The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1906-12-31
ENTITLED TO TERRITORIAL FORM
OF GOVERNMENT.
AMERICANS ARE VIGOROUS
Know What They Want and II Allow
ed Home Rule Would Make a
Territory Such as Never Be-
fore Took Rank In Union.

Nlulublt tllc optNldl.
Washington, d. c., Dec. 31.-"Amer.
lean spirit, red blooded and in its
most intense form. is manifested BY
the people Of Alaska. They are
staunchly patriotic and proud of their
country They take the deepest inter.
est in our elections and to meet their
obligations. as electors, they do as
matter OF course what many citizens
of the States would never think Of do.
ing"
The speaker was Frank II Waskcy
the first delegate to Congress from
Alaska Tall. raw boned, bronzed and
yirile, with grizzled, iron gray hair
and beard Mr. Waskey would attract
attention anywhere. lie Is thorough
American and has resided in Alaska
many years. His election as dele.
gate TO Congress indicates that he is
one Of the most popular men in the
territory
why. do you know" he continued.
"one man walked sixty miles over the
toughest kind Of a country merely to
vote at the delegate election. That
he voted for me was simply an Incl
dent, because he would have done the
sane thing to vote for another fr.cnr
lie did il not so much because I was
candidate as because he wanted to
exercise his right Of franchise. How
many people are there i'm the states
who would wall, sixty miles merely
for the privilege of voting at an cleo
tion? Not many. | imagine; yet that
| Is the kind of people we have in Alas
ka. This friend of mine did not pre-.
sent an isolated case. Many Of the
Americans made physical and finan-
cial sacrifices in order that they
might vote at that election. That is
the nature of our people.
Now, these people want a home
rule government in the territory.
They are entitled to a regular terri.
torial form of government as much as
the people of New Mexico and Arizo-
ma were when they were given gov.
ernment. Personally, ! do not be
/ lleve our claim to a home-rulc govern
|ment can be attacked successfully.
| Our people are Americans, vigorous,
| honest, capable and trained In the pol
| itics Of the States. They know what
| thew want and. II afforded the oppor-
tunity, through the establishment of a
territorial government in Alaska, they
will make that territory In a few
years one OF the greatest and most
productive that ever blessed the Uni.
ted States.
Until | was elected as a delegate
Ito Congress, 10000 Americans
were absolutely without any represen-
tation here in Washington. We need
up there, however not only represen-
tation here in Congress but We need
/ the power, in measure at least, to
control our own affairs. Given ter
rltorial form of government and we
shall be able TO exercise that power
| i'm a way that will make Alaska one of
| the greatest possessions of any coun-
/ try in the world.
"Our people are intelligent and ed
ucated. They are able to take care
of themselves and to perfom their du,
/ ties as citizens in the highest and
best sense They own their homes
/ their stores, their banks and their
mines and they live constantly In an
American atmosphere which develops
the very best of citizenship. II Con
gress will give us home rule, We will
prove to the States that We are all
have declared our people to be-
In addition to this view, Governor
Hoggatt of Alaska expresses the opin
ion that II would be better for the peo'
pie of Alaska to continue as they are
at present. President Roosevelt has
considered the subject in the light OF
the two conflicting opinions and fin
ally has referred the whole matter ia
Congress 1t is unlikely that any de
cisiye action will be taken at the
present session. but 1t will be pressed
to an issue in the next Congress.
Reports Of the Herman-Gans fight