The Alaska daily empire., 1916-08-14
WICK. AS A JoKEsMTH
CValdez Prospectorl

In a drastic bambastc dispatch to the Alaskan pa pers yesterday Hon. James Wickersham canuiuate Tor delegae to Alaska spurns the nomination tendereu hin, Inv inc alleged Republican meeting at Anchor age and thearicaly announces that neVefr no never (wen. hardly eyer). will he trade any ol Sne Is,s @ of the people Of Alaska, by gravy nor Wil ue eu render any of his personal rights Tor the prlVHese of running as delegate on the Republican tcKeI ne also announces. in moment or meycsm' thal ne VII rnn as an Independent Republican, and to hell witn the whole kit and boiling of the Republicans Who seeA to tarnish his political reputation.
 Which is all very good campaign gun, put listens like cap.psto to those who know the tacts In the first place the Hon. Jeems was never tehuereu the nomination the Republican ticket. He was not wanted on the ticket, and 1t takes colossal ego for man to imagine that the kepuDhcons ever Republicans like plugged nickel to commuter ana cuts no more ice in Republican plans than "ni'e chip on the co. interest in his nomination he had hoped. Political affinities have been hard to find Since his recent expose of the Alaska transportation companies aIter six wears knowledge of conditions, he has become desperate attract public attention to hmsell Ihere' fore what more efficient as campaign dope than 10 have several Republicans. (like John Frame, Tor n- stance) nominate" him and give him a chance to get before the llmelight injured, uncorrupted who is fighting desperately 10 save tne of the dear people" from the Alaskan oeopF When- CT the game works or does not work Jeems IS agaln in the limelight His name will be emblazoned on Alaska's scroll of fame as Wickersham the incorrup- tible: Wickersham the Champion Of the Masses; the independent fearless advocate of everything and any thing to keep his name before the voters
 We will admit that our Delegate IS independent He has run as an Independent Republican, an lnde' pendent Progressive, a as an independent Democrat Republican. Progressive and if the Socialists were as easy game some other parties he woula prooeOy have run as an Independent Socialist But things have not broken right for Wick When he was elected on party's ticket the other dog.gasted party got in which made his influence at Washington nil to an exasperating degree. Hon. Jim was not good guess CT: when his chips were on the red black turned up with aarming frequency and when he plastered his coin on both red and black as an independent the game busted before he could get action. u there Is i'm his name on their ballot champion of the people we have failed find it. And the people are getting tired of so puissant champion. Their minds turn from the sound of strife to the peace that pass eth understanding under the regime or some less doughty knight They demand action and not words, They look at the Hon. Jamess record anl wonder what all the noise is about They ask themselves what he has done after much talk And results have been mighty small when you separate the wheat rom the chaff He has claimed credit for the War Depart ments deeds the Postal Departments Acts, and Sec retary Lanes results: but the laboring men of the Territory begun look askance at our Delegates stand many questions of interest 10 Alaskans and compare his record with that of Suzers and compar- sons are Odous.
 Sulzer's successful campaign of the Panama and Yukon Valley towns has alarmed James Wick He realizes that 1t will take some pretty strong medicine Go pull those thousands or union miners votes uocR- ing to Suzer the Fairbanks aarmist pulls hoary chestnut that Adam worked on Eve to induce her to take the blame for fooling with the Tree of Know ledge. It is so old in fact that the Hon. Jeems should be ashamed of it.
 We may expect to receive these expurgated edi- tions of Soied Honor and Snug Virtue up to the eve of the election for 1t has always been Hon. Wlcks strong play. With the aid of a few alleged Republi. cans he has generally scared the people into believing that the Territory would to the demnition bowwows If he not at the helm: but we believe this time the Honorable James Wickersham has played up to the last syllable Of his and that the people are onto the sham.
 But declining the nomination on the Republican ticket sounds SO much like one-ring circus parade that risibes win not allow to eucdae Hon. Jeems's foXiness
 Honest to goodness. that alelged Republican" nomination reads like a Ford Joke Book.