The daily Nome industrial worker., 1916-06-21
"ALASKA FOR ALASKANS".

Tins article mas got nOLnlHS whatever to do with politics. It is somewhat necessary to make this warning statement because of the fact that the elegant slogan" which heads this editorial is a venerable one, and common to both parties: democrat and republican, since politics were active in Alaska. It has been the common plain of ab- surdity where the two parties met, and it has even been adopted by the Wickershamites who espoused no parties as their own.
 It has originated alike in Seattle and in Alaska, so that it can be strictly considered non-partisan, to be used by either party or none just as they happen to be situated with regard to the party in power.
 It is based upon the rather m handsome theory that any Alaskan whatever will fill an office more e. Actively, more suitably and more worthily than any outsider what ever and that this theory could o5- tain general acceptance among the people of any country only goes to show that they do not drink very deeply from the piern spring ot facts.
 The Industrial Worker is in the peculiar position of being the one paper in Alaska which regarded the slogan, politically venerable and to the jobite sacred, as sheer nonsense and while emphasized by the politicians out of office, seldom made good by the politicians in of fee under any administration, un- less when the Alaskan appontee was representative of certain interests.
 Common sense is sufficient to de- monstrate the fact that it is inappli- cable any way you take it; and the main trouble with federal officials has been and ig, thGt even when appointed from the Outside, they proceed to identify themselves with the unfortunate political factions that arise always in Alaskan com munities like bubbles in gaseous spring.
 In many communities of Alaska, factionism has resulted in definite views being held by definite sides. To appoint any man to office from any of those factions means that that faction will be dominant, and there is no use blinking the fact that the better course would always be to appoint men from the Outside who would steer clear from entang- ling alliances one way or another and in the discharge of their duties walk with circumspect impartiality, if such were possible.
 It is unfortunate that that is not done, and to such an extent haS it not been done that Alaskans have gone to the other extreme and dam- ned all outside appointees whether there was any justification for it or not.
 lfarly too, it is evident many AL askans who seek positions under the federal administration are just as evidently unfit for the position, and to hold as this slogan would have us do that the outside appointee is not preferable to the biased and unfit Alaskan is preposterous.
 It is remarkable that many of those who are loudest and most ardent in their support of this slo- gan as regard political appointments seldom or never extend it's applica- tion to other spheres of social ac- tivities.
 We have never yet come across the political jobbite who got sore be- cause the gentleman from Missouri or Arkansas got the position who also ever get red in the face because the worker got hired in Seattle to run his dredge or his mine in Nome. Just as we observe many a store keeper beefing to beat the band and bellyaching like colicky baby about the Alaskan patronage Of mail order houses outside.