The Daily Alaska empire., 1936-02-14
LET THERE BE LIGHT.


 Republicans of Gastineau Channel young and old gathered at the shrine of Abraham Lincoln as well they should Wednesday night of this week. and euo- gized that great in glowing and appropriate terms It fine gathering of good looking and women. Typical. clean cut Alaskans; resembling so closely their neghbors of other political faith that stranger would have been unable detect differ had he not known it was Republican field day And, true to their land and themselves, tone of the great common purpose of all Alaskans-a better and greater Alaska--was not missing. The able ad- dresses that of political favor carried in the inner that magic message. sou-stirring to those of us in the North that Alaska must go for ward to greater and better day In the words of the musician, the theme was not entirely lost but the tune swayed by political dscord and loss of political prestige noticeably off key as often the case when the bandsmen play without leadership.
 It glorious tribute to a great man. but some of the misguided uterances would have grated hard the of that of the people,, Abraham Lincoln who believed in government for the people and by the people Honest Abe, the rail splitter we suspect might have been little chary about being placed in the category with rich Liberty Leaguer Al Smith But it to Al that Gastineau Channel Republicans gave the bow, so, by the same token it is to the words of Al must stick So let us quote him correctly His most famous utterance was Let's keep the record straight" Fair enough let us keep the record straight.
 
 The young Republicans. of the most able speakers of the occasion declared are on the march It might be suggested the Grand Old Party the march in 29, 30 and 31-leadng the American people right toward the bread line under the leadership of that labelled statesman Herbert Hoover Only the courage and able leadership of Democratic Jpoir cfrotio If ending in open revolution. The beginning to heal under the guidance of a kindly government; the bafled disorganized raiders of 29 again sensing the chance for political gain, back into the picture like the scavengers at the fallen foe hoping for the kill.
 Another earnest but ms-nIormed speaker deplored conditions in the Territory under the Democratic nlinistration and demanded what have they done? The complete story is long to give but few of the highlights may aid in answering his question total of $6750000 poured into Alaska under the Democratic administration up to the first of the year under the emergency to help the Territory on the same basis that the states being rehabi- tated This made possible of us know street and other improvements in the immediate Juneau vicn- ity not to mention fine steel bridge over Gastineau Channel connecting Juneau and Douglas it meant new water systems civic improvements hydro-electrc plants new buildings and multitude of other things for Ketchikan, Wrangell, Petersburg Skagway, Sew ard Anchorage Fairbanks and other points Under the Democratic money policy the price gold went to $35 per ounce and nearly $16OO0000 was shipped out of the Territory of Alaska during the year 1885, some s600o00o more than the 1883 output Mining has been accelerated never before in its history the north Income taxes have shown big gains and the reason be found in the reported vast increase in business by the steamship companies the Alaska Rail- road and every business house in Alaska Aggregate resources of all banks in the Territory were 5000 900 more at the end of 1885 than they years ago IS that criterion that things are going to pot under the Democrats? And we could go on ad infinitum
 Another speaker referred to the British Columbia coal being given out relief orders Let forget that now dealing with the record even as the MT Smith the Republican pal. The shows that all dealers must sign affidavit that the coal they handle is from the United States and not foreign country No violations have thus far been recorded.
 
 And Republican friends did not overlook the Constitution in their oratorical tribute Abraham Lincoln In fact, there was rather broad hint that the Republican party and the Liberty League had title and perhaps one should not challenge the as- sumption in view of the legal authority there repre- sented. But might it be suggested that in this great crusade for return to constitutional government in the name of Father Abraham, that it was Lincoln who responsible for the thirteenth and fifteenth amendment to the Constitution, and, who in his first inaugural address declared: This country with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing govern ment they can their constitutional right of amending it. their revolutionary right to dismember or overthrow it. The thirteenth amendment freed the slaves the fifteenth gave them right franchise This statement of Lncoln's was not idle talk. As