Douglas Island news., 1907-07-24

 it is a condition and not theory that confronts us.
 This statement applies with alarming significance to Southeastern Alaska.
 In plain language, there is shortage of workers.
 Of course We understand that in almosc every part of the United States the same condition prevails to degreey and it is also fact that each section has done and is doing all that it can to induce men from other parts of the country to come to this or that partic- ular place.
 Less of this kind of work has been done here than in perhaps any part ot the country, and the result is that now we are beginning to realize that the other fellows have out-generaled us.
 Admitting, as everyone must, that the entire welfare of the country Is at stake, there is hardly any need to ask the question, why are we not doing something?
 It seems peculiar and uneXplaina- able position for acountry such as this to fall into.
 fit was a fact that the laborers in this section were not well paid, or if it was only cheap labor that was wanted there might be a ready reason.
 But this is not the case. The lowest wage paid is $500 day, and that to the man who does only common labor. One would naturally think that with such prospect iu view the Eastern, and even the States of the middle West would empty themselves on our shores. One would tbiuk that the great tide of immigrants that comes from foreign countries would grasp with joy at the opportunities here found.
 But such is not the case; and as ev- erything else is the result of a cause, so is this condition.
 Neither the men of the States, nor the immigrants coming from the Old Country know anything about the con- ditions in Alaska.
 A very few of the people in the States have read or heard something of Alaska, but in most cases that some thing is so indefinite that it really amounts to nothing.
 Alaska is the land of gold, of ice and snow, dogs and Indians, missionaries and ignorance" says common report. If you go to Alaska, be prepared to endure hardships, to suffer from cold and hunger, perhaps to die from expo sure and want"
 Bosh! Yes, real boshl We know it here. But the rest of the world don't know it.
 We know that Southeastern Alaska is most desirable place to live, and especially for poor man who has only his hands to work with.
 We know that here he may make a home for his wife and babies, and give them more comforts and more luxur- ies than he could either in the congest- ed centers of population in the States, or in the overcrowded countries across the Atlantic.
 We know these things, all of us, yet here we sit with folded hands, very much as if we thought to share our blessings would be to lose them.
 However, the reverse proposition is the true one. The more honest, upright, sober, industrious men, the more pa tient, cheerful, loving women, and the more bright, happy, laughing children we can induce to come and share our land, the greater will be our prosperity.
 Old John G. Brady, when he was gov ernor of Alaska, preached the doctrine almost necessarily, but to our shame be it said, that he got very little help or encouragement from the rest of us.
 The old Governor was working on a theory; now we are up to the condition.
 The large mining companies operat- ing in this vicinity are running short handed, and numerous cases are now on hand where development work on promising prospects is entirely sus pended for want of men.
 The usual work about the towns and