The Alaska Socialist
February 24, 1915, front page | |
| Type | Newspaper |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Socialist Publishing Company |
| Editor | Andrew Knowles |
| Founded | 1913 |
| Ceased publication | 1915 |
| City | Fairbanks, Alaska |
| Country | United States |
| OCLC number | 34775168 |
The Alaska Socialist was an American semi-monthly newspaper published in Fairbanks, Alaska. Founded by Lena Morrow Lewis in 1913, the paper was first published on September 29, associated with the Socialist Party of America. In April 1914, following elections in Fairbanks, Andrew Knowles seized editorship over the paper and cut ties with the Socialist Party and began heavily criticizing Lewis. The paper also began feuding with publisher George Hinton Henry, who accused Knowles of falsifying stories and being degrading towards Lewis. The Alaska Socialist published its final issue in February 1915.
History
The Alaska Socialist was founded by Lena Morrow Lewis in Fairbanks, Alaska, shortly after arriving there.[1] It was founded amongst a trend where papers were created to promote a specific political agenda and often proclaimed its affiliation in its title, such as the Taney County Republican or Ripley County Democrat.[2] The paper pressed its first issue on September 29, 1913. It was founded after various Alaskan residents advocated for a newspaper dedicated to the working class, stating that it "published in the interest of the workers of Alaska and advocating political and industrial action."[3] According to an article in The Weekly Alaska Citizen, the intent of the paper was to teach and promote socialist thought.[4] The paper was published by the Socialist Publishing Company; its schedule was semi-monthly, although the specific dates the paper was published were inconsistent.[3] According to text written by the Alaska State Library, the paper's reporters included a politician, two former detectives, a former preacher, and several working-class people.[3]
Following elections in Fairbanks that were held in April 1914, socialist politician[3] Andrew Knowles seized editorial control over The Alaska Socialist from Lewis.[5] Under his control, Knowles had alleged that Lewis and John M. Brooks—the Socialist Party of America candidate for congressional delegate for the Alaska Territory[5]—conspired to deny the candidacy to miner Dan McCabe, who Knowles claimed had actually won the most votes. He named the duo the "Lewis-Brooks Machine" and referred to Brooks as a "Seattle carpetbagger", despite having first arrived in Alaska in 1897.[6] Lewis was accused by a socialist group in Olness, a mining town north of Fairbanks, of having "sneaked into Fairbanks" and attempting to take control over the Socialist Party's structure, as well as conspiring with several of her allies to abandon "the principles of Socialism and worked political tricks that would shame a bunch of Tammany politicians." The group further accused Lewis of pestering fellow socialists for funds while only hosting one local. As a result, The Alaska Socialist severed any connection with the Socialist Party and declared itself as an "independent Socialist paper devoted to political and industrial action."[6]
The Alaska Socialist was often in feuds with The Free Press and The Socialist Press, both ran by George Hinton Henry. In April 1914, Henry accused Knowles of falsifying stories and acting as a "viper" and "assassin of woman's character" towards Lewis. The Alaska Socialist responded three days later by naming Henry a "booze-guzzling would-be-editor" and a "literary-degenerate-booze-inspired-irresponsible outcast." The Alaska Socialist was condemned by several local socialist groups, including the Socialists of Fairbanks and Socialists of the Fourth Division, the latter of described the publication as "pseudo-Socialist" and claimed that Knowles was an expelled member.[3][7] In November 1914, Bion Dodge, a former assistant district attorney, became the paper's new editor.[8] The Alaska Socialist published its final issue on February 24, 1915.[9] Throughout its lifespan, the paper was based in Fairbanks.[3]
References
- ^ Sullivan 1992, p. 4.
- ^ Hulden 2023, p. 173.
- ^ a b c d e f "About The Alaska socialist. (Fairbanks, Alaska) 1913-19??". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. Retrieved February 26, 2025.
- ^ "New Publication". The Weekly Alaska Citizen. Fairbanks, Alaska. October 6, 1913. p. 5. Retrieved February 26, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Sullivan 1992, p. 7.
- ^ a b Sullivan 1992, p. 8.
- ^ "Repudiate Organs". The Weekly Alaska Citizen. Fairbanks, Alaska. November 16, 1914. p. 3. Retrieved February 27, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Untitled". The Weekly Alaska Citizen. Fairbanks, Alaska. November 2, 1914. p. 4. Retrieved February 27, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Wickersham 1927, p. 253.
Sources
- Hulden, Vilja (2023). "The Battle over Public Opinion". The Bosses' Union: How Employers Organized to Fight Labor Before the New Deal: 170–193. doi:10.5622/illinois/9780252044830.003.0008. ISBN 978-0-252-04483-0. JSTOR 10.5406/j.ctv35chj7s.11.
- Sullivan, Joseph (1992). "Sourdough Radicalism: Labor and Socialism in Alaska, 1905–1920". Alaska History. 7 (1): 1–15. ISSN 0890-6149.
- Wickersham, James (1927). A Bibliography of Alaskan Literature, 1724–1924. Cordova, Alaska: Cordova Daily Times Print. Retrieved April 13, 2025.