The daily Alaskan., 1906-02-15
A TORY sUBTERFUGE

The Juneau Transcript gives several columns this week to an attempt to. make the Daily Alaskan the issue be- fore the people of Alaska instead of that of territorial government, Re moved of all surplussage the charge is that this paper is supporting territorial government for no reason other than that such 8 government would make better business conditions for news, papers snd that this paper is working for quick results. Then it says:
 Territorial government would be a big pickup for newspapers and we wish to God themen who live in Alaska and have their money invested here would hurry up and see their way clear to pay the bills but vel haven't the gall to tell'em they ought to invest a milliona year in 'Americsnism' just for our sake. It wouldn't help them any because they are al! too busy mining, fishing, building mills and developing Alaska
 The motives of the Daily Alaskan have no bearing on the question of self-government in Alaska, and there fore it is not necessary that they be defended; but if they had and 1t were, We would but call attention to the fact that the Daily Alaskan is the oldest daily paper in Alaska; that it is the most quoted of them all; that it began the fight for territorial government in October, 1899, when it advised Alaska's first territorial convention, then in ses- sion at Juneau, to demand it; that it has never let up in the fight, and that it has seen one tory competitor after another die unmourned deaths. It would not be living to tell the tale if 1t had not Leen true to the ideals and as- pira,ions of its American readers.
 But these efforts oi the tory organ are directed to the sole purpose of get ting the peoples thoughts turned from the real issues. It has discovered the weakness ot its case before the Alas kan people, and would charge its fight ing ground if possible. The.only points in it's words, words, words, that are worthy of consideration are the intima- tioas that territorial government is expensive, that it would entail great expense on the people for printing bills, and that the people who live tn Alaska and have their money invested here" are not in favor of territorial gov errment.
 The extra legal printing under ter ritorial government could and would, if the legislature were wise, be made very small. Most of it would be met from the federal appropriation for the per diem and expenses ofthe legislature. That less than 1000 poor immigrants in the Dakotas, in Washington and in several other territories maintained territorial government, under condt- tions more adverse than those existing here, without heavy taxation and with out going into debt, is all the evidence required that . territorial government need rot be expensive.
 The people who live in Alaska and have their money invested here;" min CTS, merchants, fishermen and others, have gone on record in every possible way in favor of territorial government. The great producers of Nome, of Fair banks, of Ketchikan and elsewhere, fa- yor it. That is now understood by every man who is awake and who will learn from what is to be seen and heard. Only a few tories, mostly in the vicinity ot Juneau and Sttka, op- pose it. Even the majority of the peo- pie of Juneau favor it, and have said so time after time.