The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-09-01
CRISIS FOR ALASKA
The Tide of Emigration Is Likely to
Flow in Some Other
Direction.
The Puget Sound Cities Will Now
Turn to the Orient for Their
Prosperity.

Fron, The Journal Bureau, Room. 10. Poss
Building, Warrington.
Washington, Sept. 1.-The information
that the Alaskan gold fields are beginning
to show smaller yields will doubtless make
difference in the future development OF
that country, and cause congress to go
slow in the matter of legislative de-
velopment there. A decline OF almost
one-half in the gold output for the cur
rent year, and the further fact that dur
discovered, will prove a sufficient damper
to the enthusiasm of people who have
been figuring that that country was to
produce an unlimited supply Of the pre-
cious metal; while the inclemency and
rigOr Of the seasons, will combine to re-
duce the tide Of immigration and at the
same to diminish the number OF people
already there. Evidently, Alaska is about
to go through it's most critical period. If
during the next year or two the gold
supplies are still short, the country will
be suffered practically to relapse into its
original state. Whole cities and towns
in many instances will be abandoned. the
machinery Of federal government will be
simplif1ed wagon roads will be given up
steamboats, will be allowed to rot at their
mornings, and the English speaking popu-
lation, which has gone there in such great
numbers during the past few years, will
return to milder ATTITUDES farther south.
Indirectly, this threatened decadence of
the Alaskan peninsula will affect the bust
ness Of the thriving cities on Puget
sound, which have become immense out
fitting points for the far northwest. But
fortunately for these cities, the oriental
trade is now assuming such satisfactory
proportions as to insure their future be-
yond peradventure.
UnIeashlng the Postmaster.
The recent order by Assistant Postmas-
ter General Wynne, defining the lengths to
which postnasters may go in their desire
to render service to the political party OF
their choice, is based upon a letter written
by President Roosevelt, and therefore cor
rectly interprets the views Of the ad
ministration on this important question
Under some Of the presidents postmasters
as we'll as other federal office holders
| have practically been deprived of many
| OF their inherent rights as citizens, anC
required to maintain a pose of absolute
neutrality and non-combativeness IL
| each succeeding political campaign. Ac
| cording to President Roosevelt's way O.
thinking, however, the federal officeholdel
| has rights as citizen and will be per.
mitted, within certain broad lines, to ex.
ercise them. For instance, it will now be
| permissible for pOstmasters-and this
ruling Will apply to all federal employee.
to join political clubs, attend politica
conventions as delegates, and, should they
desire to do so, to contribute to campaign
funds They ought not, however. in thu
presidents Judgment to become undul,
active in campaign work. In other words
he would not have them acting as tn
chairman of political conventions, or o
campaign committees. or in other way
setting the pace within their parties a
leaders. But as followers-high private
in the rear ranks Of partizanshtp-the,
have full rights and will be protected /,
| their exercise.
This new ruling is much more liberia
than any that has been made on this ques
ton for many years, and it will be vel
coined by thousands Of postmasters, biz
and little, in all parts of the country.
| w w. Jermane