Douglas Island news., 1904-02-10
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 10, 1904.


 we'll as in other parts of Alaska. It is high time that this matter was settled in one way or the other, and there is but one man who seems to hold the key to the situation and that is the Judge of the U. s. district court. On numer- ous occasions Judge Brown has stated that the municipal courts had jurisdic- tion in all misdemeauor cases covered by the city ordinances. While this did not mean, of course, exclusive jurisdic- tion, yet it is evident that the Judge has not passed an opinion on the law without careful inquiry as to the in- tent and purpose of its framers. That being the case, the Judge was undoubt edly right; the municipal authorities should by tacit consent be given exclu- siye jurisdiction in all misdemeanor cases, at any rate until such time when it should become apparent that these municipal courts lacked the power or the disposition to enforce the laws. It was the suggestion of Judge Brown that led the incorporated cities of South eastern Alaska to establish municipal courts, in some cases at great expense to the municipality. Now it is the duty of those in authority to follow this in- depreciation of the law to the very let ter, and thus avoid conflict of author ity that will carry with it some most disagreeable features. That the munic- ipal courts may be depended on to preserve order. each in its own separate bailiwick, goes without saying, for the judges of these courts are elected by the people each year and failure to en- force the laws made by the people would insure defeat. But how can a municipal court be expected to retain it's vigilance when every grand jury dabbles in municipal affairs, and every commissioners court also has finger in the pie? Let them keep their hands of for a season and give the people of the towns chance to regulate their own affairs in the manner prescribed by the code, and in accordance with the fundamental tenets of a. country in which the will of the people is supreme. If, as has been suggested by writer on the subject, the fee-paid commis- sioners need the money derived from this business to augment the emolu- ments of their office, chop off few heads, abolish the office and enlarge the territorial scope of the others. The cry has gone in to Washington that a fourth U. s. district judge is needed in Alaska to attend to the rapidly increas ing business of the district. If the one matter of misdemeanors is elimin ated, the courts will find more time to devote to other business, and the time of the expensive federal court machin- cry will not be taken up for weeks and months in the trial of cases that a police judge is fully qualified to try.
 It is not often that the News varies from the line of its policy to note the doings of the people in other parts of the world, other than Alaska. Alaska is big propositian, and it deserves the undivided attention of it's newspapers. The papers of the Sound generally furnish the readers of Alaska with a plentitude of accounts of wrecks and storms, etc. However, there is one instance in which they have overlooked a point, and that is in relation to the awful events that have recently trans pired in Colorado. Perhaps it is be- cause of the striking similarity of con- ditions, in some respects, that makes us take this new interest in the affairs of Colorado. But it is fact that the people of Alaska having passed through the period of government by injunc- tion, by receivers, the muzzling of the press, and the usurpation of the legislative authority by the judiciary, are in condition to sympathize with the people of Colorado. The story of their wrongs is one that should cause the blush of shame to mount to the brow of every American who loves free institutions and free country. The News is not periodical of protest. We do not kick for the love of the thing. We realize that, in the struggle between the people and the labor unions, there are many wrongs on both