The Alaska daily empire., 1916-09-07
ALASKA AND WICKERSHAM AND THE POST.
 INTELLIGENCER

Alaska appears to have the usual TactIon-
 alism in its politics this campaign year As
 to the merits Of the rivalry and the excuse,
 t any for a over patronage the Post
 Intengencer does not know or care It
 does know. however. that Alaska IS mighty
 well represented in Congress by DeIegate
 James Wickersham and that in this period of
 development and construction, his services
 are needed Washington more than ever be-
 fore To lose his services at this juncture
 would be serious mistake. The Territory
 cannot afford it He IS an encyciopedla or
 Alaskan information. He knows the North
 land and It's needs from to z. Few other
 Aaskans are SO well informed and they lack
 the knowledge of Congress and the depart
 ments with his four terms as delegate have
 given him. He working for a government
 railroad while others dreaming and hop
 ing and to his persistent tenacious and in-
 telligent effort. more than to any other one
 agency or medium. Is due the cOnsummaton V'-Z-ssEs s.Tssly psy tribute 10 his magnificent
 service. Much is yet 10 be done for
 the Territory and any thought Of relieving
 Judge Wickersham is manitestly lacking in
 Alaska needs him and will continue to
 need him, and all factions in view of what
 he has done and is able do should unite
 and with voice return him to Congress.
 lt is the thing to do and it ought to be done.
 ligencerl
 It is such assinine talk as the foregoing that makes difficult for Alaska be friendly to Seattle
 In the first place the PostInteligencer does not know what it Is talking about 1T 1t did it would not say that Alaska is mighty well represented in Con. gress by Delegate Wickersham"
 R t Is true that Wickersham knows the North land and it's needs from A Co Z" his record shows that he has sadly neglected his duties in Congress The people of Alaska-those who live in Alaska and rearing families here and trying to develop in- habitable communities here-haye been praying through the Legislature and every other way at their command for powers oC government that would enable them to move toward better and bigger things. They have begged for seltgovernment. For four years Delegate Wickersham has not done a thing toward giving them relief The people and the Legislature have memoralized him on a score Of i'm portant subjects involving things that are of the uttermost importance to those who live here-those who are vitally concerned with living conditions in their home communities and his answer to the Leg. slature Keep your fool memorials; AM THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PEOPLE OF ALASKA" H he possesses superior knowledge of the De- partments and Congress is but further proof that he is negectng his duties This was exemplified last month when Councilman King of Juneau went to Washington. and in spite of the circumstance that Wickersham said that nothing could be done. in a three days visit he secured legislation that the peo- pie Of Juneau have been begging for for two years
 lt is not true that The was working for a gov ernment railroad while others were dreaming and hoping. Six weeks before the inauguration of Presi- dent Wilson he announced that he had reluctantly decided to support the government railroad propo- ston-something that others had suggested-because though he opposed government ownership like other Alaskans, he realized that should have railroad And this is one question that the Post-lnelligencer does know about and it knows that 1t spoke untruth fully when 1t said that to him more than any other agency is due the consummation Of the railroad pro- iect. Long ago the Postlntelligencer- the days when the country was not torn with political cam paign-spoke the truth. when t gave the credit to President Wilson and Secretary Lane The Post lntelligencer knows that the success railroad measure determined when 1t was made admin istration measure. It has admitted it. And knows that Delegate wckersham had nothing to do with making it an administration measure. It knows that the railroad bill regarded in Congress as the Presidents proposition and Secretary Lanes
 The opposition to wickersham in Alaska is not a factional opposition It is the opposition Of those who desire to rid the Territory of the blight of fac tonalism and of those who desire representative in Washington who will aid them in moving forward. It is an opposition that finds expression in support for the broad forwardlooking progressive policies for which Senator sulzer stands and of which he is iv- ing embodiment