The Seward gateway., 1922-03-31


 Fairbanks Igloo will not bring to thr order that harmony and unity of pur- pose which is so necessary to the ac- complishment of the aims and pur- poses of the organization. Nothing less than a willingness to give as well as take; to accord to the opinion of fellow member the same considera ton asked to give your will make the Pioneers a power in the upbuilding of this great country of our adoption, it was designed to be- The very founda- ion of our government and most of us think it is the greatest government on earth, is founded on the principle that the majority must rule, and in this controversy there is no better method of settlement than the one de- cided upon-that all Igloos should ex- press their opinion by a referendum, and whatever the opinion of the ma jority should be, it would be binding upon all
 If we read the item in the News Miner alright the FaWbanks Ie'.>
 willing to abide by the decision of the majority if this decision is as they be otherwise they propose to withdraw from the order. This spirit is not in keeping with the obligation taken by every Pioneer and we sincerely hone that whatever the vote may decide, the Fairbanks Igloo will continue to be as in the past, a mighty factor in pro noting the welfare of the order and the gTwoth and prosperity of the Ter ritory.
 In this issue is history of the Pic neer' organization of Alaoka writer by Past Grand President Frank A. Al. drich. Probably no one is better in formed on the subject and while hc is opposed, apparently to extending tb, date to 1905, yet he writes that tb, original date set by Igloo No. l. al Nome, fixed the time limit at Decem Der 31, 1898. Later, when the Grand igloo met at Nome in 1911, delegates from the Fairbanks Igloo insisted the rate be advanced to 1900 that the bio neers of that section might be elieib1a This was resisted by some of the old timers but eventually the Fairbanks delegates won out and at their request the date was advanced to meet thei, requirements. No Igloo withdrew be cause of this, nor even threatened to why, then, should Fairbanks IglooI even consider such thing because other Igloos wish the same date ad- vanced, after lapse of twenty years Does this display the same spirit of fairness that the Nome, Candle, St Michael and Ruby Igloos displaved when Fairbanks asked that the time De extended? We do not think 60,
 If the Pioneers are to work ont 4beI aims for which the order is formed if must be strong from numerical standpoint as we'll as in spirit and de- termination. We cannot agree with MT. Aldrich that the growth of the or der is assured by the membershinI winch will accrue from the NativeI Sons and daughters for several reas- ons. First, because majority of the Ploneers of today have no children in Alaska, if anywhere. Second. not all and perhaps not many of the Native l Sons and Daughters remain in tbe North after reaching maturity. Count I over those who have left your own community, and you will find tho many have gone elsewhere and of those who remain, not all will take up their membership in the order. Thus the numerical strength of tha ordar is not assured for all time, and while if nay not have been the best of tho -,-- icy to advance the date four years at one time, yet if the majority of the Pioneers believe it for the beet. it should be accepted by each and every Pioneer, regardless of his own per sonal belief.