Valdez daily prospector., 1913-02-27
FEBRI AIRY 2'. To.
FILLING FEDERAL OFFICES IN
 ALASKA.


 in Alaska under the Democrat Ir administration. it may be we'll l"r inc Democrats of the territory tu bear in mind that there Is real danger that a not mronsld- crable number may go to rank oui sidcrS. While it is true Una, inc Democratic national plat forms of the past eight years, have not only favored nom" rul' for Alaska and have also con- tajned declarations that the fed cral offices in Alaska should be filled by bona fidc residents, It need not Joe taken for granted that the latter dictum will De strictly adhered to. This Will DC true especially if unsermly wrangling shall rnsuc between candidates for the various ntll- ces: for if there be not some de- gree of harmony it might well pc that the president would ignore inc Alaskan and send a man With a carpet-bag. This statement IS not idly made. Already there are known to be a score or more of men in, the states widely separat- ed, who are aspirants for ap- pOintmentS in the different Ju- dicial divisions, and they will be backed by strong home nfluen- ces, by senators and representa- lives in congress who have votes and who, naturally, are desIrous of helping their constituents to office in return for services ren- dered Alaska is looked upon with favor by the outside seeker after office. It is io him an all turing field. because he thinks he may find there wider nppnrtuni- ties for personal advancement and sucrrSS than he can find at home.
 While The Empire hopes that every declaration of the Demo cratic national plat form will be carried out. as far as possible, in the utmost good faith, there is always a chance that an un- influential. and hitherto much neglected mere territory will not receive evrn-handrd justice, not only in the matter of filling off ces, but in Ithrrs much more important.
 This is not matter of lnul- viduals. The individual is nOth- ing; the welfare of the people of Alaska the maintenance of wise and progressive government, and the legitimate development of the resources of the territory are ey- erything.
 As far as the appointments to office are concerned, The En- pire has no axe to grind, and no favors to seek. It is not doing so, and il will not. It's posi- tion on all matters of vital in- terest to the territory is known in all the four divisions. Home rule for the people, better laws, freer opportunity, the development of the country, have been advocated consistently for many years. Alaska for AIaskans has been it's shibboleth It is now, and it will be. In the days when carpet bag government was the rule; when office after office was filled by Republican. presidents with out siders, this writer took the same position that is taken today Then it was said that there were "plenty of gnnd Republicans in Alaska to fill every office within the gift of the administration, and to fill them with credit and riricicncy.'
 The Empire takes the same stand with reference to the Dem ocrats of Alaska. There arc enough Democrats in Alaska t' fill all the federal offices without importing a single Democrat car pet-baggrr. And il wishes {, cmphasiz" the statement in tho strongest possible manner. S' that il may be understood of al mpn--csprciaIy AlaSkans-h" theiI political affiliations what [ he! may, that this is nnI with Th' Empire, a matter of indiviuua