The Alaska daily empire., 1915-04-09
ngnocRArs -AND REACTION

Deleeate wickersham attacked the Democrats oi Alaska in his speech "Wednesday night classifying 'ae" as reactonaries e said that he had been he consis'' ent friend of seifeogernment for Alaska. himself for. while others including leading Democrats Che editor of The Empire and others done anything but to sals for i, he had actually got t
 Dalerste wickersham's record would indicate that if 1t had not been for Che work of those who are no" urznc that Alaska take the second and the next ios'- cal step in the development Of segovernmen' n this Territory and those who have gone to solve the great mystery Of the life but who iaoored "''n them n their day he never would have done anything for seifgoyerument tor Alaska
 Dslecate Wckersbam opposed selfgoyernment in Alaska until less than year before ,he announcement of his candidacy for Congress He opposed until as ter those whom be accuses of only talking Tor t had secured endorsements for by various political parties nonoartlsan conventions chambers of commerce. com e-ai congresses and commercial organizations or aii sorts in Alaska and of it. had raised funds and sent special advocates for n Washington and m short had developed such sentiment in ts support that % oppose 1t meant political death
 And. even alter announcing his change oi heart on ,he question less than year before the announcement, of his Coneressonai candidacy stated he wrote ;he Gale eii which provided for legislative commission similar to that provided tor in the Beveridge bill
 And. stn further after he had been twice elected Deate 60 Congress as an advocate of selfgovernmsn he introduced bui that made mockery of the prin' cple It was only when Democrats of Alaska and Seat- te had made the amendment of his bhi the price ot their support of ir before Democratic Congress that he consented Go the elimination of the provision that would have made it necessary secure the affirmative action O. Congress before legislation by the Alaska Leg islature would become effective
 These Democrats. whom Delegate WicSersoam char acterzes as reacuouary have never ceased to labor for seifgovernmen for this Territory They with pro eressive Republicans who worked with them Delegate wickersham was not one ,henl had Gov Brady to fight on the question for years and finally compelled ID resort 60 the introduction of campaign for State hood hoping. evidently that by that means he would divert the public mind from the question of Territorial government They opposed Gov Hoggatt on the same proposition from the beginning when Judge Wick ershan was supporting Gov Hoggatt in his opposition to seitgoyernment And he. too attempted to start boom for statehood the purpose of getting the peo ue to chasing phantoms instead of working along prac Heal lines in government building Then they assisted as best they coud-none of them were receiving salary of s75oO year to be at washington-in the oppo- ston to the Beverdge bnl Later they abored with pelecate wckersham to secure the elimination of ea lures in his organic act stated. This done they used in every manner at their command their influence with Congress to secure the passage of the oh No" they are simply asking that the next logical step be ,akea-one that win give Alaska a full Territorial form of government