SKAL LIFE ON THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 359 



And so the story continued to the end of the chapter; one officer 

 willing 1 to lay all the blame on the other, while between them the inter- 

 ests oi the Government are left to suiter, and the law, that was intended 

 to do good, become a subject of derision and contempt. 



Atrhineau many influential professional and businessmen whose 

 names can be given if necessary expressed themselves to me in sub- 

 stance as follows: "There are 30 saloons here doing an open, public 

 business, and the governor is being very badly deceived by men high 

 in public a Hairs who are all more or less financially interested in the 

 liquor business. We favor the fearless enforcement of the law or its 

 unconditional repeal. We think that the true solution of the liquor 

 question in Alaska is high license say $1,000 in Sitka and Juneau and 

 in proportion in smaller places.'" 



One of the most prominent attorneys at the Juneau bar said: "I 

 have faith in the future of Alaska, and I think I can give some reliable 

 information about the country and its needs. 1 believe the Govern- 

 ment is to blame because, for ten or twelve years, no effort has been 

 made to enforce the law, until now the average man has no idea of 

 having any law enforced. Courts, juries, and lawyers are looked upon 

 with contempt. Juries can not be found here, even among our best peo- 

 ple, to convict for smuggling or violating the revenue laws. Perjury 

 is common; and I should advise the taking away the jury system of 

 trial in cases where the excise laws are in question. I would say that 

 all petty cases should be tried without a jury. Everything here cost, 

 distance, and sparse settlement isagainstit. The whole system needs 

 an overhauling. Tilings are done in such a slipshod manner that Gov- 

 ernment interests are neglected and the weak attempts made to uphold 

 the law are a complete farce. No serious attempt has been made to 

 enforce the liquor law, and liquor is sold here publicly. Charge $1,000 

 for license and then enforce the law. Had I the power to do it, I would 

 enforce the law at any cost; for, as now carried on, we are teaching the 

 rising generation to utterly disregard all law, and they are growing up 

 to be our dangerous classes." 



The foregoing are sample conversations with the best people in 

 Alaska, and I could quote scores of them were it necessary. 



Complaint was made on all sides by men of that large class who are 

 too poor to purchase liquor in large quantities and are not influential 

 enough to get permits from the customs authorities to bring it in on the 

 mail steamer. That only a few favored ones mostly liquor dealers 

 were allowed this privilege seemed to be a source of much indignation. 



Exhibit marked B. handed me by the district attorney, shows the 

 quantity of liquor that entered by permit from January 1, 1894, to 

 March 10, 1.S95 fourteen months; during which time permits were 

 issued to 34 persons to bring in several hundred barrels of distilled and 

 malt liquors. 



It seemed that the necessity to obtain a permit had ceased to exist 

 when I was in Juneau in May. for representative salesmen for whole- 

 sale liquor houses at San Francisco, Seattle, and Portland were otler- 

 ing to deliver the liquor into the saloons at Juneau before they would 

 ask pay. 



This, in brief, is a true outline of the liquor question in Alaska, nor 

 can it be remedied unless the Government goes to work to enforce or 

 repeal the present prohibitory law relating to the liquor traffic in the 

 Territory. 



So long as the Government does not own or control a boat of any sort 

 in a stretch of country 1,500 miles long, where the only road is a water- 



