen
ate Geo. E. Baldwin would work night
and day to secure the endorsement
of Congress to measures that would
mean the opening up and develop
ment of the Bering river and Matan
uska coal fields.
-X-X-X
FAVORED CANDIDATES.
They send good reports of Milo
Kelley from Juneau, and in fact all
other parts of Alaska where he is
known. It seems to be generally
conceded that he is one of the four
candidates who is certain to be elect
ed from this division to the House of
Representatives. And it will not be
because of personal effort upon his
part for he sailed for the outside a
couple of weeks ago and win be gone
until after the election is over. But
he is regarded as one of the best
qualified men for the place. And he is
a practical miner who has worked in
Alaska for fifteen years and appre
ciates the needs of his class. Then
again location favors him. The im
portance of the westward mining sec
tion is just as much entitled to
reognition as is the important coal
and oil town of Katalla to the east
ward. And for that reason alone
many of the voters in all sections of
the division will cast their ballots
for Milo Kelley, of Knik, and Capt.
“Bob” Gray, of Katalla.
-X-X-X
The members of the Alaska Rail
road Commission have already im
bued a fine idea of the Alaskan coun
try, with its limitless possibilities,
and of the Alaskan people who have
the courage to remain hopeful under
existing distressing conditions.
-X-X-X
PROGRESSIVE DEVELOPMENT.
Reports indicate that Geo. E. Bal
dwin is in good favor at Chitina and
other interior localities. The strong
stand that he has for years taken re
garding the necessity for opening the
coal fields of Alaska has made him a
general favorite in those sections
wuere they appreciate the iniquity of
tr.e present system that locks up our
resources. Such strong advocates of
development as George E. Baldwin
and T. B. Tansey are entitled to,
and will receive, generous support
in their candidacy for Senator, in
the towns of Cordova. Katalla, Chiti
na, and other Copper river sections.
-X-X-X
As to the claim that Governor Wil
son demonstrated that he could beat
Colonel Roosevelt in running a loco
motive, it can be settled, if neces
sary, after election. The question
as to which “jerks” the public, travel
ing or otherwise, the hardest, is only
metaphorical.
-X-X-X
Final crop reports show the largest
corn crop but one, the largest wheat
crop but two, the largest oats crop
without execption. In the states
business is brisk and sanguine.
Everything roseate, if politics does
not impose the check of tariff tinker
ing. In the meantime Alaskans are
playing a waiting game.
-Y-Y-V
The members of the Alaska Rail
road Commission may not be all ex
perienced railroad men, but they are
men of broad and comprehensive
views who recognize a good railroad
when they see it.
-o—o—o
George E. Baldwin is making a
campaign in the Copper river country
and as a result it is expected that
a good vote will be polled for Tansey
and Baldwin for Senators.
In the Fourth division the Social
ists had considerable difficulty in
selecting a ticket for candidates to
make the run for the Legislative
Assembly. T hey finally succeeded
in making the following nomina
tions:
For Senators—Jack Brooks, of
Jack Wade Creek; John Conna, of
Fairbanks.
For Representatives—Ben Estby,
of Ester Creek; Charles Detna, of
Cleary; N. R. King, of Fairbanks;
Andrew Noles, of Olnes.
ALASKA’S TRUE FRIEND
Geo. E BALDWIN
Desires the Support and Vote
of Every Good, True Alaskan
FOR SENATOR
Territorial Legislature
FOR REPRESENTATIVE
F. M. BOTLE
Candidate of Home Rule Party
I trust to merit the support of the people of Cordova anil
the Copper River country, and if elected I shall consider
it my duty to serve the people of the Third Division to the
best of my abilities.
V O T E F O R
R. 1). GRAY
OF K. AT ALL A
FOR THE LOWER HOUSE
And Give Representation to that Important
Coal and Oil Section known as the Bering
River District. “Bob” Gray is the Only
Candidate from that Section, and the Unan
imous Choice^of Its People. Vote for Gray
For Senator
T. B. TANSEY
OF CORDOVA
The opening of our coal fields 1 consider of prime im
portance to the people of not only this District but to the
WHOLE OF ALASKA, I favor any system wliich will give
to the people the use and benefit of this most valuable of
Alaska's natural resources. * +, t| ' ] t
• My seventeen years’ experience in Alaska as a miner,
prospector and assayer has taught me the practical needs of
the rank and file of pioneers, and that experience is an asset
which I will use to devise and work for legislation for all
the people of Alaska.
I am committed in my platform for a universal eight
hour in Alaska; for an equitable taxation of the fishing in
terests, the money to be used for territorial purposes; for a
tax on non-resident fishermen; an employer’s liability
law; the abolition of destructive conservation; and a
square deal for capital as well as for labor.
Chitina
Pharmacy
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PUBLIC LAND AND MINING
CASES.
If you are interested in any contest
or any matter before the Interior De
partment, write to Clark & Wright,
registered land lawyers, qo’ 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.
Feed, Fuel
and
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