The Alaska citizen., 1911-11-06
AN OPEN LETTER TO
THE DELEGATE
Cinema, Alaska.
November I. 1911.

Cinema. Alaska.
November 1. 1911.
Hon. James Wickersham-
Dear Sir-ln your speech on Alas
ka day. Oct. 18th, you made the
bread invitation for anyone to de-
bae with you on your territorial
bill. whether on the platform or
through the press. Al the same time
as on former occasions you maintain
ed that your Territorial Bill is as
liberal. grants as much legislative
power to the legislature created as
any other territorial bill ever granted
by congress in the past.
Other men, we'll versed in law.
are equally positive that the legis
lature created in your bill will have
little if any Legislative authority.
My purpose in writing you this
open letter is to ask you questions
questions that are not clear to the
people. concerning your bill. But
before proceeding with the questions,
and in order to determine what is
mutual ground; and also the politi.
cal status OF Alaska at the present
time and what it will be if your bill
is passed in its present form.
Fist. What is the political status
OF a state in respect to the federal
government; also Of an organized
territory. and of district? You will
agree that state is sovereignty.
minus the powers that it has dele
gated to the federal government.
Theol etiCally the federal government
only possesses delegative powers.
A state sovereign power. In ether
words a state has reserved TO it
self complete home rule.
Second An organized territory is
one of dependence upon the fedet al
government. Its legislator has no
plenary power. Its acts are always
subject to notifications or absolute
veto by congress. And whatever
power terrier legislature has is
granted by congre ss-ln short it
has home rule during good behav-
ior. Nevertheless it has home rule.
pass its own laws subject to the
ahoye-named restrictions.
Thrd-District A district has no
home rule at all 1t is governed di-
rectly by and through the federal
government.
theory might be. practically. Alaska
fall as 10 its political status in re-
spect to federal government |
think in the third Whatever the
theory might be, practically, 9laska
is a district and ruled by the federal
governme ut as such; it has no
home rule The people have no
rights to pass upon any laws, and
their voice is only heard by the con-
stitutional right of petition. 1t is
true that we have a government
for Alaska; so has the District OF
Columbia. and whatever difference
there is in the two districts in their
form of government is due more
from the fact that Alaska is further
away from the seat of the federal
government. The civil liberty and
personal freedom that we. as a
people enjoy in Alaska. is our com
mon inheritance granted to us by
the constitution of the United States.
Out of that right congress is en-
abled to make rules and regulations
for us and extend laws to us. Con
gress has provided governor for
us. whose duty it is to see that the
laws are faithfully executed, and
judges and marshals to see that our
lives and property are protected;
but We have had no voice either in
making our laws or in selecting the
men who shall execute them, ex-
cept by the aforementioned cOnsti-
or Of natitinn And when
congress allowed us to select a del
egate from Alaska to represent us In
congress it only enlarged our right
of petition.
You are our petition-beaIe TO
congress. and the bill you introduce
ed in congress granting a legislature
to Alaska is practically our petition
to congress for home rule: hence we
have right to know whether it
gives us as liberal home rule as
congress granted to Oklahoma, Ha-
wall and other territories. You main
tain that it will; others deny-there
is the issue.
Now | come to the questions. Bear
ing in mind that we have inherited
rights as citizens of the United
States which even the federal gov
ernment cannot take away without
the consent of twO-thirds OF the SOW
ereign states. namely. our constitu-
tional rights; and neither state nor
territory can abridge that light. We
come to Section No. 4 in your bill.
and ask this question What laws
does that section extend 10 the pro
posed territory of Alaska?
The salient points in that section
are these: 1t extends the constitu-
ton of the United States and all
the laws thereof establishing the
executive and judicial depart
ments. also extending the laws OF
United States establishing civu
government in Alaska. and extending
the laws of the United States there
to-" In your Alaska Day speech you
maintained that if Section No.
be changed so as to read: Until
altered, amended or repealed by the
legislature of Alaska the Alaska leg
islature would possess unlimited
power. In fact it would be an un-
constitutional act for congress to
grant that power to the legislature