The Daily Alaska empire., 1932-10-31
ABOUT THAT ALASKA PLANK.

Delegate Wickersham has been trying to make capital of the circumstance that the 1882 Democratic National Platform makes no mention of Alaska while the Republicans for the first time in history this year promised wider home rule to the Territory. This was explained by the Associated Press in Chicago dispatches while the Democratic Convention was in session The home rule blanks the Demo- cratic National Conventions have been inserting for Alaska, Hawaii and other Territories since 1904 were omitted at Chicago for the reason that it was de- cided by the Platform Committee to hold the plat form down to matters of National moment. It was desired to strip it of all matters that would be of special interest only in certain sections of the country The usual reclamation plank, in which nine States were interested was likewise omitted, as were many other blanks of that nature Former Senator Hitchcock Chairman of the committee said the Democratic Party is thoroughly committed in all these matters, and there is no use Of loading the platform. We want" he said "a platform of 1,4OO or l5OO words every word of which will be of interest to every voter in the land" Under the circumstance, the Alaska Delegation assented The result is that the Democratic Platform contains less than 15OO words and the Republican has 1000 oi 5000.
 The following letter from Senator David l. Walsh of Massachusetts, very active member of the Plat form Committee to the Alaska member of tn 
 New York September l5 1882 MT. John W. Troy
 Daily Alaska Empire,
 Juneau Alaska.
 Dear MT Troy:
 It is my understanding that the Repub- in your Territory seeking to make capital out of the failure of the Democratic platform at Chicago to include the Alaskan Home Rule plank that you submitted as member of the Resolutions Committee from Alaska.
 You know what the spirit of the mttees was; would gladly have accepted the Alaskan plank and the other suggestions that you made, but interested in getting the document down to the ir- reducibe minimum, in order to effect contrast with the vague, rambling, evasve platform of the Republican Party that asked you to forego for the sake of the national platform You asented, and for that reason I for one cannot the validity of the complaint of the Republicans
 There are after all in party platforms qualities that make one historic, and another just agglomeration of platitudes, so plainly is shown in the difference between the Democratic and Republican platforms of the present campaign. The Republican plat form is a catch-al vast and cumbersome, unwieldly and redundant; the Democratic platform is declaration of principles. clnct, clear and bold and Governor Roosevelt has said, need not be afraid to go before the people with this platform, 100 per cent.
 The voice of the American people has been rising in loud protest against the Republican Administration and the methods of the Republican leaders. The State of Maine spoke the other day Surely you in Alaska have heard it. It means that on November g. Franklin D Roosevelt and John N. Garner will be returned victorious by of the biggest popular and electoral votes ever recorded I understand that An thony J. Dimond, of your Democratic Territorial Senators is a candidate for Dele gate to Congress hope he wins. I'd like to Alaskans send a Delegate Demo- cratic Delegate, down to Washington to work in harmony with Administration that will effectively do what Governor Roose- welt proclaims: bring the Federal Govern ment back where it belongs, into the hands of the people,.
 With kind personal regards believe me
 Cordially yours,
 tSigned DAVID I. WALSH.