The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-29
GOVERNOR BRADY UPHELD
EXHIBITIONS TAKEN 70 Ex-Gov
KNAPPes STATEMENTS.
Joha c. CallbPeath, Of Wrangel.
Mafntafns That High License In
the Only Correct Method To Stop
Wholesale Smuggling Of Liquer.


The article which recently appeared in
the PosS-Intelligsncer, written by ex-Gov.
Knapp, Of Alaska, dealing with Gov.
Brady's recommendations for the repeal
Of the present proh.bitory liquor laws OF
Alaska, has called forth the following
communication from John {. CaHoreash.
OF Fort Wrangel. Alaska:
ITO the Editor. ExsCsov. Knapp's
severe and in many respects glArsnEsy IN
accurate version of the recommendations
OF Gov. John O. Brady for the repeal OF the
present proh!bitory liquor laws far Alaska,
will have such wide circulation and may
make impressions so Numerically opposed
TO the facts that / viii crave Indulgence
70 state my views on this, 10 the residents
OF Alaska and all truly conscientious we'll
wishers OF the wards Of our government.
the Indians. important subject
IF residence for the past twenty -four
had occasion to employ hundreds OF these
wards of the government, and to have in
tercourSe and business with the officials
Of the district. viii give one a conprehen-
sion OF official LIE in Alaska, I claim 10
have some knowledge or that life, and
assert, with the means at their disposal.
the officers and especially the judicial de-
partment. have done all in their power to
enforce the law.
Our ex-governor says no law. no unjust
law, like the prohibirory liquor law, whose
Oppressive injustice uSEca{S TIE very cru
for which il was enacted. will enforce it
self. nor can 1t be enforced short OF martial
law and gatling guns: no civil tribunal.
where the people have a say, can enforce
ago when our foregathers burned the
stamped paper and pitched the tea into
Boston harbor. The prohibitory laws Of
baaaxs WERE passsds sy n ,nsr sn wnn
tons. had no just conception OF how such
a law would work and then at the time the
law was passed there were very few white
men, outside OF soldiers. in the district.
just and needful laws will enforce them
selves, because the people need those laws,
have to use them and will see TO 1t that
remsss in the discharge of their duties. they
viii be turned out or at least censured
Experience the Best Teacher.
Our ex-governor says: How do these
Official wiseacres know that the officers are
powerlessg The official wiseacres, Gov.
OF what they speak by reason Of a long
residence in the district, Gov. Brady for
over twenty years and Judge Johnson over
ten years. The former has been United
States commissions trader. steamboat and
sawmiil owner. in which caliings he has
had ample means OF testing the workings
OF prohibition. Judge Johnson was United
States district attorney for four years.
practiced law for four years and has been
United States district court for the past
two years. Surely the experience OF those
Sehtiefnen 6hcuid give tnem some real
claim to the title of 'wiseacres' on mat
ters in Alaska, IN fact. and not in sarcasm.
as our ex-governor points his remarks
Gov. Knapp was only four years in Alas
opinions outweigh those OF Gov. Brady
and Judge johnson. I think ex-Gov.
Knapp has not been in the district for the
past six years. The ex-governor draws
very far-fetched comparison in the case
OF murderers. thieves. perjurers. etc, but
these are crimes whe.e the people have too
often to spur on the administrators OF law
and are all too ready to take the law
into their own hands. Can he recall a
single instance In Alaska where the peo-
pie have urged the enforcement OF the PEN
alties Of the prohibition law? l most un-
hes.tatingiy assert that at least 50 per
cent. OF the citizens Of Alaska toutside OF
the whisky sellers and a very few of the
the repeal Of the prohibition law. are
strongly in favor Of the repeal OF the prohi-
bition law and in faver of high license. A
very large majority Of the saloon and
under the high license but few permits
would be granted, and those only 10 re-
sponsible parties, who would be required 10
furnish lodgings and give ample security
against supplying liquor TO Indians. minors
or drunkards.
Gov. Brady's recommendations con-
tanned nothing that can be construed into
giving license TO Indians. or allowing those
who may be granted licenses. To sell TO
the Indians. and I believe il is mainly TO
cut of the Indian slpply that Gov. Brady
has made his recommendations. Those
having licenses and the privilege of import
ing liquor legally would every one OF them
become Pinkertons in aid OF the marsha's
TO arrest smugRlers and Illicit dealers,
wherever they might be found. Their own
interest and the fear OF the loss OF their
license would impel them to give nothing
TO Indians
tain their supply OF insoxtcanU are mainly
smugglers. II Is from them that the 80 or
300 Indian. villages are supplied right now
with whisky not only by the bottle bat
by tho keg and case. for the snuggier can
get double the price from the Indian that
he can from the saloonkeeper. and man
who engages in smuggling. with the peni-
Tertiary constantly in View, has no scru-
pies. 1t IS a dangerous thing TO supply an
Indian with a bottle of fntoxicants in
town. and IL would be certain disaster 10
sell a case or keg. but In bv-Daths and
back channels. where the smuggler is alb
solutely safe from detection, he can deal
per gallon or Go per Bottle anever allow W.
ing them 10 get possession until he is ready
to novel with irnpun!'y. and these facts are
the plain reason why prohibition has done
more TO Kill of and dehase those wards OF
The government than all other causes com
hsned
Indian Love for Liquor.
The Alaska Indian is no pauper. They
on SUNDAY. and on Monday load ID up p.' issir
caitots ana ueshttt on auDtins EXPEDITION.
wife and children, dogs and all. Twenty,
fifry or ffo miles is nothing 10 them They
know the track OF the sInuggler, and are
pretty sure TO meet him, they cannot re-
sist the temptation. Out come the twenty
dollar pieces. ir goes the key or case. and
a BIZ deeauch is the result. Wife children
young girls, old men and women all Join IN
u grand drunk and proat hitso1 IL the prime
cause Of all this. Were IL net for ,roh.bi-
ton there would be TO gn5uggfers II sim
ply would not pay 10 snuggie for the In
dang trade alone TIE limited number Of
licensed houses or hotels woiid legally ship
their EIuor from our coast cities: Oilr IL
Guor merchants would sell the goods: our
government would collect Internal revenue
to the amount of AT least $ih9,tks ana IN.
relieved from the cost OF patyoiins the
waters 10 apprHheue srnugg.erA Our Alas
ka merchants would get the god FOR Soc.
goois, which the Indian would bay in Mace
Of vile whisky. the innocent children would
grow up unused 70 scenes OF debatscbary
and brutality too vile 10 be narrated and