The Wrangell sentinel., 1939-12-08
TPHIR0UGIa GFG1E
POLITICAL
PElRISG0PB

one of the mlSSIYes waiting on the
desk of Dr.. Ernest Gruening when
he arrived in Juneau this week to
become Governor of Alaska was the
resignation OF Harry G. Watson. who
has served as Secretary to the pre-
yfous two Governors. George A.
Parks and John ". Troy. your peris-
copper is informed from a reliable
source Watson, who probably knows
more Alaskans than any other man
in the Territory, is expected TO toss
his hat in the ring for the office Of
Territorial Auditor. our informant
reports. Just what party Harry may
decide to cast his lot with remains
to be seen He was a mighty able
Secretary under Republican Cover
nor Parks and equally efficient un-
der Democratic Governor Troy.
Whatever Harry Watson eventual
ly decides to do. a whale of a lot
of friends will be wishing him we'll
from Point Barrow to Dixon En-
trance. As We understand it, the
Secretary's resignation, which may
not become effective for some time,
was a purely voluntary affair as
when Governor Gruening passed
through here this week he said he
was anticipating no changes in the
Governors office for the present.
3 = i >
At the same time this week Frank
S. Barnes was putting himself and
Wrangen in the center of the politi-
cal spotlight by filing his candidacy
on the Republican ticket for a seat
in the Territorial Senate from the
First Division. As your periscope
stated last week. Barnes was plan
ming to file for a legislative seat.
That he has decided on the Senate
rather than the House, for which
he ran last election, means that
Howard Stabler of juneau probably
will not make bid on the Republic
can ticket this time. The Wrangell
mans filing is the first in the Ter
ritory in anticipation of the 1910
election, and our grapevine from Re
publican headquarters is that he will
have no opposition in the primary.
> $ 4
Local Democrats got together
Monday night to elect a precinct or
ganization Mayor Van H. Fisk was
chosen Chairman and Mrs. NJ. o.
Johnson, Secretary Others who will
serve on the committee are George
Gunderson, Don Miller and Fred
Hanford. Wrangell precinct named
the following delegates to the Di-
yisional convention at Ketchikan
next Wednesday: Van H Fisk. Mrs.
NJ. o. Johnson, Don Miller and Lew
/ Williams. Stikine precinct is en-
titled to two delegates, who are eX-
pected to be elected this week by the
Stikine Democratic group.
y + i
Two days before the Democrats
convene in Ketchikan, the Republi-
can Central Committee will be meet
ing in Juneau Monday, December
II. on call of Territorial Chairman
E. E. Engstrom of Juneau. The COM
mittee is expected to name the city
where the Republican convention will
be held and then adjourn until after
/ the Republican National Committee
meeting, tentatively set for January
/ in Washington, D. C. E A. Rasmu-
son of SkagWay, National Republic
can Committeeman from Alaska, will
/ be in attendance at the national
gathering from which the call will
be issued for the G. o. P. Territorial
convention.
i j = 4
Getting back to candidate gos-
sip, which is always interesting
about this time of year, your peris-
copper gets it that Harry Mccain OF
Ketchikan, Clyde Ellis of Anchorage
and Senator Leroy Sullivan of Nome
are all being mentioned in the Re.
publican ranks as possible timber
for Delegate to Congress. Harry o.
Neil of Anchorage is doing some
thinking about running for Auditor
and Grover Vim, up in Juneau, is
being approached to make the Re-
publican race for Attorney General.
/ j x * x
And another little paragraph
about delegates to the Ketchikan
Democratic meeting next Wednes-
day. Petersburg has elected DR.. T.
w. Benson, Adolph Mathisen, Mrs
Hazen Brough, Erick Ness and
Frank Kelly and Ketchikan has
named R. NJ. Mackenzie, Mrs. Lem
Mckay, P. ]. Gilmore, W. Gaffney,
NJ. Oaksmith, Mrs. R. Ellis, e. Samp-
son, Norman R. Walker and Wilfred
Stump