The daily Alaskan., 1910-01-28
AN INSULT TO ALASKA.

government of Alaska might be eN- cellently adapted to the needs of Guam, or the PribilOf Islands, but to seriously propose 1t for one Of the most important territories in the wOrld-a region populated by genuine Americans with standard of intel, lectuaHty and patriotism equal, if not superior to any which can be found within the United states-is nothing short of an insult.
 The commission form of govern ment" which the Beveridge bill pro- poses says in effect to the men of Alaska: You are not fit to govern yourselves, so We will govern you from the Halls of Congress, and the White House. You arc little child. reu and We will appoint a guardian over you You have a nice place to live in and they tell us that some of you have lived there for long time, but of course you don't know what is good tor yourself and you cannot have your country unless you do just as We say"
 That is the kind of scheme hand ed out to as representative a body of American citizens as can be found any place in the world, Perhaps it was too much to expect that the present Congress would awake to the facts and real needs in the case In time to grant Alaska a territorial form of government. The commits sion plan proposed by President Taft was bad enough, but in comparison with the outrageous proposal made by Senator Beveridge it was Utopian.
 The Taft plan at least allowed the people of Alaska to elect the members of the commission and to make some pretense at home-rule legislation. In the Beyeridge plan even that is de. nied the Aaskans. The best they get under it is stipulation that four of eight members of the Commission shall be residents of Alaska-but they are to be appointed by the Pres ldent as well as the four carpet baggers." The real pOwer-the major iy of the Commission-is to come hom outside the territory.
 With all due respect to the integ. rity and good intentions of the Pres ident 1t is ridiculous to suppose that politics will not play the largest part in the selections of these men-the governor and four commissioners. The other four to be selected from each of the four judicial districts of Alaska are also to be appointed. and that means more national politics be- cause these appointments will undoubt edly be dictated by political influences in regions far remote from Alaska.
 The men who will be appointed must be bona.fide Alaskans but the which procures their appoint Is almost certain to emanate from Ohio. New Jersey or some other state which does not care two pins about Alaska.
 These eight men and the governor, who are to play at governing Alaska for itself. are to be mere puppets manlhns acting as the strings are pulled from Washington. This bill win hand Alaska a gold brlck-and it happens that Alaska knows bit about such things for itself.
 It would be perfectly proper for the. President to retain the power to veto legislation which he believes to be against the general public policy. That is the case with the territories. But he might at last allow the people of Alaska to say for themselves what they want the law of their land to be
 That privilege can only be obtain ed through the election of the law makers by the people of Alaska with out any outside interference. Certain ly as good a resul: could be obtained by electing the commissioners as by having them appointed by the Presi- dent.
 The fact that they are to be ap- pointed instead of elected gives grounds for the suspicion that some one Is trying to frame up few nice positions for needy political creditors. Seattle Times