The daily Alaskan., 1909-10-04
TAFT ON HOME RULE

came out flatly in his Seattle speech last Thursday and in answer to the cabled petition from the Alaskan newspapers and mayors stated he was opposed to granting Alaska any form of territorial government
 President Taft gave the usual threadbare reasons for opposing hOm rule. He said the population of Alaska is too much scattered and that min ing camps with migratory pOpula- ton would control elections. He con tinued that he believed Alaska should be governed by special bureau at Washington and would recommend leg islation to this eRd.
 We are glad that President Taft has made himself perfectly plain upon this issue. His stand naturally enough Is disappointment; but it is no sur prise. President Taft has only been In office about six months, but during this time he has proved to those most 10th to believe that he Is playing pol tiles first, last and all the time. Man people thought Taft was going 50 be a second Roosevelt without the brass band trimmings; instead, he is prov ing to be a re-actionLst of the first water and if he continues his course he will bid fair to be the most un. popular executive this country has ever had.
 After Taft had deliberately aided and abetted Aldrich and Cannon and the other leaders of congress in the passage of the tariff bill, which was TO more or less than a betrayal of the voters who put the republican party in power; after he had hindere Pinchot; had offered federal appoint. ments to such notorious men as Sen ator Fulton of Oregon; after he tried to bolster the cause of standpatism by reading L.aFollette and other fn- surgent senators out of the party; in view of these things 1t is no sur prise to know that Taft doesn't favor home rule.
 It is easy to show the fallaciOus- ness of Tafts argument. Alaska has white permanent population of about 45.OOO people. In rough figures more than 25.OOO of these people are resld- ents of permanent towns like Nome, Fairbanks, Juneau, wrangel, skagway and etc. With the voting restrictions properly drawn it Is difficult to see exactly how the migratory population would control the elections.
 The people of Alaska are not gam blers and salOOnists," as the late Will ford B. HOggatt was wont to whisper In the halls of congress. They are not vicious nor chronic law breakers. In fact the people are a better class throughout than any similar number of people that could be found in the same numbers in the states.
 The pioneers of Alaska, the men Nho have broken it's trails and found its hidden wealth, those who have come to the uOrthland to make homes and live, the business men and peO- pie os all classes believe they are entitled to some small voice in their own government. They believe that when home rule is granted to Phil IpplnOs and Porto Ricans that native Americans should have the same con alderatiOn. Government by congress has not been without its bad features. A territorial legislature such as has been proposed would certainly be a good thing for Alaska and no reason able objections can be raised against it.
 Taft has declared against home rule We expected that. But we want none of his bureaus. A bureaucracy would afford the administration an addition al opportunity to strengthen the ma chine" But It win hardly find much favor among Aiaskans,-barring the htue group who stand at the foot