The Ketchikan miner., 1908-07-25
WHICHY

The Skagway Alaskan thinks that the definite withdrawal of Mir. Gale,
 and the re-entry of Judge Wicker sham in the delegate race, has cleared the political atmosphere in Alaska most wonderfully, that there is now straight fight on, and that the contest is unembarrassed in any way, in that it remains only for the friends of progressive government to get behind the man who has announced his plat form in plain, unequivocal fashion. "It is square contest-no equivocation," says the Alaskan. and "every man may cast his ballot. knowing just what it means. 7" So? If the Alaskan will kindly inform The Miner what that platform really. means, this paper may be able to more correctly estf- mate the equivocal position in which the Alaskan seems to have placed it. self in thus hastily rushing to the support of Judge Wickersham.
 If the Alaskan is indeed a sincere advocate of the cause of popular home government. and recognizes that question as the paramount issue to be decided at the coming election. just as earnestly desirous of administering rebuke to little coterie of anti-terri- toriaIists by defeating their candi- date for delegate, it seems to The Miner that it may be taking the wrong course looking to the accom- plishment of that result. That it Is animated in its support of Judge Wickersham by deep seated hatred of Governor Hoggatt, is very apparent. and how it can reconcile its opposition to both Roman and Corson, both of whom are running on platform pledged to territorial government, and which they are advocating before the people, in favor of candidate who has never yet unequivocally de- clared himself in favor of popular home rule for A laska is something it will find itself unable to satisfactor- fly expain. It is within the knowledge of The Miner that Judge Wicksrsham was the author of the hermaphrod,ts bill last introduced by Mir. Cafe, from which all sembance of popular hon rule was carefully eliminated, that in the hearing on that bill he was placed on record as being in accord with Governor Hoggaut in his opposition to territorial government for Alaska, and it is equally true that within a m onth past, in speech at Fairbanks, he declared himself in favor of law making body for Alaska one branch of which should be elected by the people and the other branch appointed by the president, thus evincipg in advance the course he might be expected t0 pursue in the matter of home rule for Alaska, in case of his election to con. gress. Of the ability of .udge WIck- ersham there can be no question. Of his sincerity in any promise he may now make to the people in regard to home rule for AlaAka, in viev of the record he has thus fnr made, there
 would be more cause for. douht than any than can be nttachcu to either of. the other candidates, notwithstanding the fact that one of ihe latter wa nominated by and is being supported in periunctory manner by ti,r ene- mles Of the cause which the Alaskan, affects to have very sincerely at heart, How, then, can the Alaskan, with any show of honest propriety. .advo- cate the election Of WickersEa,? ='
 If the Alaskan is sircerey and hon estly welded to the cuuse o' home rule in Alaska, and doc, not hold tie party lahel. though t,s henring the stamp of any party convention, uf more importance than principle in which the welfare oi the p,ople Is more largely than all else cuiahined,i it gwill, on. a, little consideration, find hat 1t is not yet too late to reconsid- CT the course upon which it has just entered, and thus preserve the record for honest devotion to the good cause 1t has heretofore enjoyed.