Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-07-29

/ full of lesson that ought to be taken
to the heart OF every patriotic citizen
| that I can not pass 1t over In silence.
when I made this order was
aware that the condition OF public
opinion in reference to investments In
Alaska, famed by charges of fraud
some we'll founded and others OF an
hysterical and unjust or false CHAR
acter-would lead to an attack upon
it and to the questioning OF my mo-
tives in signing It. ] remarked this
when made the order, and | was not
mistaken. But public officer, when
he conceives it his duty to take af-
firmative action in the public interest,
has no more right to allow fear of
unjust criticism and attack to hinder
him from taking that action than he
would to allow personal and dishonest
motives to affect him. 1t is easy in
cases like this to take the course which
timidity prompts, and to do nothing,
but such a course does not insure to
the public veal.
In Sympathy With Idea.
II am in full sympathy with the con-
Germ of reasonable and patriotic men
that the valuable resources of Alaska
should not be turned over to be ex-
plotted for the profit of greedy, abb
sorbing, monopolistic corporations or
syndicates Whatever the attempts
which have been made, no one, as a
matter of fact, has secured In Alaska
any undue privilege or franchise not
under the control of con-
gress, and in all the scandal with
which the public has been RECALLED
very few specific instances of corrupt
or improper attempts to acquire yes
ted interests in Alaska have been
shown by evidence that would stand
the test of judicial examination. Not
this, however, l am in
full agreement with the view that
every care, both in administration
and in legislation, must be observed
to prevent the corrupt or unfair ac-
QUESTION Of undue privilege, franchise,
or right from the government in that
district. But every one must know
that the resources Of Alaska can
never become available either to the
people of Alaska or to the public of
the United States unless reasonable
is granted to those who
would invest their money to secure
return proportionate to the risk run
In the investment and reasonable un-
der all the circumstances.
"On the other hand, the acrimony
Of spirit and the intense malice that
have been engendered in respect OF
the administration of the government
in Alaska and in consideration of mea-
sures proposed for her relief and the
wanton recklessness and eagerness
with which attempts have made to
1esmirch the characters of high Of
lcials having to do with the Alaskan
government. and even of persons not
n public life, present a condition that
,alls for condemnation and requires
hat the public be warned of the de-
that has been produced
oy the hysterical suspicious of good
people and the interruptions and, cor
-upt Misrepresentation of the wicked.
The helpless state to which the credul-
ty Of some and the malevolent scan
of others have brought
he people of Alaska in their struggle
or its development ought to give the
public pause, for until juster and
airer view be taken investment in
Alaska, which is necessary to it's de-
will be impossible, and
lonest administrators and legislators
will be deferred from the advocacy
md putting into operation of those
policies in regard to the territory
which are necessary to its progress
md prosperity"