Iditarod pioneer., 1916-05-27
A DANGER TO BE GUARDED AGAINST

One reason why citizens of Alaska who have the welfare of the territory and its people at heart w not enhuse over the question of statehood for Alaska under present conditions Is furnished by the political activities of the great mining corporations of Southeastern Alaska Large corporations the country over realize far better than do individual citizens the advantages to be gained by taking an active part in politics, and for this reason their legal advisers generally are chosen from among the clev- crest of politicians Wherever possible they see to it that men favorable to the interests they represent are elected to public oce with especial reference to legislative positions But their activities are not con fined to local matters, and the number of men who owe their seats Tn congress to corporate influence must be very large It IS needless to say that these activities are not dictated by spirit ot altrulsm
 In Alaska the corporations are no exception to the rue and in the two sessions ot the territorial iegls~ lature already held we have had ample evidence ot the influence they wield whenever legislation affect ing their interests either directly indirectly, IS being considered It IS but necessary to recall the circumstances surrounding the tmen of the per nicious "workmens compensation law, so-called, to realize the boIdness with which the mnlng com panes and their attorneys work, to understand the danger that confronts the people by extenslon ot power under present conditions to a legislative as sembly convened at Juneau.
 In the event that statehood bill were passed tor Alaska one wonders if the people would be able to protect themselves from the machinations of these expert and weIl-trained company representatives when it came to promulgang constitution for the new state And when 1t realized that most ot the territorys population IS concentrated within com
 -l-- III ,lo fha that oreponderance of representation in the constitutional convention would be from the section that IS doml- mated to greater or lesser degree by the corpora tons, it may be seen that the danger IS real.
 Of the two delegates to the national Republican convention elected at the recent territorial conven- toh at Seward one Is L. P. Shackletord, the ator- ney for the great Gastneau Mining Company and allied interests at Juneau. At the primaries held m that city for the election of delegates to the Seward convention there were some queer dongs, according to letter published in the Valdez Prospector. It will give an idea of the corporation methods of han ding political matters The letter Is in part as fol- lows:
 The Gastncau company threw itself the local fight with a its customary vgor The men were hefaed n squaoS Io inc mine and mill ushered automobiles, ticket rushed up the voting place Juneau where they were herde up ballot box voted and herded back into tue autos and
  gagged ia this work and there continual strlng o them going Thane and Juneau all top seed Not in the had heard there gong to be kind of econ not twenty ke" what the election about twenty more than one cKe and would not know what either if they dd It.
 Neither the local papers dare word about the ana but the public atinge with excitement over what has occurred because they realize that the result of the performance is likely to have far reaching and lasting effect
 There IS, of course, no attempt to show that the activities in politics of such concerns as the Gashneau Mining Company are prompted by desire to be ot service te the people of the territory The stock holders of the concern, who all non-resdents, have but one interest in the territory and that the drawing of dividends.
 There is valuable lesson to be learned from such occurrences While these companies exert a large and powerful influence, 1t does not extend to all residents of Alaska and if the people will take as active part in the affairs of government as do the corporations there is hope for truly representative government in Alaska.