The Alaska daily empire., 1923-04-03
FIRST TEST OF STRENGTH IN SENATE INDICATES L|TERACY
 BILL MAY FAIL OF PASSAGE


 by dcpriving him of 1000 votes, as "an abject confcssiol--a shameful thing" He said he did not believe the Delegate countenanced any such statement nor subscribed to the req scnang back of it. "This statement gives tine very best reason for the enactment of this bill The Indians may vote for a good man today and a bad, vicious one tomorrow" he de, clared It is not true, he contended, that Alaskan5 are responsible for the iMitcrate condition Of the Indians, as charged by the opposition. It would be impossible for tho white popula- ton of Alaska to attempt to assume the burden of educating the Indian and he derlei 1t to be their duty. This work has devolycd on the Fed cral government met alone in Alaska, but in every state and territory. The Indians are wards and the Federal government, not the Territory of All aska, is guardian.
 Hunt Presents Petition
 Senator Hunt prc5onted petition signed by more than 80 women vot-. CTS of Ketchikan urging him and his colleague, Senator A1drich. to support the bill, and also a telegram from the Womcns Club of Skagway to the same effect. He referred to the at tempt to find a political motive back of the measure and declared. "l will not allow myself.ito make this a political question. believe in the requirement of literary qualifications fer electors and will support this bill regardless of who introduced it. would like to have Introduced it my self" He said for years he has been an advocate of compulsory edu- cation and that he believed that the foundation for good government must rest on education. The right of the franchise is one that should be con sidcred of sufficient value to require ,iteracy qualifications. He said the Federal government is not to blame for the condition in which 1t found the Alaskan Indians when it acquired Alaska and that it had done line work in educating them since. Most of the younger Indians, he added, can read and write English. Op- rortunities offered them are supe- rior to these which were offered to the pioneers of the Western States. There is only one real argument to be advemced against tho bill, he con. cludcd, and that is in the old saying: Where . he zig ignorance !" ,s bliss 'tis folly Aver Defends Bill
 Senator Aver. expressing his sym pathy for the Indians over wrongs i done them occasionally. declared the bill was not an injustice to them u would do them more good than harm ! to require them to road ana wrlts { the English language before exercis
 ing the right of franchise. We
 wouldn't want thcm to run our munl
 cipal government and our schools
 The Indians have voted in masses
 Paul said so, the master mind whc voted them intelligently. He might 1 die and some un3crupulous scheminf 1 politician 8ct cOntrOl ci them' n'
 added. He pointed cut that l.
 states TOW have tests such as II
 provided in the Fostcr bill and other
 progressive states arc working IT l that direction. We do not want tt be ruled by an inferior race nol dominated by an illitcrate one,' h' summed up.
 l School Essays Read
 'T,his is question that will no down." declared Senator Chamberlin "Wc have heard from homo and th people arc in favor of this measure There is only orc newspaper l hay seen that is not supporting it H predicted if the present Legislatur did not pass the ball tho next on would come back with definite in struct ions to pass similar one. H quoted from the Journal of 1915 [ 'ishow Senator Aldrich's support Q lthe Legislaturc's right to pass a 1 election qualifications law thsa an