Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-09-12
DAILY P0ST.INTELLIGENCER


uOW HHG LAVE ~
Ifsoru. foturs historian should cbAncs
to write history Of Alaska from is
oession to the United States 20 the year
1885, the volume would not be read WITH
any grea, degree Of pride by Americans
Its sale would not be large. IL truth
full history, it would be story OF Law
lsssnsss and defiance Of lav. II would
shov bow impotent American lag can
be and how worthless American on
Gals can be. It would contain nothing
10 excite enthusiasm. nothing that could
win approval. II you'd tell hos a DO
minion, sparsely populated bus an en-
pire in extent, Was transferred BY
Russia 10 the United States; hoS the
white people Who had settied within iis
borders were vastly oginumbered BY the
natives: how the latter were harmless
and no danger vas spprehended from
them hos there we're strict laws
against selling liquor TO them, and how
thoroughly those laws we're enforced.
Then the historian might commences
new chapter with an account Of hov
the Americans took possession OF the
country with q tremendous flourish OF
trumpets. He might go on with the
account Of hos the seal fisheries we're
farmed cot 10 wealthy corporation; OF
hov the troops Who had At first been
sent 10 occupy wraAgei and other places
were withdrawn; of how the govern
meat Of the country Was neglected and
how. 90 far as the Government at Wash
ineton Vas concerned. 1t might have
Iapsed into a state Of absolute lavless-
ness; Of how an illicit traffic IL intoIi-
eating liquors sprung 40 and hourishedi
Of hsw there we're no courts, no peace
officers, nothing that civilized land
should have.
Then be might tell of how after many
years an unsatisfactory and incomplete
government was granted the country I;
of how a number of federal officials,
iudicial and executive, arrived /; of hov,
with their coming, law breaking In
creased rather than diminished , and OF
how they disreearded aud connived at
the breaking Of the laws. He might
tell how, instead of prosecuting those
who brought liquor into the Territory,
they encouraged such Law breaking and
them selves partook openly Of the liquor
which should not have been in the coan-
try. He might make fearful arraign-
ment Of American Law and American
officials.
To one who knows the maddening
effect of liquor upon the Northern In
dian, there can be no question OF the
wisdom of Congress in forbiddinR alb
soluisly the importation Of intoxicating
liquors into Alaska. In q country in
hAbited by about thousand white men
surrounded by fsrty or fifty times as
many savage and semi-oivilized Indians,
there Ia danger at any time, and that
danger is especially great when TO other
things which might At any time provoke
hostilities Is added the power of intox-
ieants. A barrel Of whiskey might al
any time make raviug manises Of an
entire tribe Of Alaska Indians, aud the
massacre Of all the white people resid
ing in that particular district might
easily follow. The wisdom Of the pro
hibition, then, cannot be doubted. II
Ia not question of temperance or anti
temperance, Of prohibition or anti pro
hibition. IL 10 q question OF whether Of
not to provide for the safety Of small
white population In the midst Of an In
dian country. Yet it Is notorious fac
that the late officials of Alaska, execu
tive, judicial and revenue. allowed liquol
10 be brought into Alaska and openly
sold without making the slightest effort
10 restrain the traffic. indeed. IL Il
equally notorious that number Of
t2cru bthotaan ot0Nht tAdSOti
by the drink. When asked II the traffic
were not illegal, their answer was usual
Iva laugh. How can the Indians b,
expected 10 respect laws which are &C
openly violated by the men who are SEM
out 10 zee that they are enforeedS
The Statement. innocently made by a
juneau miner recently has a whole vol
ume Of meaning In II. He explained
the state OF affairs by saying: "For.
mcrly We had vigilance committees and
compelled the store keepers not 10 sell
liquor, mslasses and firearms 10 the In.
dians, bat nov that the judges, attor.
neys and United States marshals have
come, We are entirely without protec-
ton. What can We do ?" That vas
said innoeently enough. but had 10 been
meant for sarcasm nothing could have
been kcener. Truly, what can they do
Il Ia 10 be hoped that the new officials
will answer the question.