The Ketchikan miner., 1908-07-25
THE SITUATION.

THE SITUATION.
 The Juneau Record quite recently referred to the gentlemen who were accorded seats in the Republican National Convention as "the Hoggat' delegates. If this characteriza- tion of their official position ant standing in party or political sense be correct one, then it must be ac- cepted as true that the territorial body, or that end of it by which these delegates were chosen, was Hoggatt convention, dominated and controlled by the friends of that gentleman. and the candidate for delegate to congress nominated by it is to all intents and purposes Hoggatt candidate. though it's platform does not reflect the views and opinions of that gentleman on the all important question which is now at issue before the people of Alaska. The injection of Governor Hoggatt into the campaign as an issue, insisted upon the enemies of that gentleman and accepted by those of his friends who agree with his peculiar views on the question of popular home govern ment, should not be allowed to cloud the situation as to the real question to be determined in the coming elec- tiOn.
 There is but one question before the people of Alaska, and that is political one and in no wise partisan in character, and cannot be made otherwise, except, by the congress to which it must be presented for final determination. This question is one which. vitally concerns the well fare of the people of Alas ka, and one which should be de- termined in so far as they have a voice, independent of party prejudice or bias. So far as they can make themselves heard on the question, it will merely be in the selection of a delegate whose duty it will be to pre- sent it to the congress in whose final l action and determination he will have no vote. Consequently, it will matter very little, so far as the main question is concerned, what may be the party label of the delegate chosen, especially in view of the fact that he is not sup posed, and cannot legitimately have, either vote or voice in the determina- tion of any of the important political questions which may come before the congress to be discussed pro and con by the party leaders on either side. But, were it otherwise, it is well nigh incomprehensible how that faction of the Republican party in Alaska in favor of popular home rule, and that it is large and respectable one compared with the opposing fac- tion in the same party will not be de- nied, can be deluded either into yield ing its support to candidate who, though running on home rule plat form and advocating that principle from the stump, is nevertheless the nominee of the open, avowed and per- sistent" enemies of territorial govern mentor to another self-constituted candidate who holds out the induce ment to their support the hermaphro- dite territorial bill last presented to congress by delegate Gale, and of which this newly Hedged Candidate was the author-or else in casting away their votes to other candidates, who have no show for election, thus indirectly giving preference to party over principle. In the matter of the gentleman whom the Record would have us recognize as the Hoggatt can didate. serious question presents itself for the consideration of voters. The question is whether they can con- | vince themselves that Mir. Corson, having been nominated by the enemies of territorial government for Alaska, and placed on home rule platform, is sincere and honest in his advocacy of home rule, or whether his nomina- tion was made with the understanding that his pledges are to hold good only to the day of election or whether he has the ''big stick"' pending over his head ready to drop, should he dis play the slightest disposition to kick in the traces. Undoubtedly there is a goodly sized African concealed some- where in the wood pile, and it is more than probable that the wiring in and wiring out of such organs as the Re- cord may, ere long, resullt in the dis covery of the precise whereabouts of the secluded "cullud pusson."
 ALASKA PRESS GOSSIP.