The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-29
laauoe LrCEssE N ALASKA.


Seattle. pec. = MS
To the Editor: The Poss-sn;eliigencer %
December u, containing views on Liquor
| In AEsska,' "a given by ex-Cov. Knapp,
has been read with great interest in
Alaska and the feeling is that reply
should be made thereto. No better an
swer can be made than TO quote extracts
from his annual reports made to the presi-
dent % the United States In his report
for the year 1880 he stated:
s1Tsae law prohibiting the sale and manu-
facture Of intoxicating liquors in the ter
ntory Is a dead letter, except in its appi-
cation To the Indians Liquors OF the
vilesi quality, it Is asserted, are sold open
ly and in violation Of the law. even 10
those whose families are suffering for the
necessities OF life. The reason assigned for
the ineffsciency Of the law is that prcsecu-
tons wosiid be of no avail Grand iur1es
refuse 20 inGict and petit jarses refuse to
convict. I presume this statement ia
made inteligently and in accordance with
the facts. though ! am not aware Of any
attempt TO secure conviction. A number
OF complaints to the grand Jury al the
January term for smuggling liquor. resist
ing an officer, etc. were treated by that
body In a way to induce the belief that
they were not in sympathy with the re-
etriction laws.
Last January many OF the best citizens
OF Juneau. apparently Influenced by de-
sire to regulate and restrict the sale of
intoxicating liquors. which they believed
could not be entirely prevented. held con-
situations together and with the officer
OF the civil government. and undertook to
devise a partial remedy OF the evils OF in
discriminate sale. IT was finally proposed
that the governor grant licenses for sales
according &c law to such persons as saou,d
deposit the sum of $50 for expenditure
under direction OF the road commissioners
upon the streets and sidewalks of the
city or town where the vendor resides. the
applicant to also give bonds that he would
keep an orderly house and would not sell
to Indians or minors under the age of
eighteen years. the license 10 be revoked
in case OF failure TO fuIaE these conditions
or for other cause. The only protection
expected was in the support OF public
sentiment and the influence it might have
upon juries and officers Of the law. No
license has yet been granted and no ap-
plication made for one.
Legislation which would provide more
effective machinery for the enforcement OF
the present law or the substitution OF
something more practical in the place OF II.
would undoubtedly afford a more salts
factory solution OF the perplexing QueS-
ton"
1T Is obvious thai the above contains
an amount of artful lodging that is rare
ly eQualed. Gov. Knapp had been In
Alaska fully a year and half at the
time this report was written, and should
have been able TO make positive state
ments OF existing facts. He was present
at the meeting at juneau and conceded
with the license plaa. Notwithstanding the
plain statement of the United States dis
trict attorney (now the United States
district Judge for Alaska) that such course
was Illegal.
1t plainly appears from his report that
he considered the problem a perpiexing
one and his acts demonstrated that he
favored license system as the best
means to control the sale OF liquor.
Prior 10 the presidents regulation issued
March IL 1892 there was no authority to
grant licenses. hence the then governor
was acting without sanction Of law.
While he did not have the proper legal
authority he was acting according to his
best judgment and that of the solid citi-
zens Of the district who were posted on
the conditions and we'll knew that Ii
cense plan was the only method OF hand
ting the liquor problem.
III. A. BAUER