The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-06-30

ers. has been COMPOUNDED by the writer
Of the bogus report with the reindeer ex-
pertinent OF the bureau Of education
The charges OF untr1Shfulness mace
upon Dr. Jackson should Of course BE- az
least pointed by reference 20 document
and page and line. but IL does not appear
from the so-cailed report that any suSn
knowledge Is In the mind Of lis w-ster-
But l will not attempt 10 eBuMSraSe
the many reasons on the face OF this re-
port which go To prove that the document
'.W. T. HARRIS.
Commissioner OF Education
The Facts I'm the Case.
As 10 the personnel Of the grand jury.
IL Is made up of such men as A. p. Swine
ford. ex-governor Of Alaska, and largely
interested In mining.
r. Aibertson. an old Alaskan and pro-
prtetor OF the Sltka house In Sstka-
X. J. Becker. a mining man. brother or
Expert Becker. OF the Sea Level Mining
Company.
S. w. Moore. brother Of ex-coileetor OF
Customs Moore. and connected with the
fande Basin Mining Company
Adam Corbus. superintendent OF the
Ireaaweli Gold Mining Company, as sue
cessor OF the late Mr. Duncan.
Ira Lee, an oId-tiHe Alaskan. and con-
nected with the TreadweiI-
8. h. Agnew, ex-deDuty collector OF
customs at karluk. and row living in Ju-
neau.
Henry Berry. cigar manufacturer at
Juneau.
Mr. Kleabo one OF the leading druggists
Speaking of Commissioner Harris COM
munication yesterday. prominent Alas
kan said: 1T II ridiculous 10 talk OF the
OF Aiaska's present population. They are
on the same basis now as before the great
influx Of people. IL is notorious fact
that white parents who have children TO
educate in Alaska keep them in the
schools there emily until they are - or IA
years OF age. and IL they wish their edu-
cation TO progress beyond that limit, they
send them TO schools in the states. Chill
dren OF parents too poor TO do this go
practically uneducated.
"A local school committee is referred
to- That is news. The parents of South
eastern Alaska would be pleased TO
know the names OF. these local commit
teemen They must certainly discharge
their duties In a most unostentatious way.
for ! don't believe any one save Commits
sioner Harris has ever heard OF them. AS
for w. A. Kelly. supposed TO be superin-
tendent OF schools for Southeastern Alas
"a. the position IL merely a nominal one.
terrain mission at Sitka. receiving salary
of 5000 a year and has no time for the
public schools
Commissioner Harris would state by
inference that the schools of Alaska are
altogether FOR native children and not for
whites. He speaks OF five schools for
mated by the government as a matter OF
suneranee, whereas the fact is the APP
preparation for schools in Alaska is for
whites, as Well as natives. and they are
attended by both. He implies that the
whites must be very poyerty-stricken,
ignorant lot IL they cannot supply their
own schools. Does he not know that
there Is no means OF raising taxes In
~
does the new tax bill do? IT provides for
levy that shall take all the money
back to the Federal treasury: giving moth.
Ing 10 Alaska In return The policy of
the government'-what Is that policy: 10
take everything and give nothing back?
Regarding the reindeer experiment.
had not reference SO much to the estab-
Hshed reindeer stations on the western
coast OF Alaska as to the disastrous at
tempt at driving herd In 10 Dawson.
They want man for commissioner of
education who IL not devoting his time
and energies to such schemes so remote
from the duties OF his office. They want
man who lives there. understands the
needs or the people and win work In their
interests and those OF their children 1t
is their children. the future men and
women OF the north, they want educated
and not reindeer. The government is well
come TO expend all 10 wishes in such chin.
ericai projects, but in doing so shall not
appropriate the attention of the man who
vision to the educational system.''
Province Of the Grand Jury.
Another Alaskan whose familiarity with
conditions In the north is born of long
experience and unusual facilities for in
sight said when shown the defense urged
by Commissioner Harris:
lie seems Inclined TO regard the matter
as joke and 10 question the right of the
grand jury to offer such criticism. /, is
usually the province of grand juries to
brfng In an indictment against a man and
try him IL has been customary In Alaska
Tor the grand jury 10 report on any public
abuses brought prominently to the notice
OF tts me mbers and the action taken in DR.
Jackson's case Is. therefore. by no means
unusual No matter In wha; language the
report Is eouched the government cannot
AFFORD 10 iknore charges of this character
from so representative a body OF men Com
missioner Harris will fna II impossible TO
dismiss matter OF such gravity by calling
hoax and endeavortng 10 explain II
away by quotations from the reports of the
very official to WHOM, objection is made
While personally | feel disposed 10 re-
cannot but see that II does not conserve ed
ucaticnal interests in Alaska to have as
commissioner "A man who spends his win
ters In Washington and his summers IN
tourneying to the Arctic ocean.
The idea that residents of Southeastern
Alaska mus get their notion OF what Is
taking place in their own country, whore
they have lived for wears from reports
published in Washington or from some
sailor from Seattle or San Francisco who
has been In Bering sea- is very funny and
needs no discussion
As showing that dissatisfaction with Or.
Jaeksons administration of his Office IL
nos Of recent date. the following extract
from the report OF Lyman Knapp. as gov
error Of Alaska published in isss. will be
Of interest:
Unfortunately Tor the educational inter-
ests OF Alaska. during the past two years
the government day schools in the terri
tory have been sadly neglected. II is a
source Of ccngrasulaticn. therefore, THAI
IL Is possible to commend the work OF most
OF the teachers. They have. apparently
done their work censienclousIy. ana /
trust also. well. OF course they have ac-
cesnpitshea some hing I'm the way OF raising
the children Of the natives from their low
plane ~ civilization ard intelligence 70 a
higher one, IL Is impossible 10 know just
how high the standard has been carried in
some OF the schools. and a few have SER
.o.ssiy lacked efficiency and success
''The active aud constant attention
at competent superintendent
would, undoubtedly. have been a
potent factor In promoting ~mriency
IN many rn.es. without sueh stt~n-