The Ketchikan miner., 1908-06-20
SPEECH OF ROMAN
(Continued From Page 1)

susceptible of various constr uction ns. It gives every evidence of having been drawn for the special purpose of de- ceiving the voters of Alaska.
 On the question of home rula. the republicans ask that the govei nme#t provided by the Ordinance e l.ss be applied to Alaska, while they i;noN well that that is wholly impracticable to the conditions that prevail in ta's territory and could not be put in.o practical effect here.
 But with all their evasion and cG- dorsements, the Republicans could not agree, and of their dissenii ions were born twin conventions, and no definite platform, unless it is furnish ed by the actions of Tom Gale as a delegate to Congress. Mir. Gale has devoted his time during the recent session of Congress in urging the so- called "Territorial Government" bill upon that body, which have no hesi- tation in characterizing as a travesty upon American principles of govern ment. The bill of this member of the Republican "Heavenly Twins" is worth looking into. It provides so- called legislature, but its principles would deprive the people of adequate representation. In the first place, it provides for the division of the Ter ritory into five legislative districts, giving each district three members of the one elective branch of the legis- lature. This is manifestly unfair and unjust arrangement, because it would place it into the hands of the more thickly settled portion of the Terri tory or the larger towns the power to select all the legislati members to the exclusion of the outlying mining towns.
 But there are other features of the bill that are worse yet-it's the non- American spirit that makes it mon- strosity. For instance, it prohibits anyone but taxpayer" from being a member of the legislature. Of late years. there has been a drift among the powers of the nations toward the Hamiltonian theory of government, but it has remained for member of the Republican party, a representa- tive in Congress. without vote in that body one elected by the most democratic people under the sun, to propose that the time honored princi- ples of American institutions be aban- doned and that there be renewal ol conditions that have been discarded by all people but those living under the rule of the most rigid monarchs. This man was willing to make quail tications for membership in the Terri torial legislature so rigid that he himself would be prohibited from be- ing a member of it, yet he appeals to you for suffrage, asking that you re- turn him to represent you in your national congress.
 The time honored document, the Declaration of Independence, declares all men to be equal. That document still stands as marvel among state papers in the clearness of its defini- tons of the rights of men under a properly formed government. The government built upon that founda- tion never before conceived any test but that of citizenship to be applied to the holding of office.
 It is no crime to be rich, and still less, if it were possible. to be poor. The fact that man has wealth does not make him better man or bet ter citizen than the same man would be if he lacked wealth. That man does not live who was unfit to repre- sent you in any legislative assembly when he was poor that has become fitted for the responsibility because of becoming rich.
 However. conceding for the mo- ment and for the sake of argument, that it were otherwise. all wealthy men are not taxpayers in Alaska. The only taxpayers in this district are chosen people who own property with in the limits of municipality, or who are engaged in business taxed by the iniquitous government license law. A man might own the best farm in A laska or the best producing placer mine, or the largest shelter, and not be qualified for membership in the territorial legislature under the provisions of the Gale bill.
 But there is still another feature of this marvellous bill to which would direct your attention. It seeks to perpetuate carpet -bagism among us.
 It provides for an upper branch of the legislature of seven members to be appointed by the President, only two of whom must be residents of Alaska. This would entail upon the people all the expense of territorial government and deprive them of the benefits. It would saddle upon them a system of carpet baggery, never be- fore attempted upon any American community in the history of our gov ernment.
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