The Alaska daily empire., 1914-10-31
MIXES PERSONALITIES
 AND POLITICS


 That Delegate James wickersham has invariably personal interest and politics and turned on those who have opposed him in any manner and for the reason that they did oppose him has been proved over and over again. Even his war on the Guggenheim peo- pie began with their refusal to em- ploy him as an attorney Rt his terms and their support of an opponent in his first race for Delegate to Congress. WIekersham Was Intimate with eus-
 oenhelms.
 On April 8, 1908, only few weeks before announcing hls candidacy for Delegate to Congress, Judge Wicker sham was on terms of intimacy with the Guggenheim officials in Alaska and elsewhere. On that date he wrote a letter to Stephen Birch, head of the Alaska Syndicate, the Guggenheim Al aska company at Seattle, In response to one received from Mir. Birch sug- gesting that he, Wickersham, should become an attorney for the syndi- cate. He offered to become their head attornty at salary of $15,0O0 a yeer. There was nothing dlscredit- able about that, but the letter indi- catod friendliness.
 Letter Was Friendly.
 In that letter. Judge Wickersham said:
 q regret that I cannot meet you in Seattle the latter part of this month, because one can make one's ideas plainer in conversation than by writ ing, but since the opening of the April term of courts prevents 1t, l shall briefly state the matter by letter. q have entered upon the practice of law here. and represent some of the most important interests in the Territory, and the outlook for returns is satisfactory, still I long for the fieshpots of tho outside" and would accept an offer from your allied Alas ka interests to act in any subordinate capacity. will accept three years contract at S15,000 per annum with offices in Seattle and Cfiice force and maintenance. Upon that sort of an arrangement I would devote my time exclusively to their interests, and give them the best service possible. My opportunities here, however, are so good that I could not afford to give them up for less than three-years' contract with you. Please advise me by wire if anything is done in con nection with this offer and 1t may be thus arranged.
 "Remember me to Captain Jarvis"
 Notified Jarvis and Sought Birch.
 The position of chief attorney, be- ing one that already was filled, Judge Wickersham did not get the position that he said he would take. A few weeks later he decided to run for Del egate to Congress. and forthwith he telegraphed to Capt. D. H. Jarvis, high official of the Guggenhoim companies at Seattle saying:
 q have decided to run for Dele gate to Congress. Where is Birch?
 At this time Capt. Jarvis, to whom the Delegate had sent his personal re- gards shortly before, and stephen Birch were the head officials of the Guggcnheim Alaska companies, and whatever else the telegram might mean. at least it did not indicate that his candidacy was inimical to their desires.
 Jarvis Supports corson.
 However, soon after the inaugura' tion of the campaign for Delegate to Congress in 1908, it became known that Capt Jarvis was supporting John w. Corson, the regular Republi can nominee for Delegate. It was then that Delegate Wickersham for the first time attacked the Guggen helms for their participation in Alas ka politics. and business methods, and as a dangerous monopoly.
 Fight Was Good One.
 That this fight was one that should have been made, and was one that re suited good to Alaskans, may very well be admitted, but the point is tha it, in all probability, would not have been made he'd Capt. Jarvis and Ste phen Birch responded to the appar ent approach that was made by Judge wickersham, and rendered the same Lind of support to him that they trieC