The Alaska citizen., 1916-01-03

honest politician. His lack Of train ing. let us say as a lawyer, rather handicapped him and the result was that Chilbcrg. the socialist. came very near being delegate from Alas ka. IL is quite likely that if Wick ersham had been opposed at that time by strong Republican he would have been defeated and would never have gained the prestige which has since fortified him against every attack.
 In the next election Wickrrsham bad gaincd strength. The men who had failed to secure jobs from the Republican President rallied to his standard for there is nothing tha: makes man turn from his party so easily as party turning from him when he asks for nlace on the payroll.
 Tho first election. in 1906 of :; delegate to congress from Alaska resulted in the return of Fran, Waskcy for the short term and of Thomas Cal" for the longer term , succeeding. Opposed was a form 1T governor of the territory. that finc old man Swineford. Waskey and 1 Gale both were mining men and succeeded chiefly because they were not lawyers. That is really tine secret of the great vote east for them. Waskey is still in the ter ritory, is very popular and was and is probably as clean man as ever represented any constituency. Gale after leaving congress remained Out side and did not return to refute some statements made against him. Neither of the two was a candidate for reelection.
 The choice of Corson as the Re publican standard bearer was un- questiona bly the cause of Wicker ihan's overwhelmine election in the second campaign Many oi the staunchest Republicans in Alaska turned from the regular party and went to the support of the present delegate foI no other reason than that the inner circle of the party, in the usual manner of parties in Alaska, selected candidate without consulting the rank and file.
 The following election found Orr opposed 10 Wickersham as the Re publican candidate. This was the first attempt to combine the votes of the two regular parties to defeat earded as the arch enemy of party organization, and it failed badly. The second attempt Of the kind was madt in the last election and it also failed During the first election campaign, w. 4. Gilmore, of Nome, was one of his strongest supporters in that district. In the following election but one Gilmore was the regular Republican candidate in op- IOsition to his old chief The Nome man and his supporters defended their action on the grounds that Wi'll"rsham had declared his inten- tion. or, at least intimated the in tention. of not again being a candi- date. The truth probably is that Wickersham became suspicious of the hatchine of a scheme and like the consummate politician he is he he spoke only enough to bring out the plans of his opponents,
 When the star of President Tatt appeared in the descendant drawing with it the Republican national pal ty. the Democrats of Alaska came to life once again. The defeat of Wickersham became secondary consideration and a wave of enthu- siasm to be associated with the probable winning party passed over the political world of the territory. Democrats came into being like mushrooms ;n every nook and cor, ner and the defeat of Wickersham looked a "cinch.' But, alas. for human hopes The struggle for the pie counter resulted in a scramble and the scramble developed into a free-for-all, so that not one Demo- cratic candidate faced the electors, but two, and not all the men now calling themselves Democrats abandon ed the Wickersham ship. They became Nickcrsham Democrats, William Jennings Bryan Democrats and var ious other sorts of Democrats iI the hope that, although voting for Wickersham in the territorial cleo tion, they might still hold their title to consideration from the na- tional party when the spells came to be distributed. Robert Jennings, the Democratic regular candidate was also opposed by regular Republi. can, Gilmore. Martin Harrais be- came the candidate of the bolters from the Valdez Democratic con, vention but he got badly showed under and soon afterwards he and most of his supporters considered it wise to return to the regular party fold.
 "WickerSham won again hands