The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-03-14
LET ALAsKx-s VOICE DE HEARD.
The Cry of an Empire at Last Pene-
trntes the Dense East.
Buffalo EXPIRES.


II would surprise some people to know
that Alaska is sufficiently advanced to
have a daily paper, bright, well written and
well edited. IL would also surprise some
people to know that the Alaskans are so
dissatisfied with their government, or
rather lack of government. that there IS
talk in that far northern land Of the Re
public of Alaska" Many people Of this
country have no adequate conception Of
what Alaska really Is. They have thought
of It as a land of glaciers and OF mos
quitoes that would rival the merry New
Jersey brand in the summer time. Late
ly. 10 this conception. has come the fur
Their one that Alaska Is a land where a
man can get lot Of gold by digging II he
is lucky. which gold he will take into the
states as soon as he gets enough 20 live
en- comfortably. Doubtless the average cit
izen OF this country has never thought of
the governmental needs Of the people os
Alaska. II he had thought at all OF the
people OF Alaska" he has probably con
ceived them TO be lot of dirty Indians
who have no ambition except TO catch
enough fish to live on.
Some echoes have come frorl Washing
ton this winter of the Alaska question"
but they have attracted little attention be-
cause the people of the states have not
realized there was an Alaskan question.
They have been too busy thinking of what
We shall do with Puerto Rico. with Cuba,
with Hawaii and with the Philippines.
There has been no thought that there are
thousands of men living in Alaska whose
need of a government is as great as or
greater than that of any OF our new pos
sessions. In long editorial the Daily
Alaskan, published at Skagway. demands
that congress shall give some heed 10 the
needs OF that land. The bitterness OF long
neglect is apparent throughout. and there
is threat OF secession II something s
A.
ity with the territories. II not the states,
OF the Unidn.
We are not inclined to regard with Sc
robustness the suggested formation of Re
public of Alaska. The white men IN that
country are Americans who love their
flag, who were born and bred In respect
OF law and who Will doubtless continue TO
suffer their wrongs patiently until those
wrongs are righted But II Is time the
voice OF Alaska was beard and needed in
the halls OF congress. There is a large
population, larger than many OF the ter
ritories had when they were created, which
Is without sufficient number of courts.
without the right to form municipal gov
ernments, without the right TO do any OF
those things that we regard as essential
In any well regulated community. That
these men are lovers of law and order is
sufficiently proved by the fact that they
have voluntarily created governments of
their own TO which they are loyal and the
law of which they respect even though
there is no form OF authority for the ex-
istence of that government
The Alaskan paper referred to complains
that Alaska has been made the playthifig
OF the politicians and the sealing compan-
les and the like since Alaska was bought.
Democrats and Republicans alike have de-
MED to its people all political lights. 1t
declares that congress must ne awakened
to 1.-The fact that we are a very angry
and disgruntled people. that we can no
longer be triied WITH that We are growing
dangerous" And IL demands "a little share
of their solicitude for the future of the
people OF Cuba and the dusky denizens of
the Philippines. What have we. Americans
born. ana still Americans done IL asks,
that these aliens should at once be grant
ed constitutional liberty and laws for the
protection OF life and property, while Alas
ka, like blind Belisarius. begs and begs
in vain?''
Can any one answer the question? Is II
not time that the voice of ALASKA be heard
and its demands be needed?