The Ketchikan miner., 1908-08-08
FOR WHAT AND WHO WILL YOU
 uxf-rE>l


 on or before that date for what and
 for whom they win cast their ballots in order 10 arrive at an honest and
 intelligent decision as the polls as to
 measures and candidates presented fos their consideration.
 In the opinion of The Miner the ors
 measure above sll others which affect
 the welfare. rights. and privileges u. the people of Alaska, which hinges
 upon the result ef that election. is th'
 question of popular he me governmen -a question. upon the solution
 which in the affirmative depends sl others fer final and satisfactory de
 termination by the people themselves. through their own elective legislature.
 rather than by the congress, only in so far as they may be matters within
 the exclusive jurisdiction -of. the latter
 body. Is is only for those who are
 honestly ID favor of local self govern
 mens for Alaska that these remarks
 are intednded. They should have no difficulty in arriving as conclusion Ss.to which. one or more of the halt dozen candidates in the field for their suffrSges is most likely 10 prove a firm and sseadfsst advocate of the cause of self government, if elected. whatever may be their doubts as to the honesty and sincerity of the others. Being convinced on that point, it will
 De up to them to propound to them selves for solution in their own minds. she old fashioned question. ''is he honest and possessed of the courage of his convictions and man capable of presenting them 10 the favorable consideration of the, congress and it's committees"
 Is appears to The Miner that the three leading candidates, one of whom is likely to receive the majority of votes, are Mir. John W. Ccrson, John Roman and James Wickersham. MT. Corsou is the Republican. Mir. Roman
 the De uiorcatic candidate. while Mir. Wiekershs m is running independent, with- presumably. large following in the Tauana and Valdez districts. Mir. Corson is running on platform which
 pledges his party to territorial gov ernment. and though the nominee of
 convention controlled by the op-
 ponents to popular self government IS. and was. prior to his nomination, a pronounced friend and advocate of ss rritorial government, which he
 still continues to advocate in his speeches throughout 1he territory. John Roman. the nominee of the Dem-
 ocratic Territorial Conv ension. held at Juneau. stands pledged to full form of territorial govern Uens by the p.rty by
 whom he was. nominated, and con- corning his attitude on that question there can be no doubt whatever. Mir.
 Wickersham's position on this same question is. 10 say the least open to grave doubt. He has not denied hay ing been the author of the hersph- rOdite bill now lying unas: ted upon in the house committee on territories of the present congress. and which
 provides for partly elective and
 partly apUcintive legislature for the territory. and which in his fl-st speech
 announcing himself candida se for del egate 10 congress at the coming cleo tioD, he fully endorsed with his ap-
 proyal. The Miner has not seen any public >ayowaI on his part of any change of sentiment on this question. and If he has made any, it must have been in slch quiet way as to be com oletely.. obscured and hidden from the general public. and can only be ac- cspted at the best as an anse-election declaration made only for the purpose of catching votes he could not other wise hope to secure
 The Miner ventures the suggestion, and that too without casting any re-
 fectiou on the honesty and sincerity of the labor candidates, or the purity of the purpose of their supporters, that they are almost sure Of casting their ballots 50 the wind E. by voting for any other than one of the three candidates named above. one of whom is almost absolutely certain to be elected. Of MT. WicFseysham, The Miner has TO uuhiDd OF unfavorabIe word to utter. personal to his charac- Ser, it's objection being based solely on his equivocal PSsision on the one question of popular home government for Alaska It este .ms him highly as a man of ability, ard were he wholly sound or the pars mount question of the peoples rig t 10 popular home rule. could find DO cause for sorrow over his electior {.
 IL is up to the people to decid z whether the y will vote for them selves by cas ting their ballots for one of the ca 1didates pledged to home ruies or ,r one whose position on that question is either unknown, or wholly squigc .al.
 bf .lieving that Fairbanks is getting me .rs than her share of joy from the