Valdez daily prospector., 1916-05-31
SAYS CONVENTION
 WAS HARM0N|US
Only Difference of Opinion was on Ma tiOnal Committeeman, but on Vote DonOhoe was Elected Unanimously Synopsis of Platform.

from the Democratic territorial con- vention at Juneau. In speaking of the convention he says that it was a
 most harmonious gathering, practi-
 cally without dissension throughout its entire session. In fact there was
 no contest, all the delegates being of one mind on the various candidates
 nominated. There was slight differ
 ence of opinion among some of the
 First division delegates as to the choice for National Committeeman, MT. Cheney, the old committeeman having several proxies and some friends who desired to see him re- elected, but before the matter came up n the convention it was seen that MT. ters of the votes of the convention, and when the time came to make the selection MT. Donohoe was made the unanimous choice of the delegates. Mir. Todd states that the division of .he various offices to be filled by the convention among the several divi- isons. as proposed by the Third Divi- sion delegates, was considered to be most fair. and met with the approval division was to give the delegate to congress to the First Division, the territorial Attorney-General to the Second Division, the National Com- nitteeman to the Third and the chair
 man of the territorial committee, and the next convention to the Fourth,
 &nd this program was carried out to | he letter.
 Following is the substance of the platform adopted by the convention It strongly endorses the admins Itration of President Wilson, Secretary ,of the Interior Lane and Governor Strong; it specifically endorses the re- serve banking law; the preparedness plans of the President, and urges the extension of the harbor defense sys- I1 em to Alaska.
 It declares that the Democratic par ty has always stood for self-govern-
 ment from the time of the organiza- tion of the party and has favored it
 for Alaska ever since Gov. Swineford declared for it in his first report as
 Governor; it declares that the Demo-
 crats of Alaska still stand for State hood but realize that to secure it
 means long fight and it favors full
 Territorial form of government pend ling Statehood. It strongly urges Alas
 ka for Alaskans.
 The platform demands that Pin
 chotism be banished from the Terri
 tory. The paramount issue between the Democratic party on the one side
 and Delegate Wickersham and the
 Republican party on the other, re-
 lates to the question of whether Alas
 ka shall be conserved and Pinchot-
 ;zed or thrown open to settlement and
 development.
 The people of the Territory are cali ed upon to vote for the Democratic
 nominee for Delegate to Congress in order that man can be chosen who
 will have the confidence of the Con-
 gress and the government. This will
 end all bickerings, factional strife and
 dissension will cease in the territory The platform opposes taxes on bus mess and trade by the national gov
 ernment within the Territory. This function should properly belong to the
 local legislature. Control of the school system of Alaska is demanded; con-
 trol over the insane, opposition to the
 present contract system of caring for
 the insane; favored the legislation
 proposed by Secretary Lane for the
 establishment of a development board
 to be composed of Alaskans, and un-
 qualifiedly condemned the so-called administration commission bill of
 Delegate Wickersham's.
 "The freight and passenger rates to and from have been increased to such an extent as to be intolerable, and we condemn our delegate in Con gress for having done nothing to re- lieve the condition" is one of the blanks.
 An adequate primary law is asked along the lines of the Sulzer bill in- troduced at thel ast session of the legislature A revision of the min ing laws is favored. The work of the coast and geodetic survey in wire dragging is praised and the exten- sion of the parcel post zone system is urged. The Democratic party is urged to continue the present build ing of trails, railroads and wagon roads, G