The daily Alaskan., 1915-04-07
THE ELECTION

The vote at the Skagway munici- p-l election yesterday completely ,ind.cat-d the stand taken by the Daily Alaskan that the present ruaucl, having done more for the improvement of conditions within tue corporal limits than have those ot auy other beard during any pre- ,ious administration for several years, should be returned. anu showed further that a majority oI ta, people are appreciatiYe ot that tAcl and have in no uncertain man Ter manifested their approval by lAeir votes.
 Of the candidates on the Tax ,.y..s" and Independent" tickets wv have nothing derogatory to say they are all good citizens, fought 3rayeIy for what they considered lae light and went down to ne- .~at with their colors nailed to ,., masthead. That they failed ., reach the end ot which they a.mrd is not 10 b. taken as . col formation by the people of eitne' their aspirations or their ability to l.I tho positions which tAet sought: rather, ip the case of tine women candidates, who yesterday .or the first time threw their bon nets" into ,hs ring, their defeat should serve as aE incentive ;ur future action and an
 lumiuating lesson on the need If d mere thorough organization.
 Now that the people of Sk"s- ruy have by their votes set tho seal of approval upon the work done ny the present council during the ,ast year and unanimously con riuurd them in office for another term, il IS up 10 its members to go ahead along the lines they have mapped out.
 They have already under consider ton the expenditure Of all the money that it will probably be sood policy to withdraw from the town ;~easury at the present time, but ,uere is crying need for quick .rtivn along another line-one n nich will be without expense to the town-if we desire to put our selves in an attractive light before he crowds of visitors to which every indicatiou nov points will arrive during the coming summer, md thereafter be Of increasing or decreasing ratio, according to the inducements offered them to stop md larry with Us for a time.
 The town is full Of unsightIy md dilapidated buildings-unpaint- I'd, toppling excrescences upon the laudscape-that would disgrace a native Alaskan village, and which, in the business part, are con staut menace through danger from lire to valuable properties, along side which, they in many instances stand. These buildings can and should be condemned by the town council and ordered torn down and the debris removed. It may be task that will cause some friction, but the end aimed at will be a jus ti;ication ot the measure, and it is probable the ones who Will be the most strenuously opposed to it now will, when 1t is accomplished, and ,he benefits brought home fOrcibly in the way of enhanced valuation in all kinds Of property, will fall i. ,ine and voice their approval.
 In the whole of Alaska there IS lot another town that has the na- ,ural advantage Of those enjoyed by Skagway. Located as it is in ,n extremely fertile valley, at the Led Of an inland waterway capable UT accommodating the commerce of the world, surrounded by the grand est scenery of mountain, glacier au" snow-covered peaks, with in- lumerable streams and lakes close a- hand where the fisherman is ylmost sure Of ample returns for ais labor, and where in summer, u3on the placid waters- of the bay, except in rare cases of storm, de- i-htful excursions may be arranged for, and carried out to near by points of beauty and interest, we have the nucleus thas only requires time and a sufficient amount of