The Wrangell sentinel., 1952-10-17

This seems TO be an appropriate
time TO suggest TO the 40 states
that if they follow the example OF
Alaska at last Tuesdays general
election the true processes OF DEM
0cracy will continue to function.
Alaskans went to the polls and
cast their biggest vote in history
When the final tally is made it
will probably show that the Terri
tory cast between so and 20 per
cent of its potential voting popula-
ton. The national vote, as we re
call it in 1913, was around 40 per
cent.
We take no little pride in the
fact that comparatively small
Wrangel and stikine precincts
came up witch a whopping 449 bal
lots. For a community of something
over 1900 people we think it viii
stand up against any record they.
want to trot it out. 1t was a great
demonstration of the voters eNercis-
ing their right of franchise and &C
cepting their responsibility to con-
duct their own public affairs.
A Bow to Bartlett !
Delegate E. L. Bob" Bartlett,
the kid from Miller House on the
Yukon, revealed that despite some
rather hazardous handicaps e
still has the confidence of the peo-
pie of Alaska. He was returned to
office, according to incomplete re-
turns, in what probably was his
toughest campaign to date since he
succeeded Judge Anthony J. Dim I
ond as Delegate to Congress eight I
years ago. Defeated in what he
calls his home town, Juneau, Bob I
went on to win in the Territory at T
large, a rather nice compliment to
a man who was carrying the bur-
den of being on the ticket with the
Governor backed losers. If n d I
when he has a little time though, I
it might be an idea for Delega-e /
Bob to look over the vote given his T
fellow Democrat Neil Moore, whom
he tried to spike. Moore, bitterly
attacked by both Gov. Gruening
and Bartlett, not only is defeating
his opponent Republican Anita
Garnick for the office of Auditor,
but is leading the ticket with a
couple of thousand more votes
than even the Delegate.
It's the Upset
Upset of the campaign no doubt, !
is the defeat of Frank Metcalf for
Highway Engineer, probably one
of the most widely known men in
the Territory. With virtually no
campaign, Irving Mex. Reed, Re
publican of Fairbanks, was polling I
a nice lead over Metcalf and ap7 I
peared assured of election. Irving
McK's 40 years of high regard in
the Fourth Division was paying
off. He was also being given an as
sist by the ChilkoOt ferry mess,
Franks just probationary Ii
bel suit against the Daily Alaska
Empire and a few other things
which obviously didn't sit very well
with the voters.
The voters, in this race especial
ly, besides clipping some bureau
cratic wings gave hAtC NOIC u
confidence to the Empire.
Metcalf conceded his defeat in
note to The Sentinel yesterday.
Said he: Thanks for the boost.
Please cancel my subscription i'm
mediately."
They Did 1t Again
True to form. the Wrangell and
Petersburg cand d ties came
through with flying colors. Rep.
Doris Barnes of Wrangell, candid
ate for the Senate, is assured of
election and, as usual, is leading
the legislative ticket. Rep. Ed
Locken of Petersburg, seeking re-
election to the House, is up there
fighting it out with Mayor Waino
Hendrickson of Juneau to see
who'll lead the House ticket
A few years ago a chap in Jun
eau with political ambitions was
asking another Juneau man, who
had recently won an election, just
how one went about winning an
election, anyhow. Said the latter,