The Alaska citizen., 1915-06-28

The charges that have been made by the News-Miner that the federal officials in Fairbanks have formed themselves into ring for the pur pose of mutual protection, has not been denied. It is expected that the Fairbanks Times will take ex ception to this statement and to the charges that The Citizen is mak ing, for the News-Miner's assertion that the Times is the organ for the ring has been quite conclusive ly proved in various ways.
 The advantages of a ring for ap pointive officers are quite apparent For instance, should charges be made at Washington against the conduct of Marshal Erwin, the other mem bers of the ring, all holding positions can easily save him his position by wiring to the department of justice that the charges are unfounded. In the same way the judge and the district attorney can offset any popu lar opposition simply by giving each other official support.
 District Attorney Roth seems to be just as much party to this ring as anyone. for it is evident that it is through his efforts that the Fairbanks Times is included in it. NIT. Roth has admitted that he has financial interest in the Times and various other things indicate that many of the political editorials appearing in that organ have been inspired by him.
 Anybody who doubts that poli- tical ring has been formed in the federal building in Fairbanks will find if he asks the members of the local Democratic party that as rule they are confident that a ring exists.
 That party patronage has it's evils Is generally conceded, but it is the thing from which the Republicans gain their strength, and the only way that the Democrats can main tain a chance with them is to make use of it in the same way. 1nas- much as it was this policy that won appointments for the various leading federal officials in Alaska, it is only just that it be observed when minor appointments are made.
 AS soon as the rank and file of the Democratic party in Alaska real ize that the party here is existing only for the promotion of the sell fish interests of few cheap poli- ticians, they will desert it. Cover nor Strong could do much to i'm prove conditions, were it not for 1 the fact that he has been guilty of the same contempt for party lines 1 that have marked the work of local Democratic appointees.
 When Governor Strong took of 1 flee. he retained as his secretary the man who had served in the same capacity under the Republican administration of Governor Clark. Later he appointed as territorial treasurer a man who was known not to be Democrat.
 ] President Wilson, and the other leaders of the national Democratic party are not in position to know what is going on in a political way, away out here in Alaska, and. there fore, they are nowise to blame for this disgraceful machine politics 1 that is promising to disrupt Dem- ocracy in the Territory.
 1 One of the lamentable features of this contemptible betrayal of trust that President Wilson has placed in these men by appointing them, Is the fact that it reacts in a harmful way against MT. Wilson and other party leaders who favored them. Figuratively it is slap in the face of MT. Wilson, who is l known to be a man of high ethical standards, and who would never tar nish his good name and enviable reputation by becoming party to machine politics.
 The few questionable politicians who are selling their political honor to gain influence that they hope will 1 retain them in office at good salaries are not important factors in a national way, but they are causing ! the real Democrats of Alaska to leave the party and strengthen t.e lines of the opposition.
 If these same cheap political of 1 ficeholders were candidates for cleo tive offices, it is a safe bet that most any kind of men would win out against them. But, unfortunate ly, Alaska is in the hands of appoin- ] tive officers, and when these, by means of mutual cooperation. can promote their own welfare at the expense of the party that has given them their bread and butter, there is little that the public can do to protect itself.
 One satisfactory thing about the whole affair, however, is the fact that dishonesty and trickery never wins permanent success. There is always day of reckoning, and when these same political dictators are forced to plead, as will be the casa in fima for nuhlic slnnnrf they