The Ketchikan miner., 1908-06-13
WHOLLY ANOMALOUS.

The political situation In Alaska Is anomalous in so far as it relates to the coming election for delegate to congress, made so wholly or in large part by the action of the Republican territorial convention held in this town last month. If we concede that part of the double harreled concern which those constituting it succeeded in organizing and retaining possession of the hall, by whatever means it is not the province of The Miner to in- quire, to have been the regular convention, then it must be held re- sponsible tor creating the anomalous situation which now exists. The mem- hers of that particular branch of the convention, at least nearly. if not quite, all the active participants therein were ayowed opponents to a territorial form of government for Alaska. and elected on that issue made personal to Governor Hoggatt be cause of his we'll known and openly avuwed opposition to any form of pop ular home government for the terri tory which has been thus far propos- ed. The Miner has thought. that the issue was very improperly thus made or suggested, without the knowledge of the Governor himself, and was wholly unwarranted use oi his name. whoever may have been re- sponsible for dragging it into an issue with which he may be supposed tc have no more concern than any other individual resident. However. the anomaly was created by the subsequent action of the so-called ''regular' con- yention in adopting a platform favor ing a territorial form of government and placing thereon as it; candidate an openly avowet and eloquent advocate of home rule
 and coupling with it an endorsement of Governor Hoggatt, an equally oper and avowed enemy thereof. How they ! u lCNOLiNiIS ltlIS N liOliN SOlj- tradictory action of theirs to the sat | isfaction ot both the friends and op 1 ponents of home rule for Alaska. ol where they can expect to get of a the coming election can only be imag
 ined, though it is just possible tha | they think them selves shrewd enough
 10 have set trap that will catch the electors, coming ard going. The other branch of the disru pted conclave fol
 lowed suit by the adoption of a plat | form of the same tenor, and the nomi. nation of an equally open and avoweC advocate of home rule, but did not gc so far as to stutify itself by an en- dorsement of the leading opponent o that proposed measure and from whom the opposition gathers all it's strength. [ A week or so later, the Democratic convention, held in Juneau, which. except as to few minor matters, was wholly harmonious, adopted a clear cut but conservative demand for a ter. ritorial form of government, and named candidate who accepted the nomination on that platform. So now we have two candidates named by the ! Republican conventions here as sembed in Ketrchikan, ore of whom is currently reported to have indepen. | dent endorsement at the hands ol | those who stand aloof from party
 the Democratic candidate nominated at Juneau. with the probability of stil
 another making an Independent bic ! for the suffrage of these electors who may be dspleased with the outcome of the party convent ions. What thi: self-named candidate may stand for i: not now known, but. judging from.hi. inviroument, it is perfectly safe to as
 sume that he will not have the hardi
 hood to place himself in opposition tc the pc ople of the territory in theil earnest desire for popular home gov ernment.
 So it would seem that all cadidates
 with the possible exception of one yet to materialixe, will stand on practical
 ly the same platform, and that the is- sue to be determined by the electors will be one of personnel +. The Miner being an earnest advocate o1 territorial form of government fot Alaska. it is not prepared to ever hint that the situation, though wholly anomalous, is in the least displeasing.