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: Daily Alaskan
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CHITINA, ALASKA, SATURDAY, JANUARY 20, 1912.
POSTMASTER GENERAL’S PLAN.
In recommending the acquisition of telegraph lines in the
United States for parcels post service, Postmaster General
Hitchcock has opened a subject which permit- of a wide range
• of discussion. The idea is not new, any more than is the oiten
expressed opinion that some day the government will own
railroads and all public utilities. Moreover, when we come to
think of it, the pace of the American people is a fast one. W hat
was considered a Utopian dream of yesterday may become a
fact today or tomorrow. The only danger is that we may
initiate too many so-called reforms before the people are read}
to make the best use of them.
In any event an idea advanced by the postmaster general
is bound "to receive serious consideration. He has shown him
self to be a business man and organizer of unusual ability. He
has systematized the work in his department, cut out the
“deadwood,” and raised the standard of efficiency by paying
good wages. • ,
More important still, as a shining mark «t Ins ability, he
shows a postal surplus of $219,118, instead of the usual deficit.
Commenting on this the Springfield Republican says: “The
Taft administration deserves much credit for an achievement
that none of its predecessors has been able to ex! ibit for nearly
thirty vears. Had the same announcement been made in the
last year of the Roosevelt administration, we mould have been
fairly deafened bythe shrieking chorus of praise and congrat
ulation over the unparalleled administrative triumph.” Even
Democratic and progressive papers join in praising the work
of the postmaster-general, and one of the latter remarks that
Mr.. Hitchcock has brought “more vigor, enterprise and in
itiative into the management of the country 's postal affairs,
than any of his predecessors, and that his record of undis
puted accomplishments makes him probable the most dis
tinguished postmaster-general the country has ever known.”
And mind, the surplus was secured at the same time the
service was extended. The force has been increased 8,000
and last year the amount expended for salaries was approx
imately $14,000,000, greater than two years ago. Since the
Taft administration, also, 60,689 miles of rural routes have
been established. Postal saving banks have been started and
Mr. Hitchcock is now earnestly striving for a parcels post.
It will be readily understood, therefore, that any recom
mendation coming from such a source must necessarily carry
weight and when he declares that the government should ac
quire the telegraph lines for the good of the service one may
be sure that he is speaking from practical experience and
knows what he is talking about. Hence the great interest
aroused bv his most recent recommendation.
AMERICAN LEADERSHIP.
It must be pleasing to our national pride to find that,
thanks to the initiative of our State Department in addressing
an identical note to the six leading powers suggesting concerted
mediation with a view to restoring order and preserving the
integrity and autonomy of China, the outlook for a peaceful
termination of the fratricidal straggle in that country is now
believed to be excellent.
The purpose of this movement on behalf of Japan. Great
Britain, Russia, France, Germany and the United States is
purely beneficent, as was the suggestion by Washington, not
with any intent or threat of intervention in the purely domestic
quarrel in China, but with a view to avoiding any possibility
of individual aggression by any one power under the tempta
tion to profit by the emergency, and to a- ire the speediest
and most satisfactory adjustment of the < inese situation
which bv paralvzing commerce is interfering with the interests
of all.
The amicable opening of the peace conference between
Tang Shao Yi, representing not the Manchu Dynasty but Pre
mier Yuan Kiai, and Wu Ting Fang, representing the republi
can wing of.the revolutionists, is largely due t , the mediation
of the powers. The issue at this conference is not the mainten
ance of the Manchus, who are admittedly down and out except
in form, but whether the new Chinese government will be a
constitutional monarchy or a republic, in the one case with
Premier Yuan as Regent or in the other with him as President.
Tang is presumedly to make the best terms U- can for the Pre
mier personally, who so far as disclosed seei > to be the most
stable hope of his country for the moment. But if peace is se
cured through this conference and mediation the point of chiei
interest to America will be that it marks anot r striking lead
ership by our State Department in the path of international
activity which trends toward the general welfare of the world.
-0000
ALASKA—WEALTH PRODUCED.
The records have been made up of the salmon canning
business of Alaska for the year 1910. It appears that during
the year all records in this industry, not only fur Alaska but
for the whole Pacific Coast, were broken. The pack of Alaska
salmon aggregated 2,821,317 cases, of the value, in the hands
of the packers of $14,830,932.
.The salmon canning industry of Alaska same returns mort
money by many millions this year than the output of gold from
that territory. Alaska takes third place as a gold producer ir
this country, but it occupies easily the first place in the value
of output of canned fish.
W hen Alaska was purchased by the United States from
Kussia the price paid was $7,200,000. The pack of salmon ir
Alaska last year is valued at considerably more than twice tin
sum which the federal government paid for the territory. Tin
people who have developed the resources of Alaska have pai<
into the federal treasury for the privilege of doing so ven
much more money than the T nited States paid for the terri
tory, and will continue each year to pay millions mOre per
petually.
It is a noteworthy fact that while insurgent orators are prat
ing about Alaska’s, resources belonging to the whole people,
meaning the people of the east as much as the people of Alas
ka, the “whole people” acting through congress, have never
done a solitary thing towar discovering, developing or making
of value to the world any of the resources of that great ter
ritory.
If the world had had to wait for the development of Alas
ka’s resources until “the whole people” did something in that
lirection, Alaska would have been in the same condition today
hat is was a dozen years after the “whole people” took pos
session of the property; without population, without laws, 1
without any form of government, without industries, without
transportation, and without an opened and profitable mine.
Private enterprise has done everything for Alaska which has
been done up to this time; and had not the “whole people”
through ignorant, fad-ridden and ill-alvised servants, checked
the progress of the territory and set it back, it would today
have been developed to at least double its present proportions
—Seattle P.-I.
-oooo
Nevertheless, even an announcement from Mr. Pinchot of
Mr. Roosevelt’s intentions must remain unconvincing as not
absolutely proof against misapprehension. Also as the Colonel
has on occasion observed when he wishes to make an announce
ment he is most capable of doing it himself.
-oooo
HOW TO HELP ALASKA.
All ol the commercial bodies of the leading cities of the
Pacific coast are now united in the purpose of aiding the .peo
ple of Alaska toward securing such legislation as they ask and
need. It is recognized that it is for the people of Alaska them
selves to outline their needs and to initiate such action as they
feel that they desire. What is needed, therefore, is a clear out
lining by some responsible bodies, representing the Alaska
people, of the more imperative needs', and then the commercial
bodies of the Pacific coast cities will get behind and push to
secure the legislation.
While there are many matters affecting Alaska which are
more or less political and about which there is division of opin
ion among Alaskans, there is one matter upon which they are
all agreed, which is the necessity for the construction of good
roads; a matter in which they are entirely dependent upon
congress. Denied any legislative body of their own , with no
power to impose taxes and use the proceeds for their own
uses, Alaska has no machinery through which to secure road
building, save that provided by congress, which must also pro
vide the funds for doing the work.
The Seward Commercial Club and the Fairbanks Commer
cial Club, through their respective presidents, have endorsed
the establishment of the Alaska bureau of the New Chamber of
Commerce in Seattle, and the President of the Fairbanks club
| one of the strongest commercial bodies in the territory, sug
gests that one of the great needs of the territory is a system of
good roads. He points out that the proposed automobile road
from Chitina would prove an excellent substitute for a rail
road and would shorten the time for the delivery of the mail
in winter to all the interior points.
Here is a practical, concrete suggestion, involving no poli
tics and upon which there will be no division of public opin
ion among the people of Alaska. Why not get behind this pro
ject and show that the friendship of the commercial bodies of
the Coast cities for Alaska can manifest.itself practicallv and
in other directions besides good words ’—Seattle Post Intelli
gencer.
—-oooo
SAN FRANCISCO AND ALASKAN TRADE.
San Francisco continues her effort to fix the minds of the
people of that city on Alaska, with the object of securing trade.
It is uphill business, because, as the Examiner admits edi
torially “today there is no regular line of steamers to Alaskan
ports from San Francisco, and every shipper who wants regu
lar service must send his goods by way of Seattle.”
The facts have not deterred Mr. Andrey J. Stone from going
before the Commonwealth Club in an effort to set the business
men of San Francisco thinking.
He has cited his own experience in buying machinery and
supplies for Alaska to show why Seattle gets all this business
to the exclusion of San Francisco. Disclaiming any attitude of
preferment for Puget Sound, he says:
“There was no reason why San Francisco should not have
had this order, except that you have had no direct steamer
lines and your banks have no branches in Alaska, and we are
forced to do business with Puget Sound exclusively.”
As a reason for “that reason”—carrying the process anoth
er step—Mr. Stone might explain why San Francisco nas no
steamer lines and no bank connection with Alaska.
Anyone who knows putty about the situation can answer.
The reason is that San Francisco is a thousand miles out of
the way. Nature has erected a geographical barrier against
the Golden Gate so far as Alaska is concerned.
That is all there is to it. Otherwise, San Francisco would
have grasped the trade in 1897 when Klondike gold first start
led the world.—Seattle Times.
-oooo--—
WHO IS OUR FRIEND?
It hegins to look as if a number of Alaskans inclu ling the
delegate from Alaska, had hitched their wagon to the wrong
star. Ever since Senator Beveridge, upon request of Piesi
dent Taft, proposed a local government for Alaska in the form
of a council to be appointed by the President, hysterical pat
riots have tried to decree the name of Beveridge accursed in
the northland. As late as today, two years after the death of
the Beveridge bill, our delegate relates, with all appearance of
seriousness, how narrowly Alaska escaped a military despot
ism. At the same time he exhorts us one and all to flock to
the standard of Robert LaFollette, the only true and tried
friend of Alaska.
Now, Beveridge, did favor an appointive council, which
might or might not be composed of Alaskans. The talk of
the danger of its being a military body was pure political bun
?ombe, designed to scare the military ridden foreigner into
/oting for the wolf-crier. But along comes the god like La
Follette with a proposal for a commission, which, if built
ilong the lines of the Panama commission, will be not only
entirely appointive, but military as well. Can it be, in this
urbulent era of insurgents and progressives and radicals and
•evolters of all kinds, that Alaska must look for salvation to
the mere regulars?
-—oooo
A CALL TO ARMS.
From the states comes the unwelcome news that Gifford
Pinehot, the arch enemy of all progress in the west and Alas
ka, has been promised the portfolio now held by Secretary
Fisher in case Lafollette becomes President of the United
states. There seems to be no doubt that the information is
orrect, but let the announcement act as a call to arms of all 1
he loyal men of the west who have been held back in their 1
march of progress and the upbuilding of their commonwealth 1
by the dreadful results following the application of the Pin- ;
ehot policies. Sound the tocsin throughout the length and ’
breadth of that vast empire west of the 100th meridian, whose 5
splendid people have been building nobly and substantially !
upon a foundation based upon these laws which are directly ‘
opposed to the strangulation effects of the Pinehot policies. 1
Let every western farmer, miner, stock man, lumberman and <
developer of the natural resources of the land stand together 1
on the one slogan, “Down forever with dishonest Pinchotism.” i
To our editorial brethren throughout the Western country f
we give our word that every argument and public utterance 1
of Pinehot in relation to the Alaskan controyersy is either wil- 1
;ully false or adroitly juggled and should any western paper *
vish full information We will have it sent to him at once with *
in affidavit as to its authenticity. fc , , ^ < jw viAifl-l a
COME TO, ME. LaFOLLETTE.
Under date of Flint, Mishigan, January 1st, Senator La
Follette at last bubbles over with Gifford Pinchot mis-tnfor
mation and butts into the Alaska situation. In one speech he
becomes a defamer of the country. In one evening he puts
himself on record as being wholly ignorant, entirely untruth
ful and unreliable when discussing one of the greatest ques
tions of the day in the arena of American polities. Here we
have a United States Senator, a man who is the acknowledged
leader of the insurgent movement and who aspires to toe presi
dency of these United States, giving out without any personal
knowledge of the matter a statement that is so wickedly false,
ludicrously impossible that thousands and thousands who know
the truth of the matter can only laugh and pity the speaker.
In justice to Lafollette we have the associated press report
to go on and if he has been misquoted we will cheerfully re
tract, but as the Associated Press is seldom known to misquote
we presume the report of his speech is correct, llis later Dan
ville speech contains the same error.
For Mr. LaFollette’s special benefit we will state that there
is not a scintilla of truth in his statement relating to the Alaska
Syndicate and that outside of a small area in Southwestern
Alaska that syndicate, which means the Morgan-Guggenheim
combination, has no bearing on the territory at large. The
territory of Alaska lias produced since Seward’s purchase,
Mr. LaFollette, a total of over four hundred million dollars
divided among the people of Alaska and those on the outside
who are working for the development of the territory. The
Alaska Syndicate, Mr. LaFollette, has invested something like
forty millions of dollars in Alaska and up to tlie close of the
year the syndicate has not netted one dividend on its total ap
propriation for upbuilding the territory. If you will go to
Nome, Valdez, Seward, Fairbanks, Iditarod, Sitka, Ketchikan
or any other section, Mr. LaFollette, the honest people of those
places will tell you that outside of such speeches as yours and
articles in Collier’s Weekly, Hampton’s, Saturday Evening
Post the Outlook and other journals they do not know of any
activity of the Morgan-Guggenheim people and that as far as
their localities are concerned the name is but a myth and a
bug-a-boo.
Come to, Mr. LaFollette! M ake up and hear the birds of
Alaska thrilling their songs of industrial upbuilding and de
velopment. Be a man as befits one who aspires to the presi
dency of the United States. Have the manhood to admit that
you were mis informed by Gifford Pinchot, whom we can as
sure you is the greatest falsifier, the biggest four-flusher and
the greatest grand stand actor that this generation of political
charlatans has yet produced. He has gotten you in bad as he
has every other man who has been foolish enough to listen to
his ravings.
—--noon--—
COMMENTS OF ALASKA EXCHANGES.
Never has a virgin mining section been so staked and re
corded as Ruby; never will one be so wooed by the prospector
—and never did one promise such great reward.—Rubv Citi
zen.
It is a great wonder that congress does not pass a law for
the government of Alaska wherein it is a crime to blow upon
a spoonful of hot porrage, as it may beget gambling, for a
person may get it down to such a fine point they can bet on
the number of breaths it will take to cool the same.—Nome
Nugget.
The Seward Gateway is offended because Valdez, Cordova,
and other minor villages show symptoms of hankering to an
nex the potential government railroad. The harvest of po
tentiality is already complete and the general crop lodged
under lock and key in the Seward warehouse, according to
the Gateway.—Valdez Miner.
It is a significant fact that every husky, growing city has
an active, wide-awake commercial club. More than one city
of importance is known by its commercial club, which is the
foremost organization in the community. In more than one
city the commercial clubs have taken the lead in every move
ment, political as well as business, and the whole spirit of the
communities has been changed for the better. The better
ment of the Fairbanks spirit by reason of the existence of a
Fairbanks commercial club is unmistakably apparent, in the
shape of new projects and accomplishments which one year
ago were not thought of.—Fairbanks Times.
Xot long ago an Alaskan coast paper criticised some de
partment of the federal government for classifying Alaska
with the “insular” possessions. The paper professed to be
tickled because the numerous government agents, departmen
tal and personal representatives and other dignitaries, who
have so long been journeying to Alaska in search of infor
mation have failed to learn that the territory is for the greater
part situated on the mainland. We took it that the govern
ment’s classification was made to obviate the breakage of a
string of led tape, for a reason analagous to that which causes
a postal official stationed at Tanana to be styled a- “ rail wav
mail clerk.”—Iditarod Pioneer.
Improvement of the lighthouse service in Alaska has been
one of the leading hobbies of Governor Clark since he became
chief executive of the territory.. His efforts in this direction
have been rewarded with a measure of success greater than
anybody expected, and greater than all other efforts for Alas
ka during the past vear or so. During the recent fiscal vear,
Alaska was made a separate lighthouse district and an in
spector placed in charge with an office and depot at Ketchi
kan and Tonka. Two lighthouse tenders have been at work.
There have been established two new lights, 2 unlighted beac
ons, 22 buoys and one fog signal. One year ago there were 37
lights in Alaska, so that the number has been doubled since.
Preliminary arrangements have been made for the installation
of 27 additional lights during the current fiscal vear, and an
estimate is submitted for the establishment of‘a first-class
light and fog signal station at Cape St. Elias. There are now
236 aids to navigation in Alaska, of which 74 are lights.—
Fairbanks Times.
AGRICULTURE IN ALASKA.
It is not generally expected that Alaska will become for
many generations, if indeed ever, a great agricultural export
region, or that it will hold out any inducement to the kind of
farmers who have made farming a great and profitable busi
ness in such regions as the Ohio and Mississippi valleys and
in the prarie states, is how governor Clark treats this subject
in his annual report. Continuing he says: With the expan
sion of the lode mining industry and other activities more
stable than placer mining, and with the establishment of im
proved means of transportation, the territory will invite a har
dy class of settlers such as have tilled the soil of northern
Europe successfully for -centuries. The railroads and wagon
roads are too few and inexteisive and most of the towns too
small and isolated to invite agriculturalists whose success de
pends vitally upon transportation and markets. In places
where these prime conditions are not conspicuously .lacking,
and in the near vicinity of the larger towns, market gardening
is now being carried on with success. All the vegetables which
ire commonly raised in New England and in the middle states
We Carry a Full Line of
General Merchandise
Including
GROCERIES
HARDWARE
DOG HARNESS
HORSE HARNESS
FURNISHING GOODS
BLANKETS
FUR CAPS
SHOES AND RUBEER PACS
Also
HAY <FAND GRAIN
CHITINA CASH STORE
E. H. GILLMAN, Manager.
Forwarding Agen t, S. BLUM & CO.
CORDOVA’S BIG STORE
First-Class Hotel In Chitina
J,
Prices Reasonable X
4*
Hotel Chitina
J. PALMER and T. ( LOMMiEK,
Proprietors.
The Only First Class Hotel in Chitina
Heated Room, Bath, Ladies Parior
Bar with all Standard Liquors and Cigars
First-Class Dining Room in Connection
Chitina
Alaska
WHEN COMING TO CORDOVA KEMEMIIEH
Cordova Steam Laundry
THE ONLY REAL LAUNDRY IX TOW X
Let ns wash and clean your canvass covers, blankets, clothes,
overalls, etc.
If you are in a hurry we can do your work in ifn hour's time if
necessary.
Leave your work at any hotel, rooming house or barber shop
and it will receive prompt attention.
'PHONE 57 F. A. JONES, Manager Sc. mi Street
Alaska Coast Co.
“THE INSIDE ROUTE.”
To Juneau and Prince William Sound Ports and Southwest
ern Alaska.
Seattle Sailing dates:
BERTHA—Jan. JO, Feb. 20, and March 20.
SAMPSON—March 5, March 27 and April 15.
JEANNIE—March 10th.
The JEANNIE carries explosives tor Southwestern Alaska, anr
goes to Kodiak.
Right reserved to change steamers and sailing dates without
ALASKA TRANSFER CO., Local Agents.
B. F. WATSON, General Agent.
ALASKA STEAMSHIP COMPANY
Fast and commodious steamers sailing between
Cordova and Seattle,
Sails from Seattle— Sails from Cordova—
Jan. 8.ALAMEDA.Jan. 16,
Jan. 16.NORTH WESTERN .Jan. 24
Jan. 24 .ALAMEDA.Feb. 1.
Feb. 1..‘.NORTHWESTERN.Feb. 8.
This company reserves the right to change schedule of steam
ers without notice.
Tickets on sale at up-town office Alaska Steamship Bldg.
Baggage or freight will not be received at dock later than one
hour before sailing time.
R. J. BARRY, THOMAS TALLENT,
General Agent. Ticket Agent.
thrive in Alaska, even in the coast region. The local markets
have already felt the effects of domestic.production, as is well
known in some of the principal towns. At Fairbanks, which
is in the same latitude as middle Norway, an agricultural fair
was held last summer, exhibits being made of a great variety
of native farm products, including ripe grain, both threashed
and in the sheaf. The luxuriant growth of grasses in the great
territory surrounding Cook Inlet, as well as in other favored
regions where the winter climate is comparatively mild induces
the belief that stock raising will eventually become a profitable
industry. With stock raising as with agriculture in Alaska,
the question is not one of adaptability but simply of tin1 time
when the land shall be needed and markets made available.
-oooo
Germany now accuses England of McNamaraing designs on
its war harbors. This Teutonic fear of British underground
attack will just match England’s fear of German aerial inva
sion. But the real clash will never come until they meet on
solid earth or bounding billow face to face.
-oooo
The United States Supreme Court continues to sweep aside
procrastinatory procedure. There is to be no more of this
coming around to see the job and going back to the shop for
the tools business in the practice of law before the Supreme
bench.
-oooo
No Americans need apply for jobs in Persia under the Bus*
dan receivership. They are too honest.
.. w ‘ , - - - • * '' - *'• ' ' • V '*■