The Ketchikan miner., 1908-02-15


 chant all the best of it and practically prevents wholesaling within the dis trict. The license fee for wholesaling, as at present., is $2, 000 The whole saler from the cities south, under the free trade which exists in the United States. has the right to come here and sell with no additional fee. His ad- vantage over the local wholesaler is apparent While they are at it would it not be well to level this up bit. | in favor of the local merchant?' It would seem to be up to the Alaskan to point out how such law as it sug- eests making an exception in favor of roadhouses can be made practically operative without creating more con- l fusion than now exists. A license rate based on population is certainly all wrong, if for no other reason than that it descriminates largely in favor of saloons in isolated sections or mir- ing and fishing camps where there is DO police regulation, and where, if any place, the traffic ought to be rig idly prohibited. In such places, though taxed the least, the dealer not infrequently makes more money than those who pay a higher license else where, and it may we'll be doubted if in the case of the roadhouses, the lat ter would necessarily be the losers by the proposed flat rate. There is no restriction of prices at which he may sell, and he can easily make good the difference in the amount of licens' tax which the new law proposes.
 Douglas News: E. E. Ritchie formerly editor of the Seward Gate way, has purchased the Valdez Pros pector. Along with a compul- sory school law for the natives ot Alaska will come the need of an otlic- CT to enforce it. The emblems of his authority should be bar of soap and a coarse towel. Prompt meas ures should be taken to improve the social condition of the native Indians of Alaska, says an exchange. Very true. But how about their physical condition, and, in that connection. their moral condition? The writer o the article seems to have an idea thal all the troubles of the Indian can he made right simply by an act of con gress. An exchange asks the question, twill Alaska be properly represented in mineral exhibit al the Alaska-Y ukon-Pacfc exposition in Seattle next year?" Well there i, one beautiful collection of perhaps the most wonderful mineral specimen: ever found in Alaska that will not ht there, and that is the collection tha Gov Brady borrowed of Douglas man for exhibition at the St. Louis exposition and never returned.
 The remains of John Frazier, wht was murdered in his cabin at Juneau were laid to rest at the expense ot tht , city, on Thursday last. One form 0 self government which is not deniet , the people of Alaska is the care of tht poor untortunates who fall in the battle of life. There is DO prov sior in this 'petieot system of govern , ment" of ours for the care ol the des titute and nothing makes fedora official shy like the sight of corpse Almost every issue of the Juneal , Record contains a wonderful story 0 how Gov. Hogagtt is knocking tht props out from under the postoffict politicians down to Washington, D C. He is certainly a wonder in that and in-as-much as the postolfices ar, the only offices that Alaskans get i surely needslooling after pretty care ful. Meanwhile General Distin i, carefully attending to all the gov ernor business out here in Alaska We readily agree with the Recort when it contends that Hoggatt lis no entirely fgurehead at the nationa capital,n n but when he is at Washing
 ton he is rot really governor.
 On the last Georgia, Bart Than came down from Eagle river with : brick of gold valued at SS, TOO. CO., which represented fifteen days clean up for ten-stamp mill. This may not be considered large, but with twenty stamps in operation and work. ing ln the new ground which has re- gently been opened up, it indicates ar annual production for that property o1 d halfmiliion year.
 Rev O'Mera, of Conrad, he who was never further down the Yukon than Hootalinqua, but who on re- ceut trip through the East presumed to lecture on Dawson and who also ap- M in ster or lhe Interior Frank Oliver 1t Ottawa and testified of immortality iu the Ynken. will leave on February 4th for Dawson where box of sar- dimes should be opened in honor of his arrival. Dawson has at last awak- ened to the damage being done the country by the 'mouthers" who go outside and slander, defame and villi- fy those who make their homes and have all their investments in Yukon