Seward daily gateway., 1925-08-18
AN OPEN LETTER TO
 CONGRESSMAN FREE

printed in the Seward Gateway, ha been read with a great deal of in terest. So far as it is possible fo, us who do not belong to the "higl type of people" that you have me in Alaska, we have given due con sideration to your views.
 We trust that you will find time and have patience to read some cor rections of your errors, and also { few suggestions which may possibly prevent you from falling into suct egregious blunders in the future.
 First of all, let us assure you that we Alaskans welcome your visit to Alaska, so far as your purpose i2 to learn more about this great ter ritory-for even we "illiterates" who are not Intelligent" can see that you need to learn; so far as your visit is to secure data that will help you to conserve the fishery resources of Alaska, we welcome you thrice fold-for we who have known and urged such conservation for the past twenty years are glad to welcome you, and also the Alaska Packers and the Pacific American Fisheries, in the development of our resources, we will give our sincere coopera- tion.
 But we don't welcome your med ding in local Alaska politics. True, we are not intelligent" like you are, but nevertheless the sad fact is that we can't appreciate your slurs, in- suits and untruths against Dan Suth- erland, our Delegate in Congress, and those of us who were ignorant enough to elect him last November by a majority of almost two votes to one.
 Your statement that "only the na- tiyes have voice speaking for them at Washington" is absolutely untrue. Delegate Sutherland repre- sents all the people of Alaska, and represents them most capably. Wheth- CT big or little, rich or poor, native or white, "illiterate" or intelligent" individual or orporation-Alaskan receive honest service and faithful representation at the hands of Dele gate Sutherland. That's why we elect him by such overwhelming ma- jorities! And if you were not so badly bitten by the intelligence" bug, you would probably appreciate this fact. Modern psychologists are agreed that people who harp and dote on their intelligence" and in- feriority complex-if you get what we "illiterate" folks man!
 Furthrmore, and by the same to- ken, just as Delegate Sutherland rep resents all Alaskans faithfully in ac- complishing all legitimate purposes so he invariably opposes any and all who try to monopolize and loot Al. aska's resources without regard for the future and without regard for the present rights of bona fide Al askans. And in such opposition it matters not very we'll now, after his fight against you and the fish trust to save our fisheries and protect the rights of Alaskans to share in them.
 The bigger they are, the harder they fall-and evidently you are still falling!
 But the main grievance you seem to be nursing is that you claim to believe that 1900 natives are voting in Alaska and thus dictating our politics. We do not believe nor ad- nit that that 1900 natives vote in this Territory. And we KNOW that many of those who do vote can both read and write, that they are fairly Intelligent, and are good citizens far better citizens, in fact, with re- gard to morality and respect for law and decency than some of the gen. tlemen who have been giving YOU your crooked statistics.
 But suppose 1900 natives do vote and that they voted for Delegate Sutherland last November. The Dele gate defeated his opponent by ma- Jority of 3,213 votes. Now subtract your socalled 1900 native votes from that majority and there is still a clear majority of 1,413 votes. To make this absolutely clear to you: if the 1900 natives who voted for MT. Sutherland, according to your hypo- thesis, had been restrained from go- ing to the polls," the Delegate would still have been elected by majority or l,4l3 white votes. Quite a com fortable majority out of so small a total vote!
 Now that we have eliminated the 1900 natives, what are you going to do with the 4,969 white people who