The Cordova daily times., 1919-01-09

interest in the matter Of increasing territorial powers.
 Right of Natives to Vote
 It was shown that in the 1916 cleo tion numbers of illiterate natives were allowed to vote at several points in the territory. SuIzer made the charge that these were sChooled by Wickcrshams followers so that they would be able to cast a vote for Wick crsham. As countcrargumcn Wickersham pointed out that in 1 Southeastern Alaska natives voted for | SuIZer. The latter attempted to show (and doubtless did show) that these natives were educated and cast their votes intcllgently.
 | The matter of the right of Alaska natives to exercise the franchise has been disputed question for many years. It is a great pity that court ruling never has been made on this 1 subject
 Ii is contended and with what seems to be good reason, that the ! treaty with Russia, by which the ! United States secured title to the ter. ritory embraced in what is now Alaska. expressly provided thar the natives. together with the Russian subjects then in the territory, and their descendants, should become citi- zens of the United States with the i transfer of the territory. By virtue of this treaty provision natives have been allowed to vote in several pre- cincts for many years without scr- Ous dispute
 There has been an attempt also to give the Alaska natives the same status as Indians enjoy in the States; that k. that they became citizens of the United States upon scvcrng their tribal relations and living civilized lives.
 The Alaska legislature has attempt ed to settle the question. but the pre- scrihed procedure seems to have been more honored in the breach than in the observance" An act was passed providing that natives desir- ing to exercise the privilege of citi- zenship might appear before the dis trict judge and after passing a pre- sCribed examination as to their quali- l fications, and satisfying the court that they were not livinig under tribal laws, they might be declared citi- Zens
 ! It Is to be hoped that the outcome of this election contest will determine 1 officially the status of the native as to citizenship.
 The Soldier Vote Judge WiCkcrsham Contended that ] soldiers at Fort Gibbon votcl illegally l in the 1916 election. and asked that the vote of that precinct should be thrown out. It was shown that all of the soldiers who voted did so with full knowledge of the law, and that, being challenged. they each swore that they had acquired a legal resi- dence in Alaska.
 | The right of soldiers to vote at the points at which their organization hap | pens to be stationed has long been a moot question. Court decisions can be cited sustaining both sides of the dispute. Sulzer contended that sol 1 dier could acquire the right to vote in given locality under the same circumstances as could any other citi- zen, by residing the requisite length of time in the territory and precinct. Surely a soldier should be given the same rights in this respect as any other employe of the government 1 say United States district judge, for i instance
 A strict application of Judge Wick ersham's view of the law on this sub. ject would deprive the signal corps men of the right to vote, and some of these men. operating the telegraphic facilities Of the North have been in the territory for years. and it is as much their home as it is that of other citizens
 ., What Will Be the Outcome?
 Delegate Wickersham will occupy his seat in the house at least until March 1 next. He owes it to his constituents to devote the period be. tween now and that date to an at tempt to remove some of the dis abilities under which the territory is