The Alaska daily empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1912-1926, 1920-10-21
Delegate and Governor Start
ed Fight for Canadian Lines
Early and Stuck Till Finish.

Jones Act, and all of them were
thwarted by the efforts of these
Alaska officials.
Gov. Riggs To Delegate Grigsby
| The first of the correspondence
on this subject between Gov. Riggs
and Delegate Grigsby was dated near
| ly year ago. It was the follow
ing letter from Gov. Riggs to the
Delegate:
juneau, Alaska, Oct. 24,1919.
Hon. George B. Grigsby,
delegate to Congress,
House of Representatives,
Washington,
| Ny dear Congressman:
The following telegram which Is
self explanatory, was handed to me
| today:
Senator Poindexter, thru influence
WI. Clark and Pacific Steamship
introducing legislation Washington
making lower rate through Prince
Rupert than via Seattle illegal. Il
Alaska Legislature and shippers gen
orally interested in development of
Rupert gateway, strenuous opposition
to this measure should be made at
once"
| suggest you take the matter up
with Senator Poindexter, whom you
know very well, and find out what
it's all about 1t would seem unde-
,irable to eliminate competition rates
rs the legislation suggested is evil
IDENTIFY for the purpose Of doing.
Sincerely yours:
(Signed) THOMAS RIGGS, Jr.,
Governor.
Defeats Johnson Amendment
In November the first attempt to
eliminate the Canadian lines came
! up in the House when Representa-
tive Johnson of Washington Ga sup
porter of Wickersham), proposed an
amendment to the Cummins-Esch
| bill making it illegal for the Cana
| dian lines to handle freight or Las-
sengers between Eastern American
! points and Alaska at lower rate
han that fixed for transportation be-
| tween the same points via Seattle.
Delegate Grigsby Immediately op-
| rosed the amendment, leading the
| fight against it on the floor, and the
| amendment was defeated.
Take Fight To Senate
| Defeated in the House through
! Delegate Grigsby's efforts, those lead
| 'ng the fight against the Canadian
HINES took their fight to the Senate
| The first word of this move was re
,eived in Juneau through the follow
ng telegram from Delegate Grigsby
| Gov. Riggs:
Washington, d. c.. Dee. IS, 1919
Thomas Riggs. Jr.,
Governor of Alaska,
| Juneau. Alaska.
l. Senator Jones succeeded in getting
| amendment agreed to in CuInmins
| railroad bill effect of which raises
| rates on Canadian line is same as
Johnson's amendment recently de
| feated by House, will go to confer
| ence. Believe you should take ac
| lion bring pressure to assist me In
| defeating it.
(Signed) GEORGE B. GRiGSBY.
Riggs Continues Fight
On December go, 1919, Gov. RIGGS
| said in letter to a correspondent
On Alaska traffic matters:
| 81 must state that at present
| L does not seem to me tfat the
Grand Trunk should be prohibited
rom putting into effect lower freight
rates than exist from Seattle
am naturally inclined TO give the
| American lines every oonefst when
eS erything is equal but whore the
ction of the freight liens win tend
n cut down rat =, srip. see
r erein we are justified in Insisting
they shall not Go so. You doubt
less know of the plan o. the Grand
L.. Junk to make Ke.chikan their ter.
II l.al through the transhlpment OF
,aded cars dire f;'N,:i Prince Rup-
ert to Ketchikan.
Riggs Prepai. 20 to Fight
The following Telegram shows that
Go~. Riggs was still interested in
defeating the Jona4-Johnson attempt
II January:
Seattle, Wash Jan. 10, 1919,
Hon. George B. Grigsby.
House of Representatives,
Washington. D. C.
Leehey, Semmes and I leaving Sc
attic on twenty fifth. Would like
opportunity of discussing Jones ami
endment to commerce bill before
committee and present Alaska phase
of situation.
(Signed.) Riggs.
Governor.
Jones Amendment Defeated
The Jones amendment was pre-
vented from being included in the
Cummins-Esch bill through the ac-
tivity of Delegate Grigsby and Gov.
Riggs, who was then in Washington.
When what is now designated as