The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-08-23

that would make less loyal men revolt.
vas$ais. Without any representation. they
are taxed as none Of our people are taxed,
and receive no benefits sherefrom. They
ask certain things Of the government. ana
believe most justly. have talked Vita
men in every walk Of life. and with men
from all parts OF Southeastern Alaska.
and they all give me the same story.
You ask them what they want. aad the
first thing they will say is We want
better public school system. Strange 70
say tns snee i but little has as BEEN don.
public school system. While we talk OF
establishing this system m, n the , rhi, mp,
forget Alaska Juneau has 40 or SEQ pn-
pills. and is allowed one teacher, who -
sent there by Sheldon Jackson. He - sup
natives as well, and the whites will not
send their children with the natives be-
cause they say thew cannot. There Is
Sas ,ae whse. esnno: stand r. over 10
children are sent 10 school from Juneau
TO Tacoma, Portland. Seattle and other
outside points, Al Skasway there are
they were allowed $50 per month Tor
school.
"Education in Alaska seems TO be in
the money allowed for educational rur-
poses. There is a general complaint against
him that he uses most OF the S4e,NN or sSa,
geo allowed him for the NATIVE schools ana :,
annual salary OF 100 per year he has ac-
cumu.ated a fortune OF $20o.00. that ne
maintains q 100000 home IN Washington:
and instead Of helping Alaskan schools
he gave $4,000 towards establishing a
school in Utah.
II do not know how true these tales are:
but / do know that the conditions or
schools in Alaska is a shame to our gov.
eminent. Mr.. Jackson seems TO have but
few supporters outside OF the missionaries
While the people do not object to the mis-
sionaries ard their legitimate work. they
do object 20 their controlling everything
without recognising local needs and con-
ditions that are inevitable IN newly de-
veloping country
Want More Courts.
Another great need OF the country y
better tudicia. system. There Is now but
one Judge. United States commissioners
have Jurisdiction to $50. but there Is no
appea, Ser ssm soss they are
nothing more than justices az the peace
They have no equity Jurisdiction No
process can be issued EXCEPT from Sitka.
During the winter there Is boat only
once in two weeks. and II takes from four
"a FIVE days to make the trip from Juneau
or Skagway.- A civil cause must De al
issue on the frst day OF the term or II can
not be brought on for trial. There Is no
lawyer at Sitka, except the United states
attorney, so that an attorney must make
lions and demurrers or run the risk OF
losing important points In his case by MS
absence. Except in criminal cases ana
certain civil matters there Is no appeal
supreme court of the United states. ana
then only when the amount IN controversy
IL 5000 or certain legal questions are In
From this 1t will be seen that the ex-
pense OF litigation IL so great that many
just claims are simply .ost ~ preference
hardship upon the poorer class. and the
judicial system. instead OF being n source
OF Justice. is producer OF injustice. IN
my Judgment there should be three disirics
judges who should try cases in their re-
spective districts and should sit In bank.
as court Of appeals. once or twice year
They should have power to issue restrain
Ing process In any district. returnable to
the Judge Of the district In which the sub
ject matter Of the litigation IL located
would not extend the jurisdiction OF the
allow appeals from their court to the dis
trict Judge. and from him. in certain
amounts or beyond a certain sum. 70 the
bring them the relief desired and be salts
factory to the majority OF the people.
They need come form Of municipai gov
eminent by which local improvements
can be made. At present there Is nothing
of the sort Ali improvements made In
the towns In the way Of sidewalks. grad
ing OF streets and the like are made by
dcne in this way. but there are always
some who will not do their part unless
they are compelled 10 and this has been
h The 81 t many KIND mrh a. dome b.
nations. government with the taxes raised
by licenses. but II Is thought that mu-
nicipal government would better accom-
piish the objects desired.
Unjust Tax System.
1T seems to me that Alaska IS treated
most unjustly In the matter OF taxation
Almost all sorts Of business II taxed.
believed there would he but little COM
plant. however. IL the taxes ra,sed were
used for Alaskan purposes. The people
gneraiIy do not object to taxation. but
they do object 10 paying taxes without
any benefits. Where the justice IL In such
a course and what the reasons for 1t are
/ cannot see,
Strange as II may seem TO a great
many. crime and drunkenness are almost
unknown at the present time l saw only
three drunken men in Alaska, This does
not mean that there are no saloons In
Juneau there are fifteen at least. and 1t
might be interesting TO state that each one
o. them pays an annual license of sl.sD.
There has been but one case OF larceny
there In the last year or two. Since
"Soapy" Smiths gang war extermina;.d
Skagway has been model town. The
streets were packed the day was there
but did not see a single drunken man.
1.-The people atso complain very bitterly
at commercial conditions. Whereas near
~ all the trade with the klondfke. few
years ago. was done by Americans. today
nearly 30 per cent. OF 4; ~ done by the
Canadians. This = brought about by the
fact that the Canadians bond their goods
through To Kiondike. II they purchase
their goods. in the FIRST instance. from Sc
attic or San Francisco. they pay duty at
Victoria on Seattle or San Francisco
prices while. when the Americans send
goods through. even though they may
purchase goods al the same points. they
are compelled 20 pay duty upon Skagway
prices TINS discrimination has driven
mos. OF the trade TO the Canadians.
They also complain very bitterly OF The
petty exaettons of the Canadians They
say that when a man crosses the line ne II
compelled TO pay duty upon almost every
thing he has with him. even to his wear
Ing apparel II he in going 10 hunt fer
day expecting TO return. he must pay
duty on his gun. II he carries an extra
pair Of shoes re- must pay duty on them.
II h. 10 going fishing he must pay duty GA
his fishing tackle All such petty annoy
ances "a these mus, be endured under the
present regime
No Boundary Arbitration.
The las: thing they will mention = the
boundary dispute. This IL not because
they are not interested in !, or are not