The Nome Nugget

Seeing
The
Legislature From
The Gallery

(By Mildred Hermann)

The Coffey-Green bill which seeks to abolish the Alaska Development Board was killed in the House Saturday morning by a tie vote. This action followed extended consideration of the measure in the course of which George Sundborg, general manager of the board, spent two hours on the stand undergoing questioning by House members.

Questioning by Carl Anderson relative to the board's participation in lighterage rate hearings of Bering Sea lighterage companies, led to the revelation by Sundborg to the effect that the high lighterage rates in Nome were seriously impeding development there.

Sundborg read one letter from a man who had bought sawmill equipment for surplus property at Nome for $2,500, expecting to ship same to Kotzebue for operating a saw mill in that area and found the cost of shipping was $3,500, largely because of high lighterage rate.

Sundborg also revealed that the hearing in Seattle showed that almost one-third of the revenues from lighterage were paid out in salaries, principally to Lomen brothers who do not live in Nome and that maritime practice usually allots only about six per cent for that purpose.

This is not news to your people, but you should have seen the audience reaction to it here.

Carl Anderson not a very able inquisitor as he is too inclined to lose his temper, but he had the able assistance of Maurice Johnson, who classified the lighterage rate hearing as unwarranted interference with private business; completely overlooking the public interest adversely affected by high rates.

Endorsements received from various organizations were not produced though several times requested by Steve McCutcheon.

Speaker Gill stated he had given them to some one and finally remembered it was Joy of Fairbanks, chairman of the ways and means committee, who said he had them some place and might be able to find them in his desk if he looked but did not consider them of any value anyway.

No one in the House made the mistake of Senator Jones, declaring it to be nobody's business how he voted, but the general tendency was to pooh pooh the endorsements by saying they did not represent the opinion of the majority of the members of the organizations, that the members did not know anything about the board anyway, and that they did not believe in submitting to pressure.

Frank Johnson, Indian member of the House from Kake, had the answer to that one when he said that public opinion was the kind of pressure that every member of the House could rightly be proud to submit to.

There was much attempt to de-
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Seeing The Legislature From The Gallery
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lay the vote, but it was finally taken late Friday afternoon. Then Hoopes asked permission to change his vote after it had been announced, and got decision from the speaker permitting him to do so. He then stated he would ask for a reconsideration of his vote the following day. This was stalling for time. They apparently hoped to high pressure another member to change his vote. but were unsuccessful for the next morning the vote stood 12to 12. and the bill to abolish the board was lost. Carl Anderson, andLaws voted to abolish. Ed Anderson and Ost voted against. Ost was under heavy pressure to vote otherwise and the understanding is he and Carl Anderson had quite a set-to over the matter. The next job for friends of the board will be to get appropriation to continue its work. That may prove difficult unless the voters of the Territory can convince some of the Legislators that they represent the people and not themselves.

The House is still considering a bill to provide for hospitalization for Axel Werner. M. Johnson and Laws accused Ed Anderson of pushing this legislation in order to get hold of Werner's property and a good time was had by all.

House killed the Cochran bill providing for a refund of the sales tax to Nome Light & Power Company. Not regarded as a proper charge against the Territory.

Cochran and Collins have introduced a bill to provide for a referendum on the closed shop.

New revenue bill by Engebreth provided for a tax of one cent per pound on canned salmon..This to be collectible during the next biennium only. This would take place of much smaller tax levied during the past biennium. No other important revenue bills yet.