PART 5 - JUNE 20-23 FLIGHT FROM THE CITY: THE SEWARD GATEWAY EDITORIAL: SHOWS HE IS SMALL
ROCKWELL KENT WILDERNESS CENTENNIAL JOURNAL
100 YEARS LATER
by Doug Capra © 2018-19
Part 5- Vermont: Flight from the City
Shows He Is Small: The June 20, 1919 Seward Gateway Editorial
June 20-23, 2019
ABOVE – Atop the Harding Icefield. Part
of the icefield is managed by Kenai Fjords National Part; the other part by the
Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. Nearly 40 outlet glaciers flow down from this
icefield. The ones that reach the sea are called Tidewater Glaciers. Some are
Valley Glaciers (Like Exit Glacier) and various types of Alpine/Mountain/Cirque
Glaciers. Photo by Jim Pfeiffenberger
We are at June 20, 1919. Kent is at Egypt
in Arlington, Vermont. His book – Wilderness:
A Journal of Quiet Adventure in Alaska -- hasn’t been written yet, but his
letter to Christian Brinton used as an introduction to the Knoedler
Gallery drawings exhibition catalogue – is like an abstract capturing its
essence. The letter not only augments the exhibit but also creates anticipation
for next year’s paintings’ exhibit. That letter later appears in every edition
of Wilderness – and during 1919 it is
often reprinted with the reviews of the drawings. The Literary Digest (LD) republishes
it in their May 31, 1919 issue with selections from Henry McBride’s May 11,
1919 review in the New York Sun. That
LD issue makes its way to Seward
sometime before mid-June. For a few days it’s probably the talk of the town – a
reminder no doubt of the conflict between Kent and a local school teacher that shouted
across the front pages of the Seward
Gateway in late March. Since that newspaper had if not instigated -- at
least encouraged the controversy -- the editor no doubt felt obligated to
comment on the LD piece. The editorial
is titled SHOW HE IS SMALL. It begins:
In
a recent Literary Digest there appeared a page and a half article about one
Rockwell Kent, who gained considerable notoriety in Seward several months ago,
by breaking into print in the Gateway, and being roundly scored by a well-known
Seward woman of his city, for several sentiments expressed in his writings. In a small town like Seward, teachers become
pretty-well known, though Mary Baen Wright had been in Seward less than a year.
Baen’s attack upon Kent and Rockie was based upon a March 27, 1919 letter Kent
wrote to the Seward Gateway titled Praise for Alaska. The first paragraph
of that letter is indeed praise for Alaska with a focus on its freedom. Wild,
unharnessed freedom and liberty as a theme runs through Wilderness, and some of his Alaska art. Kent warns locals against the dangers that the changes and growth
of the future will produce. Decisions regarding change should be made by
real Alaskans who represent the unleashed freedom and manhood that the
territory represents. Seward was well
aware how its designation as the terminus and headquarters of the new Government
Railroad had brought the stress of change with it. The town had split into one
group pushing for quick change -- which meant new and increased taxes -- and another
insisting on slow or little change with the familiar mantra, no new taxes.
In the second paragraph, Kent advised
the town that it shouldn’t concern itself with how things were done Outside,
i.e. in the states. This reminded me of the bumper stickers I saw on cars back
in 1971 when I first arrived in Alaska – We
Don’t Give A Damn Now They Do It Outside. With the discovery of oil and the
pipeline stalled in court many newcomers like myself were arriving in Anchorage
looking for work. Old time Alaskans didn’t appreciate Outsiders telling them
how to get things done. Even if some Alaskans agreed with Kent’s advice in his
letter – like today, Alaskans in 1919 didn’t appreciate Outsiders giving them
advice – even if it was advice not to accept advice from Outsiders.
BELOW – An article from the Aug. 22,
1972 issue of the Times Herald (Point Huron, Michigan).
In the third paragraph of Kent’s Praise
for Alaska he reminds old time Alaskans that they are the ones most fitted to make
important decisions – not the outsiders who represent the herd. The mass of men the world around are sheep,
Kent writes.
I’m
reminded of Henry David Thoreau in Chapter I (Economy) of “Walden; or Life in
the Woods:” The mass of men lead lives of
quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From
the desperate city you go into the desperate country, and have to console
yourself with the bravery of minks and muskrats. For Kent, it was
porcupines and magpies.
All men are leaders in Alaska and need
to prevent the herd from taking away their freedoms, Kent maintains. In the
next paragraph Kent gets specific: Unless
you choke it now it will overwhelm you, and with the influx of now thousands
from the crowded states your strong freedom will vanish under the trivial
culture of lesser men. These are the amateur sleuths, the busy bodies,
those who want to draft you into the military and take booze away from you. He
calls them militarists in lamb’s clothing
and warns that There’s a menace of
Kaiserism in democracy, and that’s a danger even here. A free people will build
its jails for meddlers. In the last paragraph he equivocates – Oh, well,
I’m an outsider and don’t really know conditions here. These are merely
impressions, he emphasizes. Again, he praises Alaska’s freedom. He ends: It is the only land that I have ever known
to which I have waned to return. In 1919 letters to Kathleen, Kent often
states that he wants to return to Alaska, but this time with her and the
children. In fact, the tone and flow
of this letter Letter of Praise reminds me of those he wrote to Kathleen from
Fox Island. They begin with overflowing love and praise. I want this letter to
be positive, he will say. Within a sentence or two he’s transitioning into a
rant -- why it’s difficult to be positive and soon he’s into a flow that
descends into criticism, sometimes cruel. At some point he realizes where he
has gone and tries to take it back at the end.
Before reading what’s below, you may
wanty to review Seward Gateway June 20, 1919 editorial, Shows He Is Small, you
may want to go back and reread about the controversy in the local newspaper
than happened just before Kent left for Alaska. You’ll find the three entries
here – Part One – Part Two—Part Three.
The June 20, 1919 Seward Gateway editorial claims that in
that exchange with the school teacher Kent said
that he could have done much for the Resurrection Bay City, but he would not
slide down our cellar door anymore and was going to pack his blocks and
go-forgetting everybody. Oh very well, there was no crape hung upon the door,
but he did goeth. After Kent writes his final reply to the controversy, he doesn’t
stay around to fight further. He’s already booked passage home and leaves Seward
the next day. He ends that letter with a typical Kent battle flourish: On the eve of my departure it has taken a
school teacher from Indiana to furnish me with one reason why a man with children
to educate should not return to Seward. Kent knew how to hit his enemies
hard. Seward’s old timers, the real Alaskans, are not his enemy, he tries to
make clear. Still, he also knows how much the town wants to attract investment
and settlers. Seward’s real enemy, he avers, is represented by a newcomer from
the Outside who just can’t mind her own business and wants to force her values
and opinions on freedom-loving citizens. There’s also a suggestion in the
editorial comments quoted above that Kent may have had an informal agreement
with the newly formed Seward Chamber of Commerce (SCC) to help promote the
city. In February and March 1919 his letters to Kathleen Kent writes about all
the support he’s getting in town and is excited that the local SCC wants him as
a guest speaker. He may have spoken there but I’ve found no record of it.
The SCC had just reorganized on January 7,
1919. Seward had been designated the terminus of the new Government Railroad in
March 1915. With all the conflicts emerging, the SCC disbanded by 1916. One
faction created a new newspaper – the Alaska
Evening Post. This newspaper became the voice of John E. Ballaine, the
founder of Seward and of the Alaska Central Railway, which bankrupted by 1907
and reorganized as the Alaska Northern Railway. The federal government
purchased the Alaska Northern in 1915. Ballaine owned most of the land in
Seward. The government claimed that all his land and infrastructure was
railroad property and went along with the purchase. Ballaine disagreed and took
them to court. This court battle lasted for years, and initially split the
town. Ballaine demanded the government purchase his land separately. That posed
a problem for officials. They required land – so in 1917 they moved the
headquarters of the government railroad from Seward to the infant town of Anchorage
along Ship Creek. All that land was federal, mostly U.S. Forest Service. It was
much easier creating a government town on government land than it would be dealing
with private landowners. Some in Seward blamed Ballaine for instigating the
town’s loss of headquarters status.
During this time Seward
elected a newcomer as the town’s mayor, Charles Antonio Myers, who served during
1916 and 1917. Before 1916, everyone had run for city council positions, and
the one with the most votes became mayor. A new law in 1915 stated people could
run for city council or mayor. Citizens had to vote for two separate positions.
Even if some running for city council got more votes than the candidates
running for mayor – the position of mayor would be decided by separate vote. As
you can see from the articles below, Myers got 207 of 372 votes to win, but the
top five city council candidates each got more votes than Myers.
ABOVE – Article from the May
5, 1916 Alaska Evening Post. BELOW – Written on the back of this postcard of Seward
Mayor Charles Antonio Myers – “Hizzoner.” From Doug Capra collection.
An article in the January 7,
1919 Seward Gateway gives us insight
into the local infighting and disagreements that Kent was trying to negotiate
with the SCC. Let’s put it into the context of Kent on Fox Island. Between Jan.
6-8, Kent is on Fox Island desperately awaiting Olson’s return with the mail.
The old Swede had left five days earlier, presumably for a short trip. He didn’t
return until Feb. 11th. Kent is intense, working days and nights on
his drawings and paintings. He has sent those two revealing anniversary letters
to Kathleen – admitting his faults, fears, anxieties, thoughtless cruelty
toward her, promising to be faithful to Kathleen alone and end the relationship
with Hildegarde. He will take his wife and family away from the temptations of
New York, to some remote New England refuge – perhaps an old farm that he could
refurbish. By now Kathleen had read those letters and received his flowers on
their Dec. 31, 1918 anniversary – New Year’s Eve. But how would she respond? Would she believe
he was a changed man? Would she agree to remain faithful to him? He might have
to leave Alaska early to woo her again – thus, he’d better get much art done now. The trips to Seward were
expensive – staying at hotels and eating at restaurants. His money was running short.
Kent got Kathleen’s positive response
when Olson returned to Fox Island with the mail on Feb. 11 – and a week later
in Seward, his warm reception surprised and encourage him. All of a sudden, it
seemed, people were interested in his art and willing to offer him
accommodations, meals, free transportation, other support. Part of this was
because the old timers saw him now as a survivor with grit who had walked the
talk -- a man with courage and tenacity who had showed sourdough doggedness and
frontier perseverance. Another reason? He was an artist. Some had seen his
work. The reestablished SCC – after they got their grievances off their chests –
decided the town needed to publicize itself to promote its interests,
especially against the growing port of Anchorage. While Kent is struggling on
Fox Island on Jan. 7, 1919 with all his inner demons, the Seward Gateway editor writes his version of the reorganization
meeting of the SCC he attended:
There were no bricks thrown, no any violence used – the Seward Gateway wrote – but several, in fact all, at the meeting called last night to
rejuvenate the Seward Chamber of Commerce, got things off their chests in rip
roaring fashion. Several misunderstandings were explained, cliqueism was
denounced, publicity was endorsed and things are now on the way towards fair
sailing for a boosting commercial organization.
Ten men attended, including
the Seward Gateway editor. The group
did accomplish their purpose of reorganizing the SCC and Everybody in attendance had something to say, and when the publicity
matter was brought up, the Editor plainly told those at the meeting, that aside
form about half a dozen men in Seward, the citizens were the tightest kinds of
tightwads when it came to giving up news of any kind, either general news or
news of boosting character. That accusation raised the ire of banker H.S.
Balderston who attacked past SCC members for never paying their dues. The group
debated about how dues money should be spent. They talked about oil
exploration, the fishing industry, and other business interests. Everybody took a hand in the argument and
finally, through the cigar laden atmosphere, it was decided that the Chamber
should be “born again.” They would encourage more membership with dues at $5
a month – and those monies would be used to
spread Seward upon the Alaska map and show capital and labor of the states
where investments can be made in this section, and work secured. With the
war over, 1919 would see returning soldiers, laborers and investors and the town offering the best advantages and the
section with the most promising inducements will reap the benefit and any
section not taking a hunch for itself now, might as well kiss itself “goodbye.”
Seward took the hunch and was determined to see that the town’s advantages were
publicized.
The story above appeared in the Seward Gateway
in early January 1919. Local business interests were reminded that a New York
artist was documenting the beauties of Resurrection bay from his cabin on Fox
Island. We don’t know exactly what happened. My guess is that when Kent made it
to Seward in mid-February 1919, he was approached by the SCC. At that time he
was shipping out drawings and perhaps some paintings, so people may have seen
some of his work. Would you tell us more about yourself and your work, a
representative from the SCC may have asked? Would you give a talk to the SCC
membership? What could you do for Seward and what could Seward do for him? A quid pro quo was probably in the works. Kent
may have asked for references and a letter. The SCC may have said – Why don’t you
write something up telling us what you can do for us and what we can do for you
– and we’ll sign it. There is the draft of such letter miscellaneously filed in
the Kent correspondence at he Archive of American Art.
BELOW – The draft of a letter
Kent wrote as described above. We don’t know whether anything ever came of any
arrangement Kent made with the SCC.
In mid-March Kent left Fox
Island and remained in Seward for about two weeks before leaving Alaska. This
is when everything fell apart, ending with the controversial letter exchange in
the Seward Gateway. As I see it, Kent
never attached much importance to that dispute. He had been treated well by the
old timers, the pioneers in Seward. Many most likely agreed with comments in his
Praise for Alaska letter. The newspaper hullabaloo and been caused by just the
kind of outsider Kent had warned about.
So – 100 years ago today – comes
the Seward Gateway editorial in
response to the LD May 31, 1919 about Kent’s Alaska drawings. In the previous
entry, I asked you to find the one line in this editorial – from Kent’s letter
to his patron Christian Brinton – that really upset Seward. That line in the
editorial is: And Mr. Rockwell Kent wrote
something, mentioning of course that he had been in Alaska, a place about ‘steen
miles in a town on “Resurrection Bay.” Nuf said. It wasn’t Kent’s new-thing-drawings, or his radicalisms, nor the fact that he was a full-fledge mystic. None of that really
mattered. What counted is that he didn’t name that town, ‘steen miles away from his cabin on Fox Island. That was his way of
getting even with Seward, the newspaper is claiming. Perhaps they were right. Kent
was talented at fighting back with the subtle power of words.
BELOW – The full editorial in
the June 20, 1919 Seward Gateway. I've not found any evidence that Kent knew about this editorial. However, he was in contact with Olson and others from Seward during this time. So he may have known.
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