The Ketchikan mining news., 1907-02-22

administration. The money has been collected because it had to be. The license money zones to the city and there being no legitimate manner of spending it the council has permitted it to grow into surplus. No one can say the people of Cinema are not capable of self-government and speak truth.
 The Nome Nugget pertinently remarks that there is nothing for the Alaskan to do but help in every way to encourage and uphold the men elected by the people to fight the battles of the common people of Alaska, and to fight where alone it does any good to fight them-at the national capital. What else can an Alaskan do, and be honest with him. self and true to the best interests of the district. There were those who did not favor delegate representation in advance of territorial organization, or some other form of home govern ment, but they were overruled and cheerfully acquie esced in what appears to be the will and wishes of a very large majority of the Alaskan people. That they were right in their views on the delegate question-that 1t would be placing the cart before the horse-must now be apparent to all the friends of territorial organization who will give the matter just litte serious reflection. We have the dele gate. who is in Washington like a ship at sea without rudder or compass, where he is subjected to the buffets of we'll drilled contingent of lob byists who have special interests to subserve, and who assume the right to speak for Alaska to the exclusion of Alaksa's chosen representative. This would not be so were the people of Alaska in position to support and sustain their delegate through the medium of legislative assembly, though which their wants and wishes could be so forcibly made known as to preclude any question of doubt in the minds of senators and representa- tives. In that case there could be no question of veracity between a delegate so fortified and the repre- sentatives of special interests who seem to have the ear of the powers that be. In the meantime, as their chosen representative the delegate should have the earnest and united support of the people, through dozen governors not of their own choosing seek to block his every effort to secure the legislation they so earnestly desire.
 HELPING INDIANS WISELY.
 Under the above coption the Skag- way Alaskan printed in recent issue the following we'll considered article
 They have woman's society at Nome that is doing more to solve the Indian question in Alaska than all the Washington appointed govern ment officials in the district. This society is teaching a community o1 Eskimos how to earn living and care for themselves under civilized con- ditions.. The Indians are being taught to work, to fuse tl1eirss smebe, Ijudiciously and to keep their bodies warm and clean. They are taught that these are the first necessities to their existence. They are instructed in the "Three R's," and to use the English language correctly, but that is made matter of secondary i'm portance.
 These Nome women have helped the Indians to build hospital, bath house, laundry and school house com bined. They help the Indians to get employment and teach them how. .tc do their work so they can hold their jobs. Then they advise them as tc what to do with their money.
 Until this policy shall have been adopted with all the Indians oi Alaska there will be more or less money wasted by the federal govern ment and missionary societies. Toe much energy is being used in trying to impress upon the Indians the necessity of accepting a particular scheme of salvation and to fill their heads with chaotic ideas of science and "book learning" while their greatest need is to know how to use their hands and to care for their bodies. A clean, healthy, we'll cloth ed Indian, in clean warm house, who knows how to do something we'll, is worth hundreds of these absolute things with smattering of education, living from hand to mouth, profess ing religion when broke and rioting in debauchery when flush with money.
 A DANGEROUS DERELICT.
 The recent loss of the barge Richard III, and the fact that she may now be drifting on the broad bosom of the Pacific meanace of the worst kind to navigation, has caused much conjecture among sea faring men and others, as to length of time which might elapse before she is again heard of, how far will she travel