St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-12-12
A HOT ALASKA ROAST
Ex-Gov. Swineford PourS a
BrOadside Into the ADJ
miniStPation.
Called Out by the Lamentable
State of Affairs at
Alaska.
How the Big Seal Monopoly
Is Permitted to Do It's
Business.
Harrison Drew the Bill Under
Which Alaska Is Gov
erned.

The word Alaska has rather a chilly
sound TO people of the states in general.
but there's nothing chilly about the eX-
governor Of that territory. A. L. Swine
ford. who is now spending a few days
in the SANITY City. Gov. Swineford
during his term as chief executive
of Alaska gained considerable notoriety
through his unreIenting hostility TO that
greaJ and grasping monopoly known as
the Alaska Commercial company. with
a desire to learn something of that Tar
northern territory, it's needs and re-
ouirements, a GLOBE reporter called on
the governor at the Ryan last evening"
LIVELY ROAST. .
1.-THE PRESIDENTS reference TO Alaska"
said The governor. "&ould be laueha5le II II
il were not 10 be regretted as far as Alaska Is
concerned. He saws that owing to It's small
population and widely scattered settlements,
the ordinary territorial form OF government
surd. Why, | lived right here in the
eitv Of St. Paul when 1t took
Joe Rolette longer to get from Pemblaa'
which he always represented IN the Ieglsla-
ture. 20 81. Paul, than II now taxes 10 goIrnn
Sttka 10 New York. IhaVe lived III ST Paul,
too. when. after the RVS 7 was frozen up. 1t
took lOnxer TO go from here to Chicago than
il now takes to go from Sitka to Chicago.
.gThe Alaska Commercial company IS the
outrageous monopoly that is squeezing the
life out of Alaska. They now pay the gov
rnmen SSI7,O y per year for the exclusive
privilege of killing seals in Alaska, ont OF
which they make q profit OF q million
and r half of dollars per year Inc
peculiar thing about this contract Is that "
is wholly in the hands OF the secretary OF
the treasury, who is not even compelled 10
adv erliSe for bids. and the present contract,
which was let by George S. Boutwell, who
was then secretary of The treasury, was
LET To The LOWEST,
instead of the highest bidder. This con-
tract expires next year. and II remains 10 De
seen whether the present secretary VIII 90
likewise.
b even this wouldn't be so bad il the
contract with this great monopoly would
limit il to the seal business. under q penalty
of FORGETTING its lease. The seal industry
IS confined TO two mali islands, the largest,
St. Paul. being thirteen miles long ana from
three 10 five miles in width; the otner, 81.
George, Icing about half as large. The tur
trade Of the Aleutian islands and the MAIN
land amounts to about twice what the seal
bt~iness does in dollars and cents. pat
nobody can interfere or take a haHo
la IuIs business. The bic monopoly mas
planted ITS trading stations everywhere over
the territory. and their trade in seal otter,
mink. maTten, red, white blu anu SILVER
gray foxes and beaver furS amounts 10 at
least twice that of their seal trade.
" 4lIOIb uL4GTctd IdLAiS ~
OF affairs one might think that anyone could
go there and buy goods, but let a stray snip
go there and try. Twice The price patd by
the Alaska company would not buy tne IuFs,
for the simple reason that one would not
be received by these trading stations, Tor
goods and money are useless
AZ present no one can acquire tue TO
land, except for mining claims. President
Harrison when in the senate drew the Dill
under which the territory is now being run,
and if he had been
THE PAID ATTORNEY
Of the Alaska Commercial eoInpanY ne could
not have drawn a BIZ more sat sfactory 70
them. The only thing the governor can 90
is TO make a report. He has no power TO do
ANYTHING whatever. There isn't a single rea-
son why the same policy that has been p1r-
| sued with reference to the other territories
should not be followed in the case of Alaska
except that it might not suit this great cor
p~oFation-"
The governor left juneau Nov. Is,
and will return about the middle Of
February. He is well acquainted i'll st,
Paul. having been the foreman On a
weekly paper in st. Paul in 1856. Later
o." said MIR. Swineferd, 81 was on
Col. Newson's paper, and | am go
ing to hunt up the old gentleman
tomorrow and have a good long talk
with him. Il is likely that before L re-
turn to Alaska / shall run down TO Al
bert Lea and look over the place. My
| printing Office occupied the second
shanty built in the town. and feel that
[ am pretty near an Old SETTLER"