The daily morning Alaskan. (Skagway, Alaska) 1899-1904, 1900-07-28
PLAIN FACTS ABOUT Held.

the excuse offered for him Dv Delegate
Grant for betraying the Alaska Republican
Convention. In an interview given the
Juneau Dispatch. he offered no excuse or
reason for his action in making himself
national committeeman instead of choosing
John G. Price, as the delegation was in
structed to do. beyond the bare statement
that 81 was fairly elected to the position
and Mr.. Price knows it."
When Mr. Held was asked If he would
resign. as Mr.. Grant said he would, he said:
"No, they can't make me resign, and, by
gosh. won't"
To further quote from this remarkable
Interview: "Mr. Held also said that he
had told Mr.. Price that he would not be
elected if he was not present, notwlthstand-
Ing that Mr.. Price says that Mr.. Held can
not tell him ANYTHING"
"When asked about his failure to secure
the adoption of plank in the national
platform. Mr.. Held sought to defend him
self by dscredting his party. He said:
ut was impossible to have Alaska men
toned in the national platform, as the big
guns said they were afraid to mention Al
aska because if they did thew would have
to mention the Philippines"
How about the delegate to congress
clause was asked him.
''Mr. Held said he made an effort, but
Senators Fairbanks and Carter said that if
mention was made of delegate to con-
gress in the platform it would make the
Porto Ricans and Filipinos mad, and thew
would want delegate"
1t is we'll that Mr.. Held should throw off
the mask. The reason for it was no doubt
the universal demand for his resignation.
He could not consistently resist this de-
mand and maintain the reason assigned for
his action by Mr.. Grant of Wrangel.
However, Mr.. Held stands unmasked,
and what do we find !? A betrayer of his
party, Boosting of his treacherv; man
who has committed political larceny, goat-
ing over his loot; one justifying his infamv
bv falsehood.
In view of Mr.. Heid's admissions, it
were we'll that plain statement of all the
facts be made.
When the republican convention met at
Juneau, the question uppermost in the
minds of the delegates was as to the posts
ton the convention would take in regard
to Governor Brady's opposition to the ter>
ritorial convention which convened at Jus
neau last October, and his action in OBJ
strueting the passage through congress of
the recommendations of that convention.
John q. Held, of Juneau, was the recog-
nized leader of the Brady forces, and the
opposition to the man who set his own
egotsm up against the combined wisdom
of the fifty delegates who composed the
very able territorial convention, naturally
turned to John @. Price as the representa-
tive chosen bv that body to present its de-
sires to congress to lead them. 1t was
early evident that the almost unanimous
sentiment of the delegates was opposed to
Gov. Brady, and to Mr.. Held as his chief
spokesman.
After the passage of the anti-Brldy res
olution, Mr.. Held, recognizing his defeat,
came before convention caucus at the
headquarters of the Sksgway delegation
and stated that he had been amongst the
delegates and had discovered that Mr..
Price was the choice of large majority for
national committeeman. He said further:
Il have given that hope up entirely, and
all ask now is that YOU permit me to be
elected delegate to the national conven-
tion."
Mr.. Held begged for this consideration
as personal favor. He related, with tears
In his ewes, that his father was old and
feeble. and that If he did not visit him at
once he felt that he would never see him
again. He then assured the caucus that he
would do all In his power to have Mr..
Price chosen national committeeman, and
under no circumstances would he accept it
himself.
Instead of making the statement the Dis;
patch credits to him, that he told Mr..
Price that it would be necessary for him to
be on the ground to be elected to the ma
tlonal committee, the reverse is the fact.
Mr.. John 6. Held then made state
ment known to be fact by every one &C
quainted with the procedure of political
convention. He assured Mn. Price that
has absence from the contention 1ould
make absolutely no difference.
Here is where the Skagway delegation
made its mistake Instead of listening to
the warnings of those from juneau and
other sections of Alaska, who I'd known
Mr.. Held long, and who said If he were
trusted he would betray the trust. the
Sksgway delegates took him at his word
and insisted on his being elected del
egate. Mr.. Price endangered his own pres
tlage bv so doing, and barely avoided a
row In his delegation. In spite of the
action of Mr.. Price and the Skagway del
egation, Mr.. Held was only chosen dele
gate bv narrow margin. 1t was not only
within The power Of the Skagwav delega-
ton to defeat Mr.. Held, but the latter owes
his selection as delegate solely to 1t.
II was not on account of ANYTHING that
came up at Philadelphia that Mr., Held be.
came national committeeman. He planned
his treaehery long before leaving Alaska.
If, indeed. 1t were not in his mind at the