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Represented Nationally by
J. W. GREELY and ASSOCIATES
60S Stewart Street. Seattle, Y.'ash.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19,1937
THAT UNICAMERAL LEGISLATURE—
Last week we reprinted an editorial from the Fair
banks Daily News-Miner in which argument- were ad
vanced as to why the unicameral, or une-house legisla
ture, should not -ucceed the piesent tv.o-house system.
The article is the best we have seen to date on th.s
subject, but we are still a long way from being convinced
that the one-h ust plan is a menace to .he country.
On a theory ha. is, the two-house system affords
greater protection for the r ghts . f u.l the people. But
like a great many other theories, it - id r.ot wo.k out in
practice. The cry on every side : .gardless of party is the
expense of government. It seems to be generally agr.ed
that operation and overhead cost of government nave be
come so top-heavy that the majority of citi-ens are hard
pressed to meet their tax obligations. We don’t know of
a better place to start cutting costs of government th n
right in the heart of “politician row.'’ It is a mortal cer
tainty that the only way the unicameial plan can be
put into effect is through a direct vote of the people. It
c rtaiidy would never be c ne by any group of legisla
tors who might sit in session at Juneau—that would be
striking too close to home.
Under the unicameral plan, it would be a great deal
easier for the general public to follow and understand
legirlation when it is up for passage, -and could more
surely place the blame for “haywire” legislation. The
proposed system would undoubtedly eliminate most of
the “buck passing” now so much in vogue when legisla
tion detrimental to public welfare is slipped through.
We c nsider twelve person* a sufficient number to
pass honest judgment on anyone up before the b >r of
justice and we think sixteen r-.en and women in a single
legislative house is a sufficient number to intelligently
and honestly administer the affairs of some 60.000
people residing in the Territory.
To hold to the two-house system because of tradi
tion is a poor argument these days. There are some
twenty amendments already made to the Constitution of
the United States, all of which constitute vital changes
in the original American plan of government. We con
tend the power to administer the laws of the land are
in too many hands, making it much easier for corruption
and graft to creep in. And crookedness is not just creep
ing in—it’s already in! One of the best methods of limit
ing the activities of the selfish interests and crooked
politicians is to limit their scope—through the unicameral
plan.
Injecting the matter of renpport onment in the Al
aska legislature into the argument is merely to confuse
the issue. -Agitation for reapportionment was going
on for a long time before the unicameral plan was sug
gested and is in no way connected with the latter issue.
It si our belief that the unicameral plan will be
adopted by the people of Alaska and that each division
trill have equal representation as they have at the pres
ent time.
POLITICAL TBENDf —
(Juneau Empire)
With the Republicans outnumbered so badly that
there is no opportunity for contest, political gossip
throughout the land appears to center in the controver
sies arising within the Democratic party. The court bat
tle started the idea are having their innings at predict
ing the strength of the so-called Conservative and New
Deal factions making up the Democratic party.
Outcome of the first court battle was generally in
terpreted as a Conservative victory. But there seems to
be some question whether such is the case. A recent poll
» by the American Institute of Public Opinion would
discount the theory. The Institute polled the voters in
the various states on the question, “If Roosevelt isn t a
(Continued to last column on this page.)
SIXTEEN YEARS A60 THIS WEEK
(TAKEN FROM THE FILES OF THE KI SKO TIMES)
OMAHA—Bert Acosanery won the
annual Built;., r .-diver trophy race for
h*avivr than aircraft by flying 150
miles in 52 minutes.
Mr. J. Saupe, of the Flume Dredge
Company, 1 ankee creek, and Mrs.
Sauj'e, arrived ..ere this afternoon,
on their way to Anchorage and ih®
Cntsi :e. Mr. and Mrs. Saupe wiil
spend the winter in San Francisco.
Sam Nesvoog, this afternoon, be
fore U. S. Commissioner Green, plead
gu.lty to assouit and battery, on com
plaint of Jens P. iarson. and paid a
fins of S50 and costs.
Charles Stanford, from Flat, with
tr. third oj; -si. g mail, arrived here
this aft m-on.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Crawford,
from Flat, e reroute to Anchorage, ar
rived here this afternoon.
A social dance will be given at
Ci ugh H. i! on Thanksg ving even
ing, No' ember 24. A pleasant even
ing is anticipated, and everyone will
be made welcome.
Major Gt-o. W. Albrecht, of the
well-known Iditarod law firm of Al
brecht and Tayl r, wa- among to
day’s arrivals. Major Albrecht is on
his way to ;he OuLide to spend the
winter.
Harry Meehan had the misfortune
to lose the r rs • he brought tr m
Cphir while on the way to Nixon.
The horse fc oke through the ee and
could not be extricated for 10 hours,
when it was so exhausted that it died
soon after.
Pete Michels mind today from
i iau and will leave in the morning
Jot Anchorage.
Andrew Miscoviefc stumbled and
fell against a wood saw here today,
in which his right hand was com
pletely severed.
The most sensational hanging ever
recorded in Alaska was staged Oc-1
tober 7th. when Hamilton, the In
dian from the lower Yukon, was ex
ecuted for the murder of a native.
The weight of the body, when the
trap was sprung, jerked the bead
from the body, presenting a grue
some sight, and one which sickened
the few spectators present.
While coming down from Nixon;
Forks iwth Adolph Lind, Mrs. Bugge,
wife of Cptain Bugge. got out of
the sled at Tatatina portage, and in
attempting to get down the steep
bank, fell and broke her left arm
above the wrist. Dr. W. F. Green
gave the k:eak immediate attention
upon Mr;. Burge's arrival here.
KANSAS CITY — That Wrangcl
island, in the Arctic ocean, off the
northeast i a it, of Siberia, for which
point ..n advance party of the Stef
fun n xpedition sailed from Nome
last Sej ember, will be an established
bare of : applies of a great British
cc , n, whose operations will be
of vast extent, has just been an
nounced here by Vilhiaimur Steffan
on, the tplorer. The extent and
character of these operations will be
made public shortly.
St-nd in your Subscription to The
XUSKO TIMES today
The Fastest and most Comfortable
Route to Seattle
VIA P. A. A. TO JUNEAU
Leaving Bethel and Way Points for Fairbanks every Wednesday
Leaving Fairbanks for Juneau every Sunday
PACIFIC ALASKA faRWAYS, INC.
Published Tariffs and Tickets available from our local Agent*
FIRST NATI()NAL
BANK
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA
Capital and Surplus $100,000
WILL ADVANCE MONEY ON GOLD
AND
Ship Gold at Very Reasonable Rates
We are Agents for
the following lines:
STANDARD OIL COMPANY
ATLAS PRODUCTS
Explosives and Blasting Supplies
ALYS CHALMERS TRACTORS
FORD DEALER
A. A. SHONBECK
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA
TIMELY EDITORIALS
Culied From Our Exchanges
PROOF IS LACKING—
(The V>ld«z Miner)
The manager of the Alaska railway claims that he
can lay Matanuska prodace down in Cordova at 10 cents
less per 100 pounds than it can be shipped to Cordova
from Seattle. Investigation at this end of the haul shows
that Matanuska products cost our local merchants at
least one-fourth to one-sixth mare than does the Seattle
produce.
Valdez would prefer the Matanuska vegetables, as
they are very much superior to those we receive from
the States, but they cannot afford to pay the freight.
There is no doubt that if the connecting link between
Palmer and the Richardson highway is built. Valdez con
sumers will use nothing else but all Alaska products.
The trucker can ship over the highway at much less vest.
The ranchers are making good and should be encouraged
in every way possible, but if they have to turn all their
profits over, to the railway and steamship lines, there is
no incentive to grow truck.
A shipment of Matanuska products received here last
week were the finest ever seen in this port. If some rate
can be arranged fair and equable to all concerned, the
ranchers of Palmer will have another customer.
UNITED STATES BUYS SILVER AT LOWER PRICE—
(Denver Mining Record)
The recent weakness in bar silver in the London
market was the most pronounced in more than a year
and brought the price down to the equivalent of 42.8VC
in United States currency. This price is the lowest in
more than a year. The New York price was unchanged
at 44.75c, which is based on the present price of 45c an
ounce that is offered by the U. S. Treasury Department
for foreign silver.
The slump in tjie price of silver abroad was ascribed
to the heavy movement of the metal from interior points
in China to the British settlement in Hongkong. It -is
understood that some $100,000,000 worth of silver has
been shipped to that British port since the start of hos
tilities in China. Although it is believed that part, of the
metal was shipped there for safekeeping, it is felt that
eventually a substantial amount will be sold in the open
market
Indications are that the U. S. Treasury is trying to
prevent a too drastic slump in the price of silver because
of the Sino-Japanese disturbances. The treasury, through
its agents, is reported to be the largest buyer of silver
in the London market. On the other hand, Chinese and
Indian sources were said to be the heaviest sellers. The
United States government has been accumulating silver
under the silver purchase act.
(EDITORIAL CONTINUED FROM FIRST COLUMN).
candidate for re-election in 1940, would you prefer a
conservative type <J< candidate or a New Dealer?"
Result of that poll the country over reveals, the In
stitute reports, that 67 percent favored a New Dealer
while the remaining third, or 3.'! percent, favored a Con
servative. It is interestnsg to note that this trend was
universal. The New England States voted 70 percent
New Deal preference, Middle Atlantic States, ,72 percent;
East Central States, 64 percent; West Central States, 58
percent; Southern States, 68 per cent; Rocky Mountain
States, 64 percent, and Pacific Coast States, 67 per cent.
But with this top-heavy New Deal preference, the
Institute poll indicate* that the conservative element still
has a strong influence on Democratic policies because of
the fact that it is not confined to one section but like the
New Deal sentiment, is equally divided over the country.
Dr. George Gallup, who gets out the poll, however, ex
presses the view that if public sentiment bolds as the poll
cow reveals. New Dealers may supplant some of the con
servative Senators in the Democratic primaries next year.
Among some of the Conservatives who will be in the
primaries next year is dark of Missouri, George of
Georgia, McCarren of Nevada, Tydings of Maryland and
Van Nuys of Indiana.
Equally politically intriguing in connection with pub
lic sentiment is the revelation of smother Institute sur
vey. This vote was taker on the question of a third term.
The remarkable return on that question was 57 percent
in favor of a third term, or a majority of the voters. The
President’s name was not used in this poll bat a check
on the Chief Executive’s popular standing brought out
that of 31 percent favoring hie reelection for a third
term at the first of the year 37 percent supported the
idea the first of July, indicating his growing popularity
for his election a third time even at this date far from
1940.
“It is the government's earnest desire that there
should be a settlement—says Foreign Minister. Eden.’
How tiresomely familiar the address must be to Anthony
Eden.—New York Sun.