The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-10-05


Il did &c. nsed the testimony Of AZ
United States District Attorney Ben
nett, or that o. W. A. Be61oe. editor
% the Jaasaz Miner. 70 awaken the
people CT this part Of the country To
the peel oe few legislative measures
for Alaska Their eorroboration Is val
liable because they have had practical
experience with the conditions. and are
able - point Cut IN detail the weak
spots In the prssen. system, but the
agitation FOX Improvement has long had
active support IN Seattle
IL Is the ranksst kind Of seI.-decep-
.son. or rather Of hypocrisy 20 pretend
that the liquor laws 81 Alaska are en-
forced. For one reason, they are not
enforced because they are utterly re-
pugnant % the wishes Of the people
there: and even IL the great majority
were In favor ot their application. an
other reason why they are unwise In
that 1t is practically impossible to en-
force them.
We agree with Mr.. Bodice that the
pretenEe Of having a law whose only
effect ID 10 force men TO eyads Ii Is cal
culated to bring the system Of govern
raent into contempt. The character Of
the officials charged with the duty Of
enforcing the laws has not much To do
~ a
ere straightforward and energetic in
the performance Of their duties are
more to be commended on general prin-
ciples than those who are derelict, but
II is notorious tha. every man who has
attempted 10 adhere to the strict letter
IF the Law has come To grief. The
covered makes il impossible for an in
ternai revenue officer 10 guard ali
points. and he Is compelled to discrim-
mate against some, while others con-
tinuaIiy get off scot free This places
some merchants at a great d!sadvant-
age By giving their competitors better
D4iFsA 4SE 0CsStS "a EEACi IA hAcf-
ness. Notwithstanding the beneacent
purpose Of the Law prohibiting the sale
| of liquor, the miners and traders will
give the preference TO those stores and
trading places where they can always
| b. sure Of buying whisky. II is not be-
cause any one merchant wants 10 break
Z A1 ~ -
! customers make such demands upon
| him shat he must either break the Law
| as II stands or lose their custom In
| other words. the merchant who wants
/ TO be honest finds himself brought into
| competition with the suluggler.
| That is only one Of the evils Of the
| present law. one Of the most serious
| grievances Of the people Is stated by
| sIr Beddoe, We know nothing Ct the
| facts except as he states them. and are
| rot - BE- regarded as indorsIng or JUS
| tlfying his criticism of Mr. Sheldon
| Jackson He says: There has never
/ been a dollar appropriated to educate
/ purchased the territory. and this educa-
/ tloual agent can wax rich on 81 go per
| annum and waste fortune every year
| in educating reindeer" Our objection
| ~ any matter connected with the Of
/ fee Of agent Of education is that II has
/ rpt been hssssd upon adequate leg!sla-
/ ton The office was created years ago
/ when nobody knew anything about the
| country or cared anything about it. SO
| that when a missionary offered 30 go
/ there At the very modest salary Of slo0
! "a month be fnet with no opposition.
/ The salary IS altogether insufficient;
/ and tha man who travels from Wash
/ ington Ci:y Up - Alaska and back
! again talce every year for a hundred
/ dollars month must either have some
/ other improvisation or h an enthussast
+ IN h.s love for the sonls of the Alaskan
| Indians Could anything ~ more an-
sard than to have an agent Of educa-
| ton In Alaska with headquarters tn
Washington CITY. where he Is SUD
/ posed = spend half his time?
| The presence n congress - one well
/ informed delegate ho has lived In The
country would Insure the passage Il
/ al Necessary measures for some time
| - coTBe. There are rot many bills
| rssesie3- ami they could te drafted at
! JUNEAU "a S.tka BY 8 voluntary conver-