The Ketchikan miner., 1907-04-27
APRIL 27 21, 1907
NOT TO THE POINT.

Of The Miner that ln anlmduNefllnS on the statement concerning public conditions and affairs in Alaska, i'm puted to Gov. Hoggatt by the Seattle newspapers on the occasion of his recent sojourn in that city, the editor did not withhold a doubt as to whether or not he had been correctly report ed Since then The Miner, knowing how prone the pennyaline reporters of the press of that city are to mis- quote the language of those who sub- init themselves to interviews, has been waiting patiently for the disclimer fondly hoped for and con- fidently expected. The nearest ap- proach to anything of the kind, how ever, which the governor has vouch- safed to the public is this, printed by seeming authority, in the Juneau Dispatch of recent date:
 Gov. Hoggatt claims to have been the subject of unfair treatment on the part of certain unnamed parties who were in Washington lobbying last
 
 that he was constantly referring to advocates of home government as buns, rutfians, etc. This, Governor Hoggatt says. is gross libel upon his real expressions. He says he has often expressed the opinion that the retail liquor dealers were dissatisfied with the present license law and that a large portion of the supporters of government were of the unsettled population in Alaska. Taking for example the recent reports published in Seattle papers purporting to be interviews with the governor. These he repudiates as pack of lies put together after an alleged talk with him. The governor says he puts too much confidence in the intelligence of the average Alaskan to believe that they would take serious any statement that he was abusing any citizen or set of citizens in Alaska. Therefore, he says he has paid no attention to the matter other than to inform inquiring friends ot his opinion.
 The Miner assuming the above publication to have been authorized by the governor, takes the liberty of suggesting that it falls far short of meeting any of the points raised by the views and sentiments credited to that gentleman in the interview to which the press, and the people of Alaska generally, have taken excep- tion. If, indeed, this publication was authorized, and was intended as a quasi reply by the governor to the criticism passed upon him by the press and the people of Alaska in connection with his reported Seattle utterances, then it can only be said that he protests either too much or too litlte-too much in that he treats only of matters not at all in issue between himself and those who do not argee with him, and too little in that he avoids all reference to questions of grave public importance concern ing which he and his critics are wholly at variance. The Miner has no where seen or heard of that gentleman having, at any time or in place spoken of the advocates of territorial government as 'bums, ruffans, or other opprobious terms, and this latest utterance imputed to him by one of his own home papers, | looks very much like the setting up of man of straw merely for the l purpose of knocking it down.
 But the precise language used by the governor in his reference to the | people of Alaska. is matter of little | importance compared with the only | inference that can be drawn from his assertions, as having reference as to his estimate of their capacity for an intelligent exercise of the right of government, should that priv ilege be granted them. That his opinion of their ability to govern themselves, if accorded the privilege | of trying the experiment, is low one, he could not have made more apparent had he deliberately set out to make it clearly so understood: nor could he have more clearly display ed his utter ignorance of the science of government according to the American theory established by the fathers of the republic. It is the prin- ciple, or rather the lack of it, which [ he so plainly avows in his every public utterance, not his words, to which The Miner takes exception for he has thus far made no declara- tion in opposition to popular home government for Alaska which is not | an insult to her people, in that it is direct challenge of their honesty, | and ability to do that which no other part or parcel of American people have failed to accomplish in the past. It is the people to whom he will have to answer sooner or later, and should the opportunity ever present itself, he may rely upon it that they will resent the insult in words and actions that will admit of no misunderstanding whatever.
 James Henry Smith, familiarly