The Cordova daily times., 1921-06-29
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 1921
TRADE IS DYING-LET IT DIE
Seattle Post Intelligencer)


 From MT. c. M. Penfield, in the New York of- flee of what is called the "Amercan Defense Society," comes letter offered for publication in this newspaper which is typical of the pro- paganda against the relief of Alaska Penfield protests specifically against the Curry bill and its proposal to transfer the control of Alaska affairs from the scattered fifty-seven Washing ton bureaus and commissions to a resident board of five Alaskans headed by the governor
 As Penfied pretends to see it, one of the in evltable results of any measure of home gov ernment of Alaska will be the immediate slaughter and extinction of the Pribilof fur seal herds. He admits no possibility of any resident of Alaska showing the slightest consideration for the seals. Pass the Curry bill, he says in effect, and we may as well kiss the seals good- by. So also, the migratory birds, and, presum- ably, the Kodiak bears. Once let Alaska break from bureaucratic control and the whole terri tory with its surrounding seas is to be be- snrnkled with the blood of innocent wild things.
 To one paragraph of this extraordinary effu- sion of ignorance the Post -Intelligencer willing ly gives space, since it will be of interest along the full length of the Arctic and Pacific Coast, from Point Barrow to Point Loma. Here is Mir. Penfields sage interpretation of Western motives:
 "It is altogether natural that Alaskans should wish to be free to handle their own affairs in their ow1 way; and the political meth ods proposed in the Curry bill, dangerous as they may be, are natural enough. Equally nat ural is the wish of Pacific ports like Seattle, Portland and San Francisco to do anything to build up their dying trade with Alaska. It is vary ca,taiO hOwnvnr that no Oarmannnt a6- vantage can be gained by creating havoc among Alaska's natural resources and wiping off the face of the earth those things which, properly conserved, might yield a reasonable income for all time.''
 The conclusion, then, from the Penfield point of view, is that Alaska should be left to the beasts and birds and withheld from the habita- tion of men. Let's bring the idea close home: Time was when bear and cougar roamed the site of the present Seattle, when wild migratory fowl were safe in Lake Union and Green Lake, when elk and deer browsed upon our seven hills and whales spouted in the bay. There were Penfields in those days, no doubt but happily their nonsense was no patch for the pioneer spirit, the indomitable courage and tie less industry that laid the foundations for a citv's greatness and for the same development of rich region
 Reference to the "dying trade' of Alaska is peculiarly Illuminating of the Penfield state of mind What does this school of theorists care about so sorbid a thing as ''trade" between hu- man beings? Better that trade should die, they say, than that another ptarmigan be toasted or one more Pribiolf seal be plucked of his pelt.
 One result of the reduction of wages to the railroad workers, and consequent lowering of freight rates, will be drop in the price of coal practically every pound of which is transport ed on railroad before it is bought by the house holder or manufacturer.
 The newspaper man who tries to please everyone doesn't get out paper that pleases anyone.
 To make temporary optimst of pessmist, get him for office.