The Alaska prospector., 1903-08-13
Ignorance Displayed.

anoe with requests 1 must again ask the favor of your columns.
 I did not anticipate that ms communication of last week would cause1so much oommotiOn in cer. tain quarters It seems that sev- eral people took umSrage, and un- reasoning anger showed itself.
 Pardon the conceit: hut I mus, say that the Vox Populi edition ol the NEWS is certainly a compli- ment, for nearly half its reading matter space was devoted to vox Popnli. Surely if the protest was such a tumble of senseless asser. tions resulting from ignorance and toryism, as they clan, why such labored articles and so much space in attempted rsfutation?
 The communication signed E Pluribus Unum does not merit re- ply. Anger prevails; and his yer nacular, to say the least, is inele- gant.
 The editorial writer evinces much perturbation of spirit because the protest happened to be fairly we'll punctuated. 1 wonder if he intended his remarks on punctua- tion to serve as a reason for terri torial government:
 Possibly because he considers NOx Populi tory is another argu- ment for territorial organization.
 l reaffirm all stated in tlse pro- test, more especially as no forcible or appropriate argument has been put forward to maintain the con- trary.
 1 made the protest because am an American citizen doing busi- ness in Alaska for more than three years. 1 am niether carpet bag official or office seeker. am large ly interested in developing certain property, upon which the company is now installing a plant to treat 2,0OO tons daily. The company possesses its own sea vessel and att tends to its affairs in an unostenta- tious and business like manner. It IS because this property is within the lines of the proposed territo<y ' and would be among the first to be taxed under new regime, that l was moved to make the protest and oppose the territorial scheme. It Is a matter of common sense and business with me, and I mean to continue the fight until the coun- try is in a condition to maintain home government.
 l oppose territorial organization because
 The country is not ready for it. The major part of the people don't
 want it
 The country cannot support it un-
 less with great hardship.
 We don't want to join with South
 eastern Alaska, and they don't
 want us.
 As a separate territory NC haze not
 sufficient population.
 As a separate territory we have not
 sufficient taxable property. The best basis we could present to
 congress would be ludicrous. The only real advocates for terri
 tory are carpet bag officials. of
 flee seekers and demented persons That congress, ii it did accord 2
 territorial form, would so tie us
 up in the bill that we would be
 much worse of than now. Just now it is all rot.
 As to population l hear it claim. ed that Alaska has 6O,OO0. I be. lieye that such figures were made up in some such way as was done at Nome in 1900 l WAS familiar with the doings of the census taker He had collected the names of those who had wintered there, amounting to between 2OOO and 25OO. Then when the first fleet of boats arrived bringing between 17 900 and 1S,OO( persons, he got the passenger lists and put the names in to swell th' total. The following winter ther' was abOut 25OO in Nome. actua