The Portland daily press., 1899-01-13
It Is a Failure According to Oregon
Congressman.
OFFICERS ATTEMPTING TO En-
FORCE IT ARE OsTRACIzED.
Smuggling Business the Most Respecta-
EYb,e I'm which Alaskans Think They
Can Engsge-Congress Decides To
Adopt a High License.
urEcrAL TO THE PREskl

Adopt q Htgn Lteehse.
urEcrAL TO THE PREsAl
Washington, January 12.-The general
dullnsss over the consideration Of the pro
posed criminal code for Alaska was en-
Iivened by a sharp debate over the liquor
traffic in that region. The law for years
has prohibited the liquor traffic In Alaska
but those who drew the new code made
only a prohibition of the sale Of liquor to
the natives. When this section was
reached IN the House Mr.. William II.
Moody, OF Massachusetts,. moved to re-
store the pronibitory regulation. The
motion caused lively debate, In the case
of which Congressman Tongue of Oregon,
who has been in ALASKA, bore witness as
follows. against prohibition in Alaska;
"while 1t Is the law that has been upon
the statute books since 1884, think l am
within the truth In saying that there is
larger proportion OF saloons open doing
business In Alaska in proportion TO the
population than in any other portion OF
the United States. In connection with
my colleague visited Alaska during this
summer, at lsast some of the principal
towns along the const-Port Wrangel,
juneau, Skagway, and the capital oil that
district. saw the signs of more saloons
apparently doing business, apparently
selling liquors, In proportion to the popu'
lation and business than at any other
place.
"This law Is not enforced. do not be-
lieve 1t is possible for the President OF the
United States to appoint enough officers
to enforce It, Alaska has large coast
line. 1t is navigated to a certain extent
upon inland waters. On the other SIDE Is
British Columbia. In every little port
there are indications of the smuggling OF
liquor. 1t is the principal business, the
most paying business, and one of the most
respectable businesses In the estimation
of the A laskans themselves, that is being
conducted in Alaska.
"If the collector of revenue or his
deputies should attempt to enforce this
law as some of them are attempting to
enforce It, they are ostracized from socie-
ty. The present collector Of customs has
been bullied, threatened attempted to be
beaten, and finally injured, because he
says there is corruption In Alaska With
reference to the importation and sale OF
liquor, involving he officers. The deputy
collectors who do not attempt to enforce
the law are ionized, have passports into
the best society, and are treated like
gentlemen. The people who enforce the
law are ostracized and driven out, II pos
sible.
Alaska has probably more rain and
vet and cold than any other Place in the
United States, and whether liquor is
necessary or not under these circum-
stances the people believe it is necessary.
They will not enforce the law; they will
not sustain any officers that do enforce 1t,
and in the meantime liquor has been i'm.
ported into Alaska in great quantities,
mixed up into all sorts of vile compounds,
and is sent openly In broad daylight and
in the face of the officers. Saloons are
raided, but there is no stock there. People
are taken before the district judge at
Sitxa and fined the regular sum of SlOO
for each offence. and still the business
goes on.
I'm the vessel in which went the
carpenter was arrested for throwing out
barrels along after we left Juneau. When
ever we left any particular port you could
zee ships and boatmen all around. and, II