The daily morning Alaskan. (Skagway, Alaska) 1899-1904, 1900-07-10
SOME OF THE OBJECTIONS.

If Skagway does not secure a re-
adjustment of the treasury regulations
which have resulted in the loss of the
greater portion of the Yukon trade to
the United States, iG will be because of
the opposition of many of her citizens
to the plans proposed to that end, and
of the apathy of others. There are
people here as elsewhere who either
oppose any scheme not originating
with themselves, or at least give it but
lukewarm support. The dearth of rea-
SONS assigned for opposition to the plan
to have resCinded the privilege of
bonding foreign goods across the mar
row Alaskan territory at Lynn canal
would indicate that there is too much
of the spirit INDUCED in by some of our
people.
Amongst the reasons given for oppo-
sing the scheme is that it is impractical
BILE. To these it is sufficient to say they
propose no plan more practical to re-
gain the trade.
Others say the trade belongs natur-
ally to Canada and we should let her
have it in peace. To the latter class it
were hardly necessary to say anything.
They entirely ignore the principles
that have caused the building up of
every great commercial nation. The
British government for centuries has
made use of every opportunity availing
to foster British trade. 1t is by that
means that her wares have become
known the wide world over. England
has never surrendered an advantage
unless a greater one was gained by the
surrender.
credit the policy of protection that has
made the United States the great
manufacturing country of the world.
We have shut out foreign made goods
from our country by legislation that
our own people may find avenues for
labor at home. How much easier it
would be now to cut off the free passage
OF foreign goods across the Alaska pan
handle that the result would be
market for American labor
Nature has made Skagway the ma
tional entreport to the Yukon and the
fortunes of international politics have
given Skagway to the United States.
Will oornaopa toll xubot I, tho ,,oEt ~
such possession to the United States
il Americans are to be denied the nat
ural rights and privileges of such pos
session ? Ii Americans are not to reap
the advantages nature has intended for
Skagway, it were better that the sover-
eighty of the port be coded to Canada.
TO those who urge that the suspen-
sion of the bonding privilege would re-
suit in retaliatCry measures on the part
OF CANDIDA, and finally in an all-Cana-
dian route, it may be suggested that we
would be In position to dictate terms
for many years. Let us once get con-
troll of the traffic and we would then
cease to be at q disadvantage in nego-
tiations looking to final solution. 1t
might be that we could secure free
zone in the north The Canadians are
content with present conditions, and
would be inclined to negate or delay
any movement looking to change.
l. t them lose the trade and they will
be anxious enough to arrange terms,
and we would be in shape to have
something to say about those terms.
There should be no discussion over
this matter at all. Every commercial
and political body on the Pacific coast,
all the shipping and commercial inter-
ests, should take it up in earnest and
cease not until the $5,000,0OO Yukon
trade be reclaimed by Americans.
Especially should Skagway citizens, ir-
respective of faction, party or calling,
be enthusiastic about the proposition.
1t means more to them than territorial
government or anything else. The
commercial life of our city is at stake.
Upon the final termination of the Yu-
kon trade depends whether Skagway
is to become great city or whether it
will cease growing.