The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-01-01
HELPING THEMSELVES.

The reported condition of affairs at
out anything about it, enforces the
excellent wisdom Of the once universal
American principle that the best way
was to let people take care Of them
selves, enjoy the fruits Of their wis
dom and suffer the consequences Of
their folly. There are two sets Of state
ments regarding the condition of the
people now locked in by impossible
barriers Of ice and snow in the Klon-
dixie region. One, which finds express
sion through the active brain and busy
pen Of the special correspondent, rep
resents a terrible reign Of want and
the prospect of starvation for thou
sands Of suffering persons. The other.
which is conveyed by such people as
seem to have some personal knowledge
through authentic accounts Of the sit
uatfon at Dawson, indicates that the
miners will pull through very well. It
is stated that, when winter set In and
exit and egress were cut off and when
a shortage Of food supply became in
eVitable, the surplus population of
Dawson City forced its way to points
lower down the river, where provisions
were more abundant. If we are to
credit these relations. there will be no
widespread hardship in Alaska this
winter. Food is high, of course. but
population has distributed itself ac-
cording to food supply. and the Ameri-
can citizens who have gone into that
country are practicing slgnally the
admirable American virtue of taking
care Of themselves
We had no doubt whatever that this
would be the case, and how much bet
ter 1t Is than teaching the millions
Of the republic that they can rush
headlong into any kind Of rashness
and rely on their paternal government
to pull them out Of the trouble. Had
there been any reason to believe last
summer or fall that the government
would send a relief expedition to CON
Vey rations at the public charge to
such people as might find tbemse11,a.
destitute in Alaska when winter oon,o
on. there would be from 10000 to 30 ooo
persons in the Klondil1e district TODAY
pensioners upon the government bonn
ty while seeking for private fortune.
AS 1t Is, we have no manner of doubt
that there will be only such hardship
as every man makes up his mind be-
forehand to endure, and ought to on
dure, when he stakes everything on
the game of the gold hunter.
There is no apparent reason WHY
the government should do any,
thing, and such action as #
might be inclined to take upon
the highly-colored reports of sensa-
tional correspondents can have but one
effect; this is to encourage more than
100000 people to migrate to Alaska
next spring and summer with nothing
but the clothes upon their backs and
a few dollars in their pockets. One
man has just as much right to succor
at the public expense as another; and
If men are to be relieved Of the burden
of their follies and mistakes, there is
no reason why they should make cal
culations in advance or refuse to take
the absurdest risks. Every DAYS
events, from the capital at Washing
ton to the far-off wilds of Alaska. only
reinforce the old principle of Ameri-
canism, that independence, self-reli-
ance and the smallest possible amount
of governmental interference is the
only safe rule for the Individual or
the nation.
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