The Ketchikan miner., 1908-03-14

the United States, or any Act of Congress, as the legislative assembly may impose: Provided, That for such purposes the legislative assembly may divide the Territory into precincts.
 It also provides that the legislative assembly may pass additional legisla- tion, not inconsistent with the consi tuition or any Act of Congress, for the incorporation and government of towns, but that no act organizing or providing for county form of gov ernment shall have any force or effect until it shall be submitted to and ap- proved by the affirmative action of Congress.
 It hardly seems possible that Mir. Gale can imagine for a single moment that the introduction of this bill-a bill so essentially shorn of the prin- ciple of self-government, other than a mere semblance thereof, is a move ment on his part in the direction of a redemption of the pledges made to the people of Alaska and on the strength of which they gave him such an overwhelming majority as delegate, nor can it be that he expects them to contemplate with the least possible degree of patience or equanimity it's possible enactment into law. It is up to that gentleman to explain by what spirit or influence he was prompted and induced, after having introduced bill drawn along the lines of the will and wishes of a large majority of the people of Alaska, to supplement it with another wholly in accord with the desires of the ''solid interests intent upon es- caping their just bul dens of taxation for the support of any government, whether local or general-a bill skill fully drawn to hide the cloven foot, and by carefully eliminating from the proposed new form of local govern ment all power practical of successful exercise on the part of the people, tie them more elfectually than they now are in subservience to the will of those whose desire it is to manipulate the affairs of Alaska to their corporate and presonal aggrandizement.
 A legislative assembly composed of two houses, only one of which is to be elected by the people, would negative the voice of the latter in all local leg islation, and cannot be justified on any theory of popular government, or practical common sense or public justice. Those who read the pl uvi- sions of the bill will not need to have explained to them how and Tn what way the law would thus operate to the disadvantage of the people. or how it would leave them practically as helpless as they now are, and tha. the lower house, which is merely thrown to them as a sop. would be nothing more than an instrument expected to do the will and bidding of it's master, the executive council. That this coun- cil could with propriety have been made elective. goes without saying, since the acts of legislative assembly y thus constituted would be subject in the first place to the Governors veto, and finally to annulment by the con- gress. If the simplicity and economy recommended by the President in his message was the purpose sought, but little is saved in what would be the cost of electing five members of the council and their per diem-a consd- eraton scarcely worth being taken into accoun-. Then, too, in what other state or territory are citizens debarred from seat in the legislature by making a property qualification es- sental to eligibility.
 The people of Alaska are to he con- misserated on the attempt made by their own representative to throw them down. and we are mistaken in their temper if they do not demand the explanation which should have been given them in advance-and would have been so vouchsafed, eX- cept for the presence of large sized African in the woodpile.
 If the bill passes and becomes a law, Alaskans will be wholly justified in refusing to accept it, to the extent at any rate of participating in the worse than bastard form of government provided for them.