New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-11
MILITARY RULE IN ALASK a
LAwLESSNEss IN THE YUKON WHICH
COULD BE CHECKED.

A CORRESPONDENT URGES THE NECESSITY OF
PREVENTING SUCH SCENES IN THE KLoN-
DIXIE AS THOSE WHICH ONCE DIS
aRACED THE WESTERN BORDER.
To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: The six shooter has already been heard from
in Alaska. week ago the dispatches re-
ported the brutal murder OF two peaceable men
at Copper River shot dead by rufnan. who at
the time tried to kill two others Of the same
party. This scoundreI had been QUILTED by the
party the supposition that he might be useful
10 them: but soon discovering his worthessness.
they determined 70 send him back whereupon
he coolly pulled his revolver and tried to kill them
all This characteristic border incident.
In Skagusy there n shooting ARRAY In which
four men were killed-another equally characters
tic affair. with whiskey and robbery as the moving
causes.
Any one having the slightest personal experience
Of border life knows well that these only the be-
gnnngs The dispatches will come burdened right
along with Just such tales OF murder and butchery
unless the simple and effective method is adopted Of
declaring Alaska a military reservation for two
or three years. and putting It's wild and huctuatng
population under the stern rule Of military law.
This Is wha. Canada has done through her
mounted police: and over that portion OF the gold
fields In Canadian territory military law prevails.
with an adequate force to back 1t, headed By Major
Walsh The Major is In the prime OF life an able
administrator and organizer and withal, fight
ing Irishman. who will stand nonsense.
Unless the same thing is done for this side Of the
line, this will be the spectacle presented On enc
side peace order and security for life and property;
the other, violence. mad drunkenness. butchery
with knife and pistol. insecurity OF property with
occasional lynchngs and vigilance committees
when things becoi;e too intoerablc TO he horne.
This Is exaggerated picture. 1t 5 the teaching
q Those VII ha orno Of
what happens In a community gathered as the
population OF Alaska Ia RI pidly gathering need
other TO tell them: those who have not may learn
1t from Mrs Clusters books. wherein she tells of
the sort OF life which went on at the frontier
towns sprnElng up along the line OF the Union
Pacific Railway It built. and where she
lived In camp with her husband General Custer.
The picture she draws OF the murderous savagery
which characterized those communities is 10
the life, and disgrace to the nation which tCer-
ates IT,
Was there any necessity in the nature Of things
for this Wild orgie Of drunkenness debauchery
and murder Not at all 1t existed simply be-
cause II allowed to exist and because the
only force adequate TO its suppression and pre-
vent!on namely. the neghboring military force
was strictly forbidden TO interfere. Outside the
limits OF the camp lines It could do nothing except
against 1ndians-the least dangerous foes of the
community. So murder rampant. and no
mans Nfe secure. because the liberties Of the
country would have been In danger of overthrow
II the sergeant OF the guard had been allowed to
patrol the streets
The idea OF civil government for such hodge
podge gatherings OF men these like that in
Alaska now, is a farce and humbug There is no
SUCH thing government. The ruling elements
are the lawless and the desperate; the law is that
have had enough OF this In the past not to allow a
repetition of ii again. Experience has taught that
only military rule Is adequate to protect peaceab
men In these nebuous communities, to which flock
the worst characters Of both from all parts
Of the world. Some OF the things that happen in
them frightful. Think OF state of affairs
same bar where he got his whiskey Selling the poor
fellow by the hair and with stroke OF his butcher
knife nearly severing the head from the body: then
cooly mounting his horse and riding away unmo-
Tested! Do you suppose this scoundrel would have
acted so II he had been in danger OF immediate
pursuit by the military guard? Not by a long shot,
1t was only a passing incident: not at all
traordinary occurrence. But not allow
the military TO interfere, otherwise the Republic
would be In danger OF destruction.
This principle OF making the military subordinate
TO the civil power s well enough but when applied
10 such "A community as is gathering in Alaska IL
abiding portion TO the rule OF the ruian and the
desperate They bear IT until they can bear II no
longer: then they organize sort of military gov
eminent OF their owl through vigilance commit
and reckless than his companions to do his shoot
ing in their behalf. and he goes out and with his
six-shooters maintains some semblance OF order
so long he keeps sober
All this sort OF thing could be entirely obviated
by putting the community under martial law for
year two. until IL grows large enough and set
shall be rea! government, and not humbug.
CUTHBERT MILLS.
New-York. February !. 1898.