Douglas Island news., 1903-09-09
Read and Reflect.

Congress at Seattle:
 "In going into the case, I desire to take up the history of Alaska very briefly. One of the speakers before this congress in the course of his remarks eXtolled the resources, told you of the glories and greatness of that wonderful country, together with little of its history since it's acquisition from Rus sia by the government of the United States. He failed to tell you, however, that in the treaty of purchase entered into between the representative of the United States and the Czar of Russia, in 1867, that the latter, through his commissioner, in making that treaty, stipulated in express terms that the people of Alaska, all except the unclv- ilized tribes, should be guaranteed by the government of the United States all the rights, privileges and immuni- ties of American citizens. (Applause.)
 That stipulation has never been ob- served by the government of the United States. We people of Alaska are living there today, not as he (Gov. Brady would have you believe, as citizens of Alaska, because there is no such thing as citizenship in Alaska, none, what ever. We are merely residents of an outlying province or district, and we are to all iutents and purposes mere subjects of the congress of the United States, that and nothing more, (ap- plause) because, in the inSular decls- ions the supreme court of the United States has declared that the constltu- tion of the United States does not eX- tend to unorganiZed territories, and we are being governed now in Alaska upon the principle that there are no constl- tutional rights, no constitutional guar antics, which we as people may de- maud from the United States govern
 ment, and have accorded to us as a matter of right and of justice. When we purchased Alaska, as l said before, with that stipulation, instead of giving her people some form of local self government, they set the military over them, military just fresh from great war, who went into that country, and treated those people, not as friends, not as people desiring to become Amer cans, but as conquered people, with the effect that the large majority of the Russian people who gloried over the acquisition of the country by the United States because they thought they were to be freed from an intoler
 able despotism, left the country and went back to their old homes in ships sent for them by the Czar, one ship alone taking away 1900 of them. They preferred Russian despotism to the quality of freedom accorded them by the government of the United States. That condition existed until 1877, when the military was removed, and for time there was not one single military or civil official in all Alaska until, as Governor Brady told you yesterday, the Indians threatened to massacre the people of Sitka and the British consul at Victoria sent British ship to pro- tect them. Afterwards the government sent one of our own ships up there, and from that time until 1884 they were under the naval authority. The law of that land up to 1884 was the ipse dixit the will and whim-of the military or naval commander stationed at Sitka. Then, after a great deal of prayer and petitioning on the part of her people, the congress of the United States con- eluded to give us what 1t was pleased to denominate a civil goyernment-a mere shadow without substance, re- markable only for the rights and priVi- leges it expressly withheld from them. There are some gentlemen of the legal profession present and 1 would like to have them when they go from here, take up the socalled organic act of May, 1884, and read it. l happen to know of my own personal knowledge that it was simply bill framed and passed solely and exclusively in the interests of the great fur company which then actually owned and controlled the country as much as it could have done had it been in possession of the title in fee simple tApplause)
 That act gave us governor, speci. fled certain powers which be should have, judge. marshal and clerk, as the Gov ernor told you yesterday; expressly denied them the benefits of the general land laws, withheld the right of local legislation, and declared that they should have no representation m the congress of the United States. Neither have we today. The socalled organic act made the Governor the commander in chief of the militia, gave him power to cause the militia to be enrolled, and to call them out in case of emergency, and yet even up to this day never adol- lar has been provided to pay the ex- penses of enrolment or pay the mil itia for their services if called out. The act gave us governor who was mere fignrehead of government, as he is today. I speak advisedly on this point and not by way of unkind reflec- tion upon our governor. 1t is not bis fault that the only government we have up there is centeYed in the judges, who rule the country absolutely and appoint all our minor officers. can remember of reading when l was boy about people, a good many years ago, who declared that taxation without repre-