Valdez daily prospector., 1916-10-20
DENIES CLAIMS
 OF DELEGATE
TRUTH REGARDING RAILROAD
Democratic National Committee COm- mitteeman Declares Statements of Mir. Wickersham Were Untruthful and Inconsistent.

r6ptt 10 lew or tn6 untTutnIul ana inconsistent statements made by Judge Wickersham in his speech al Valdez on the evening of the 14th day of October, 1916.
 Judge Wickersham claimed in Se- attle. Ketchikan, Juneau and other places that he had secured the legis- latipn which resulted in the Govern ment constructed railroad in Alaska Knowing this to be an untruthful statement deemed 1t to be my duty to ascertain the facts regarding the National legislation which authorized the construction of g Government owned railroad in Alaska. there fore on August 18th, 1916. hired Sec retsry Lane to send me a history of the Alaska Railroad legislation in Congress On August 18th, 1916, in response to this wire I received the following:
 Washington, Aug. 19, 1916. J. Donohoe,
 "Valdez, Alaska.
 Representatives Flood and Will liam Sulzer introduced bills to ere ate Alaska Railway Commission and Senator Simmons a resolution to as- certain cost of transporting equip ment from Panama in Sixty-Second Congress. House Bill ten four eigh- teen as originally introduced by MT Wickersham providing for legislative assembly did not contain provision for first Alaska Railroad Commission Provision was inserted by Senatorial Committee. Senate Bill forIy-eigh- was introduced by Senator Chamber lain first session sixty-third Congress April seventh, nineteen hundred thir- teen who made speech occupying Al pages Congressional Record. Wick ersham introduced bill in Hous5. Sen ate Bilf Chamberlain bilD was sub stituted for House Bill (Wickersham bill) and passed House as amended February eighteenth, nineteen hun dred fourteen. approved by President Wilson March twelfth, nineteen hun dred fourteen. Railway project and bill had active and continued support of President Wilson and Secretary Lane.
 (Signed) JONES.
 Acting Secretary"
 Wickersham claims that this reply was compiled by some department clerk and not authorized. by Secretary Lane. You will note that my tele- gram was directed to Secretary Lane. At tho time this telegram reached Washington Secretary Lane was un- doubtedly engaged on the Mexican Peace Commission of which he is a member and MT. Jones for the time being was Acting Secretary of the In terior.
 After MT. Wickersham made his speech at Juneau in which he also claims that he had secured the rail- road legislation and that Senator Chamberlain had introduced the bill in the Senate, that Wickersham pre- sented to him, John w. Troy of Ju- neau, wired Senator Chamberlain relative to the matter and received the following reply:
 Portland, Ore. Sept. 29. 1918. John w. Troy,
 Juneau, Alaska.
 Alaska Railroad. Bill my bill Passed Senate first. It is the law un- der which the railroad in Alaska is being constructed. It was NOT intro duced by me at the request of Wick ersham, nor written by him. and but for the active support. of. President Wilson and the Administration it would not have passed at all.
 GEO. E. CHAMBERLAIN"
 Judge .Wickersham devoted a con siderable portion of his speech to ar attack upon myself. and am free tt confess that I am at loss to know why this was done, not that 1t makes the slightest difference. but I certain ly am not an issue in this campaign q am not a candidate for any of flee. either elective or appoiative. But he seeks through me to tie the Demo cratic. party to the Guggenheims. the Fish Corporations the Transports tion Companies and to Shacklefore whom, I believe is generally recog nizsd as being the leader of the Re publican party of Alaska. There fl no alliance, secret or otherwise. be tween the Democratic party and thu Shackleford wing of the Republican party of Alaska. There Is no alliance either secret or otherwise. between the Democratic party and the Guggen helms. the Fish Corporations or thu Transportation companies. and neith CT of these companies have contribut ed one cent teEArds defraying the .ex psnsss Of the Democratic party cam Daign for this year:
 1Continusd on page four]