Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1894-06-22

He tells an endless variety OF good stor-
les of his official life in the Siberia OF
the United States.
"Did you ever stop to think" said
he" that when Alaska is counted in,
Washington becomes one Of the middle
states? Yet it is true that if you draw
circle touching the extremities of
Alaska the eastern and southern states.
the foot of your compass will rest on a
point $50 miles northwest of Cape Flat
terry, in the Pacific ocean. Alaska's ex
tent and Importance have never been re-
allied. 1t is n country almost without
laws, whose citizens are neitLer repre-
sented in congress nor any legislature,
where the general land laws are sus-
pended and an ordinary man cannot ac-
quire title to foot OF land. Its govern
ment is almost farce.
In 1884 it was enacted that the laws
of Oregon, 'as they they then existed
so far as applicable, should govern AL
aska. There was no provision for sub
segment enactments by the Oregon leg
islature, or else we could have sent a
few citizens to Salem to get something
for us. What bosh it was! None of the
Oregon laws were applicable They
conferred powers and duties without
appropriating a cent with them. For
instance, it allowed the governor Ito en-
roll and muster militia. and to call upon
them to do duty, but it didn't show
where a cenO was coming from, either to
buy enrolment blanks, to outfit the
men, or to pay them when they did duty.
There is but one duty delegated to the
governor that he can execute, and he
can't do that unless the government
loans him a warship. He is required to
make an annual report on the seal
islands, and it is 400 miles from the be-
ginning of them to the seat of govern
ment. Alaska is rich in resources. rich
err than manv realize, and yet an Alas
kan couldn't get more than one con-
gresham out of 80 to even listen to him
if he talked about his home"
Failing of laws to govern their action
and lacking money to carry out neces-
sary measures, Alaska's governors are
often thrown on their own resources.
During Swineford's reign he found that
a certain long haired Indian medicine
man wds getting rich by pretending TO
cure ills of the flesh by incarnation, and,
in cases where he failed, accusing mem
bers Of the family of practicing witch
craft. The old fellow HAD the super
stitious natives under his thumb. and
was making a good deal of trouble. One
of his claims was that his supernatural
power was in his long, matted hair.
II took file of marines to the old
mans camp" the governor said, "and
arrested him. He threatened to strike
us all dead, and all that sort of nonsense.
We led him away, mounting threats of
summary vengeance, and cut his hair,
to the horror of the natives, He con-
tinued obstinate, and l sent for bar
Der and had his head shaved as smooth
as a billiard ball. We got red paint
after that and painted him nice wig.
After being compelled to make a speech,
himself as fraud, he was
turned loose. The people realized his
true character then, and believe he was
only saved from death by the marines.
He was never seen again on that coast,
1t was little arbitrary, but it was good
medicine. In Alaska the governor is
often thrown upon his resources.