The weekly Alaska citizen., 1919-04-14
WICK'S WORD

Associated Press despatches from Se-l attic yesterday quote James Wickersham say ing that he intends to file contest if the can wasting board of Alaska gives the certificate of election to his opponent, Mr. Sulzer. Oil course # has always been understood here that he would start such proceedings As soon as it was realized that he had again been defeat ed at the polls he and his workers began to g,1r,shoe around making efforts to dig up anything upon which any old kind of a charge might be hung.
 And Wick is always prolific in charges. It is his theory of political warfare, and it's good enough politics, to becloud every issue with enough charges to throw out the entire election, if it were possible and in this way insure his tenure of office forever and day. It has become so that Wick is Alaskas Old Man of the Sea- from which there seems to be no way to rid ourselves
 And at times even he talks fair enough about his intentions. To outsiders, people he meets in Washington and such-lke, it might almost appear that Wick is doing Alaskans a great favor by remaining in congress. Only {: few weeks ago on the floor of the national liouse of representatives, he made positive statement that !.e was tired of it, the fuss and |t''D-S "e'o SSIIiS COO AS' " iiie"'i SA A'o uclica:c 4c-.s:b;ities.
 And it was made ill connection with the possibility of contest being filed over the '"lY eiect',n. On January 4th, last, during the proceedings of the house in the contest of Mississippi, speaking to Wickershain said, we quote tl.s from the Congressional Rec old), "In this last campaign-last November
 IL :I.z i Il were elected or MT. Suzer was elected?"
 "NIr Wickersham. It was dscussed; ;;
 "Mr Harrison, of Mississippi. We'll, who was elected in the last election, or has it not beer decided?"
 "Mr Wickersham. We do not know yet The answer will C., .nd upon whom you ask If you ask me, say that am elected, and have no doubt that if you ask MT. Su- ger he will say that he is, but am perfectly willing to say that it is so close that nobody can honestly tell you, and that neither you nor we will know until the official count is had"
 "Mr. Harrison, of Mississippi. And ti.ere will probably be a contest over tllat?"
 "Alr Wickersham. NOT IF I LOSE, BECAUSE I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF TT. Naughter)."
 Sure they laughed at it. Who wouldn't Does anyone think that Wick would refuse to contest if he had ghost of show to hang onto the public teat Remember that this was after January 1, of this year, and Wick knew then that he was behind in the votes received and that every chance was against him re- cc;ving the majority and winning the election. He knew then that he was defeated and there isn't doubt in the world but what he was al ready going ahead with plans for contesting the election. Yet he makes an absolutely posi- tive statement that should the vote go against hi,2l, should he lose, he will not contest And the odds are ten to one that some of those men sitting there listening to his bull believed what he said. Laugh, certainly they did, such a statement coming from Wick would make dog laugh
 1f lose. says "their Jim" I won't con- test. Not me. ! have had enough, that's plenty. So he told the house of representa- ti.>s Wick has lost. He's been to Juneau ar4d he Ai.ows he got the small end of the vote. N0,. he IS back in Seattle, and knowing that he lost. declares he WILL contest if Sulzer ce-'s the cert;ficate of election Does he think to scare the election board into issuing him the certificate in order to avoid contest? If trey don't issue it to Sulzer it might as we'll be given to Mir. McConnaly as Wick. He was in the race also and if also-rans are to take first money no favor;tism should be siOWn.