The Nome nugget., 1942-09-21
False Economy Practiced By Federal Officials


 Tn this day and age when only few unconquered nations of democratic principles remain to fight the battle for freedom and right to be governed by laws of their own choice and tried before courts of justice established on the proposition that all are created equal it seem that for the sake of a false economy policy some of the voting precincts in the Second DIV ision of Alaska denied the opportunity ot casting their votes in the General Election which was held September 8th The inability of government officials to provide the necessary supplies that election may be held in the outlying precinct from Nome brings 10 our attention the privilege is sacred enough without hamperng it by failure to provide the necessary SUD- plies such as voting registers ballots tally books etc They should not have to be denied this right purely because of such proven False Economy Policy.
 This year above all others has seen many people on the move up in this part of Alaska and there have been those who leaving this section for many and varied reasons who wished to cast their absentee votes which they are entitled to do under the law of the Territory When they applied to the U S. Commission CT they told, I'm sorry but we have not receW- ed the ballots supplies from the Clerk o the Courts Office And they left without satisfying their legltl- mate desires How ronical that we today fighting war to prserve those privileges and rights and that the representatives of the people cannot assure them of the opportunity of being able to fulfill those rights by voting when they desire to do
 And What of the Candidates
 And what of the candidates who appear the ballots for election? They have right to expect that every voting precinct established in conformity with the territorial law has the opportunity of holding election and voting for the persons of their choice Since not all precincts received the necessary supplies for holding election and candidate loses his election only by a few votes who is to blame? Surely not the candidate And yet all of the people in this section have not had an opportunity of declaring their wishes to who will represent them at the Territorial Legislature
 In order that the record will be straight in this mat ter. The Nome Nugget wishes to explain that it wasn't 'because we didn't get the printing out in time which officials in the past have used as to why some precinct couldn't hold election. The Mug get offered fair bid on this election printing" but refused to be coerced into lowering it's prices below the point at which 1t could make legitimate profit from the business It has always whenever the printing done in Nome furnished the supplies whenever they desired, and in fairness to the voting public. in time for them to be mailed and shipped to all of the precincts throughout the Second Division.
 Wire Governor for Appropriation
 However, this year the Valdez Miner newspaper in the Third Division awarded "the bd in order to money for the federal government Now it de- Veops that those supplies did not arrive in sufficient time to have them distributed never have in the past when printed outside of Nome The distribution of of the substitute mimeograph balots day prior to election, was made possible by wiring the Governor for appropriation for further expenditures of funds to hire a special delivery plane Again we wonder where these False Economy PolicieS' pre- vail, when these same officials never fail in making every effort to have their official abilities rated higher for further increase In salaries We wonder they are thinking of saving the Federal Government money then
 It is such acts these that force legal newspaper, that is entitled to all possible support small com munty give to enable it to exist to suspend pub HcatiOn and 1t is not due entirely to conditions.
 There is this fact however, those persons who wished to cast their absentee votes have been denied that right because of this False Economy Pocy Well, apparent ly that is too bad - only this time we feel that the public should know why
 Such possibility of the non-receipt of election sup plies has always been pointed to the proper officials although it narrowly aVerted just two years ago now, however, it has become reality. And who is denied their nights? The voters. And who was in dan- ger of losing election because of shortsighted pol ices The candidate who is entitled to believe that eryone shall be entitled to vote who is properly quail fled, and who makes such demand in accordance with the territorial laws.