The Washington herald., 1913-08-10
DELEGATE Plan
finds INDORSER
James Wickersham of Alaska
Favors Districts Having
Seat IN House.
MANY OBJECTS GAINED
Vast Improvement in Teritosy's Al.
fairs Since Representation Was
Secured in Washingtoa.

Not only is the bill providing for rep
! resentation of the District by delegate
| receiving the universal Endorsement Of
| citizens of Washington. but an aston
ishingly broad sentiment in favor of the
measure has become manifest through
out the membership of Congress.
Many Senators and Representatives
openly have expressed their approval OF
the bill and have promised to lend their
strong support in the campaign for the
enactment of the measure.
James Wickersham, Delegate from
Alaska. yesterday declared that he was
thoroughly in sympathy with the move
ment.
Alaska Delegate Talks.
ct Is amazing that the District Of CO.
lumbia, with nearly 10000 highly edu-
Gated inhabitants" he said, has been
refused representation in Congress when
there are at least six States in the Union
with less population. less wealth and
that pay less taxes. and have no more
reason for representation than this Dis
trict OF Columbia. But each enjoys full
representation in the House of Repre-
sentatives as well as in the Senate.
Alaska was purchased by the United
States in 1861, but the first delegate was
not elected until 1906 Prior to 1896 the
territory had received no beneficial leg
.sldllDH III dlu OE tHc ueNclOpINenI her
resources or of government by the people
there. Since that date there has been
greater material development in Alaska
than in all the preceding forty years.
while the people have obtained the pas
sage of bill for the creation OF an
elective territorial Legislature which met
for the first time last March.
For forty-five years the people of
Alaska were without any lawmakinG
body and were entirely disorganized.
Such a condition created there a great
fish trust. a transportation trust. and
gave the American Smelling and Refining
Company, the Guggenheims. complete
control of copper and mineral resources.
IL Alaska had been given a delegate
and an elective territorial Legislature in
1884 when the courts were first estab-
llshed there. there never would have been
any Alaskan difficulty. for the people
would have frustrated all attempts to
monopOlize their country and would have
afforded immediate and proper solution
of all Alaskan questions which now con-
Germ the Union.
Present Plan Illogical.
mo American community ought to be
compelled TO exist for so many years
without representation in Congress. IL
Is illogical in the first place. and an in-
sctOHu 10 say HOtE-
ing of the inconvenience to the people
who are thus communicated from the
enjoyment of their American birthriSht--
participation in their own governmental
affairs.
Il feel most emphatically that the JiII
designed to grant this long-delayed rep
resentation of the District of Columbia
in the National Legislature should be
passed by Congress without delay"
a. ~1at
trict Delegate Association. was delighted
TO receive Mr.. WickershaII's Endorsement
- tSe bill.
Vote Has Its Objections.
Some of our good citizens" he said,
hesitate to indorse the proposal for 4
District delegate for the reason that the
representative would not have the PRIV
ilege of voting. II will be recalled tn
Mr.. Wickersham has declared his ccn-
viction that the absence of the votinl;
power actually has been a sourc. ot
usefulness rather than a handicap to him.
He says that often il relieves him ct
the necessity of offending some one by
voting against this or that little pet
measure. and of becoming at times a lar
tisaa and thus mourning the enmity Of
various men.bers who might retaliate ny
voting against legislation being sdyo-
Gated in the interests Of Alaska"
So far there he's been no open cpro-
5 ition TO the bill Some persons. how
ever, have declared that they are in f.
vor OF going further. and urging repre-
sentation of the District by persons with
1ull voting power. Members of the Dis
trict Delegate Association are anxious
that persons opposed to tre measure ez-
press their objections at once. SO that
the situation may be clarified by the
time Congress is ready to take final aC-
ton iii the matter.
There are 5,iS7 steam laundries in