National Republican., 1883-03-20
The oh,leo, o,d III. ,,oo-on.-noo.


A
The chllcat and Ills Hoo-che-noo.
Again we hear from Alaska IL will be re-
membered that the territorial government
steamed up TO the coast last October and
shellcd village. The territorial government
seldom gets near enough to shoot into the
villages but sometimes, like the naughty king
of the Assyrians, it pokos its head in and
makes inquiry as IL journeys past
We hear good news from there this time.
Alaska is as devoid of government as the Dis
trict of Columbia, as it is part of the
same free country A citizen of Alaska gets
a very severe governing now and then, but
he has no voice in the matter; so has not
citizen of the District of Columbia. They
are alike in many things. They both kick
about being. governed blindfolded and at
arms length by mighty aud overlooking
congress. OF course we have the advantage
of the War department. We have generals
and captains sitting in the great stone build
ing ready to rcpel any attack on the city from
revenue cutter. Sometimes they sit with
the windows open on warm days, exposed to
to the fire of the enemy, but seemingly
unmindful of danger and of the fact that they
are liable to be called upon to fight at any
moment. Then we havo the police, too, which
is another advantage over Alaska but at pres
ent 1t Is not best to brag much about the police.
There may be some organized gangs in Alaska
nearly as good. 1t is better to say little or
nothing about matters that little or nothing
is known of However, the captain who runs
Alaska, whose name is Morriman, reports
as above stated, and informs us that all
is quiet since he knocked the stiffening
out of the only village within reach of his
guns He also reports that the tribes who
live in Alaska have all been to see him, ex-
cept the Chilcats A slovenly and unlearned
contemporary called them Chilcots, appar-
emily not knowing that the Chilcots are not
Alaskans at all, but Colorado tribe, one of
whom was sent ON to hold the senate down
to its work until Tabor could get here. 1t
seems that the Chilcats (not altogether unlike
the tomcats) refused to como down to the ship
where Capt, Merriman was and call upon him.
1t may be that some civilizing revenue cutter
captain had fooled the Chilcats at some.
time in the past by getting them near the
shore and taking q pop at them, or il may be
that they have been caught by recognizing
people in banks or indorsing their drafts, and
so are shy about governments as well as indi
viduals. Ordinarily It ought to be satisfactory
TO know that the Chilcats are quiet, even
if they do not put ON the Sum
day school airs Of the other Alaska
Indians, and come calling on Capt. Merriman;
but another part of the report leaves ground
for apprehension. This is that the natives
have stopped making hoo-che-noo. Hoo-che.
moo is sort of three;jointed brevet whisky,
which the natives tank up with before appear
ing in public with their weapons. thas here
toforc served to keep tho population down to
where it can be controlled by revenue cutter,
molasses shipped from the Sandwich Islands
TO San Francisco and Portland, and if they
have really stopped making it it may be nee
cssary, in view of the probable increase of
population, to send up double government
in the shape of two revenue cutters in order
to manage this outlying territory in the fu-
ture.
But there are reasons for believing that il
bodies no good to have these Chilcats quiet.
There is saying among the natives to the
northward of Wrangel Land which translated
means, "When the Chilcats are quiet and fail
to call on a revenue cutter captain in February,
look out for barrels and barrels ofhoo-che-noo
with Wigginsian disregard of the dismay
and misery its disclosure may cause, but with
n purpose to warn and prevent. If on in
vestigation it should be found that tho
Chilcats are in hiding for the pur-
pose of replenishing the Alaskan
supply of moonshino hoo-che-noo, then it
WOuiu pcCoIhc hcccssufg give tno southern
moonshiners rest while all the internal rev.
cnue agents were transported to Alaska to
put stop to the frauds. With revenue agents
in every moonshine district in Tennessee,
Georgia, North Carolina, and Kentucky,
and no extension of the bonded period,
there is bound to bo lull
in the manufacture of pinetop and
Old Grow, and the temptation of the Chilcats
to rush into the market with hoo-che-noo is
something that probably the commissioner of
internal revenue has never thought of. 1t is
impossible at this time to do more than COM
mend these reports, and advise a rigid and
untiring watchfulness over the Chilcats.
NSiIIv and Puerile.V