LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY FOR  ALASKA.                         61
are able to form an opinion of its different provisions, it should be acceptable to Alaskans. That it will meet with opposition from the big corporations doing business in the Territory may be taken for granted, but these institutions may as well heed the handwriting on the wall—Alaska is going to have home rule, and have it soon.
[Editorial, North Star, Cordova.]
PRESIDENT   IS   SURPRISED, v
Press dispatches state that President Taft was surprised at the storm of protests raised by his declaration against home rule. He was quoted as saying unofficially that he would make no recommendations to Congress touching the interests of this Territory until after he had visited the northland.
We hope this is true, at least, so far as self-government is concerned. He would find an entirely different state of affairs from what he has been led to believe. Judging from his remarks, the " interests " and not the common people have given him his views of Alaska and Alaskans.
With every newspaper in the Territory declaring for home rule, save two, controlled by corporations, it is not a difficult matter to gauge the public sentiment. Newspapers not serving special interests may be depended upon to voice the sentiments of their respective communities.
The community interests are their interests, and the nearer a paper can come to serving these the greater will be the influence and sphere of usefulness. We are satisfied that Mr: Taft will reconstruct his views once he is made acquainted with the real conditions in Alaska. When he sees and understands the aims, views, and ambitions of the representative American citizens of this northland he will not want to deny them the privileges that are now extended to natives in other insular possessions.
[Editorial, Daily Miner, Ketchikan, Oct. 6, 1909.]
President Taft's speech on Alaska is a disappointment. He knows nothing of Alaska except from hearsay, and the only person authorized to speak for Alaska is James Wicker sham. It follows then that Mr. Taft has utterly ignored the Alaskan Representative and listened to some of the ward heelers who are playing the political game in the Northland. He has ignored nearly all the mayors and nearly all the newspapers and says practically that at least 40,000 people up here don't know what they want, because a half dozen carpetbaggers told him so.
Mr. Clark in his speech has not committed himself to any political belief. He comes up here, of course, primed with the Taft idea of government by carpetbag, but had not set foot in the Territory an hour until he felt the unanimous sentiment for self-government. If he favored it the administration would recall him and if he opposed it an outraged people would accomplish his overthrow; so he said nothing. And nothing is just the proper thing to keep on saying until he visits the various parts of the Territory.
[Editorial, Alaska Daily Dispatch, Juneau, Oct. 2,  1909.]
The address of President Taft, while a blow to the advocates of Territorial government in Alaska, will not dishearten the brave men of the North who have been fighting for an American form of government. That the President of the United States should so broadly oppose such a move is indeed substantial opposition and the Territorialists can only hope by honest representation to overcome this opposition. That the President has been ill advised about conditions north goes without question. Now is the time for every Territorialist to buckle to the fight and stay with it until the victory is won. We have the argument and the facts. The opposition has the ear of the President for the time being. When the great light comes they will be exposed as obstructionists seeking to sack Alaska under the guise of being its benefactors. Do not be discouraged, but remain steadfast, demanding that right prevail.