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About Harrison press-journal. (Harrison, Nebraska) 1899-1905 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 11, 1902)
I PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S MESSAGE TO CONGRESS I To the Senate ami House of Kepre entatlvea: We (till continue iu a period of unbounded prospi sr.y. This prosperity Is not the creature of law, but undoubt edly the laws under which we work have teen instrumental in creating tho condi tions which uinde it possible, and by un wise legislation it would be easy enough to destroy ij. There "will" undoubtedly be period of depression. The wave will re cede; but the tide will advance. As a copl- we have played a largo part in the world, and we are bent upon making our fulure even larger than the past. In particular, the events of the Inst four year have definitely decided nliat. for woe or for weal, our place must ibe irri'ut nimiiiic the nations!. We do not 'Miritik from the struggle before us. There arc many problems for uh to face at tha outset of the twentieth century--grave problems abroad and still graver at home; but we know that we can solve them aud solve thim well, provided only that we bring to the Holution the qualities of head anil heart which were shown by the men who, in the days of Washington, found ed this government, and. in the days of Lincoln, preserved it. No country li-'B ever occupied a higher jilane of innteritil well-being than ours i.t the pr t moment. This well-being is due to no midden or accidental causes, but to the play of the economic fore? in this country for over a century: to our laws, our sustained ami continnom poli cies; above all. to the high individual av erage of our citizenship. f course, when the conditions have favored the growth if so much that was good, they have alo favored somewhat the growth of what was evil. It is eminently necessary that we should endeavor to cut out this f s il, but let us keep a due sense of proportion; let UK not in fixing our gaze upon the lesser evii forget the greater good. Tbu evils are real aud some of them are inen ficing, but they are the outgrowth, not of misery or decadence, but of prosperity- of the progress of our gigantic industrial development. This industrial develop ment must not he checked, but side by side with it should go such progressive I cgulntion as will diminish the evils. We should fail in our duty if we did not try to remedy the evils, but we shall succeed only if we proceed patiently, with prac tical common sense as well as resolution, separating (lie good from the bad and holding on the former while endeavoring to get rid of the latter. OKALINO WITH TRUSTS. Corporations Should He Manngol In iter l'ub.ic Ucgnlution. In my message to Uie present Cougrva at its lirst session 1 discussed ut length the question of the regulation of those big corporations commonly doing an inter state business, often with some tendency ti monopoly, which are popularly kumvu as trusts. The experience of the past year has emphasized. In my opinion, the desirability of the steps I then proposed. A fundamental requisite of social efll ciency is a high standard of individual energy and excellence; but this is in no vise inconsistent with power to act in combination for aims which cannot so -well be achieved by the individual acting nioiie. A fundamental base of civiliza tion is the inviolability of property; but this is In no wise Inconsistent with the right of society to regulate the exercise cf the artiliciul powers which it confers up on the owners of property, under the name of corporate franchises, iu such a way as to prevent the misuse of these powers. Corporations, and especially combination of corporations, should be managed under public regulation. Expe rience tins shown that under our system of government the necessary supervision cannot be obtained by State action. It must therefore be achieved by national action. Our aim is not to do away with corporations; on the contrnry. these big iiggregations are an inevitable develop ment of modern industrialism, and the effort to destroy them would be futile un less accomplished in ways that would work the utmost mischief to the entire tdy politic. We are not hostile to them; we are merely determined that they shall be so bandied as to subserve the public good. Publicity can do no harm to the tioncst corjioraiioii; aud we need not be overtender about sparing the dishonest corporation. In curbing and regulating the combi nations of capital which are or may be come injurious to the public we must be careful not to stop the great enterprises which have legitimately reduced the cost -of production, not to abandon the place which our country has won in the leader ship of the international industrial world, not to strike down wealth with the result of closing factories and mines, of turning tlie wage worker idle iu the streets and leaving the farmer without a market for what he grows. Insistence upon th'i im possible means delay In achieving the possible, exactly as, oil the other hand, the stubborn defense alike of what is .fcood and what Is Lad In the existing sys tem, the resolute effort to obstruct any Attempt at betterment, betrays blindness to the historic truth that wise evolution is the sure safeguard against revolution. Interstate Commerce. No more important subject cau come before the Congress than this of the regu lation ol interstate business. T'bn coun try cannot afford to sit supine ou the plea Unit under our peculiar system of govern ment wu are helpless In the presence of tiie new conditions, and unable to grup pie with them or to cut out whatever of cmI lias uriseii in connection with tln'in. 'J he power of the Congress to regulate interstate commerce is an absolute and iuiiiialilicd grant, and without limita tions other than those prescribed by the constitution. I believe that monopolies, unjust dis criminations, which prevent or cripple competition, fraudulent overcapitaliza tion, and oilier evi's in trust organiza tions and practices which Injuriously af fect interstate trade can be prevented un der the power of the Congress to "rcgu liite commerce with foreign nations aud among the several Slates" through regu lations anil requii enl operating di rectly upon such commerce, the liihlrtl l ieiitallties thereof, and those dig tged therein. I earnestly recommend this subject to the consideration uf the Congress with a view to the passage of n law ressotinblii hi its provisions and effective iu ita op erations, upon w hich the questions can be liurilly adjudicated that now raise doubts us to the necessity or cuihi it minimi .amendment. If it prove Impossible to tic-t complish the purposes above act forth by itch a lew, then, assuredly, we should not shrink from amending the constitu tion so a to secure beyond peradveu ture the power sought. To Enforce Anti-Trust Law. The Congress has not hcreloluru made ..'ty appropriation for the better enforce ment of I lie imtl-trust law as it now stands. Very much has been done by the depart uictit of justice iu securing the en forcement of this law, but much more could be done it Congress would make a special appropriation for this purpose, to be expended under the direction of the Attorney General. One proposition advocated bus been the reduction of the tariff us a menus of reaching the evils of the trusts which fall within the category I have described. Not merely would this be wholly ineffec tive, but the diversion of our efforts in such a direction would mean the abandon ment of nil intelligent utlempt to do away with these evils. Many of the largest corporations, many m those which should certainly be included in any pro per scheme of regulation, would uot be affected in the slightest degree by a change In the tariff, save ns such change interfered with the general prosperity of the country. The question of regulation of the trusts stands apart from the ques tion of tariff revision. CONCERNING THE TARIFF. Fitful and Radical Changes Declared Undesirable. Stability of economic policy must al ways be the prime economic need of this country. This stability should uot be foa sllizalion. The country has acquiesced in the wisdom of the protective tariff prin ciple. It is exceedingly undesirable that this system should be destroyed or that there should be violent and radical changes therein. Our past experience shows that great prosperity in this coun try has always come under a protective tariff; and that the country cannot pros per under fitful tariff changes, at short intervals. Moreover, if the tariff laws as a whole work well, and if busin 'ss has prospered under them and is pros poring, it is better to endure for a time slight inconveniences and inequalities iu some schedules than to upset business by too quick and too radical changes. It is most earnestly to he wished that we could treat the tariff from the standpoint solely of our business needs. I'tiquesthm obly these business interests will best lie served if together with fixity of principle as regards the tariff we combine a sys tem which will permit lis from time to lime to make the necessary reapplication of the principle to the shifting national needs. We niMt tuko scrupulous care that the reapplication shall be made in such a way that it will not amount to a dislocation of our system, the mere throat of which (not to speak of the perform ance! would produce paralysis Iu the business energies of the community. The hrst consideration In making these changes would, of course, Is; to preserve the principle which underlies our whole tariff system that is, the principle of putting American business interests at least on a full equality with Interests abroad, and of always allowing a suffi cient rate of duty to more thun cover the difference between the labor cost here and abroad. The well-being of the wage worker, like the well being of the tiller of the soil, should be treated as an essential In shaping our whole economic policy. .There must never be any change which will jeopardize the standard of comfort, the standard of wages of the American wage worker. One way in which the readjustment sought can be reached is by reciprocity treaties. It 1 greatly to be desired that such treaties may be adopted. If it prove impossible to ratify the pending treaties, and If there seem to be no warrant for the endeavor to execute others, or to amend the pending treaties so that they can be ratified1, then tho same end to secure reciprocity should be met by di rect legislation. Advocates a Tariff Commissi' n. Wherever the tariff conditions are i ueli that a needed change cannot with advan tage be made by the application of the reciprocity idea, then it can be made out right by a lowering of duties on a given product. If possible, such change should be made only after the fullest considera tion by practical experts, who should approach the subject from a business standpoint, having in view both the par ticular interests effected and the commer cial well-being of the people as n whole. The machinery for providing such careful investigation can readily be supplied. The executive department has already ut its disposal methods of collecting facta and figures; and if the Congress desires addi tional consideration to that which will be given the subject by Ita own committees, then a commission of business experts can be appointed whose duty it should be to recommend action by the Congress af ter a deliberate and scientific examina tion of the various schedules as they are affected by the changed and changing conditions. The cases In which the tariff can pro duce a monopoly are ao few as to consti tute nn Inconsiderable factor in the ques tion; but of course If In any case It he found that a given rate of duty does pro mote a monopoly which works III, no pro tectionist would object to such reduction of the duly as would equalize competi tion. Would Remove Tariff on t'onl. In my judgment, tho tariff on anthra cite coal should be removed, and anthra cite put nctunlly, where it now is nomi nally, ou the free list. This would have no effect at all save iu criae; but In crises it might be of service to the people. Hunk inn and Currency. Hanks are the natural servants of com merce, and upon them should be placed, us far as practicable, the burden of fur nishing and maintaining circulation adequate to supply the needs of our di versified Industries and of our domestic mid foreign commerce; and Hit Issue of this should be so regulated that a suffi cient supply should lie alwaya available for the business Interests of the country. Il would be both unwise and unneces sary nt this time to attempt to recon struct our financial system, which has been the growth of a century; but some additional legislation la, I think, desira ble, It Is suggested that all future legis lation on the subject should be with the tiew of encouraging the nae of auch In strumentalities aa will tutotiiatlcally sup- PRESIDENT THEODORE KOOSEVELT. THE PRESIDENT'S PRINCIPAL RECOMMENDATIONS. PRESIDENT KOOSEVELT'S message to Congress Is less voluminous than thoae of many of bis predecessors, containing in full only about 12,000 words. It may be called a concise and ou the whole an opti mistic document. The President congratulates the country on the pre vailing prosperity, and be assures us that while the prosperous wave will recede and at times (here will again come periods of depression, the tide will continue to advance. No country, he says, has ever occupied a higher plane of tualeriul well-being than ours at the present moment, and he predicts that the American people will permit of no national retrogres sion. The President in dealing with the trtiHt question holds that corporations, and especially combinations of corporations, should be managed under public regulation. Capital, he says, has the right to combine for Its own protection and for development along industrial lines, aud that labor has equal rights. Uut that when capital has combined to such an extent as to stifle competi tion the law-making power should remedy such a condition, and If labor in combining Interferes with the rights of others or with the welfare of the general public such combination must likewise be regulated by law. He urges that any defects in the existing law should be eradicated and the power given the Department of Justice to accomplish the real reforms the lawmakers Intended when legislation regulating the trusts was enacted. The President lays some stress on the need of conservative tariff legisla tion, which, while not attacking the foundation upon which the Republican policy of tariff for protection is built, will remodel it to meet new conditions and remove any evils that the prolonged imposition of present tariffs may have caused. The foreign relations of this country are reviewed In a very brief and formal manner. No International question Is pending in which this country is vitally Interested. There is not a cloud on the horizon, the President says, but he advocates provision for a thoroughly efficient navy to Insure a con tinuance of this state of affairs. On Cuban reciprocity the President stands precisely where his predecessor stood on this question. He favors and urges the largest possible measure ment of trade reciprocity and pays particular nttentlon to the Implied pledges of this government to see to It that Cuba was put upon her feet In a business as well as a political way, aud not until that has been done through a measure of reciprocity will the duty of this government toward Cuba have been done. The unusually large Immigration to this country during the last fiscal year and the great proportion of undesirable Immigrants that have sought and, in some cases, secured entrance to this country Impels the President lo recom mend corrective legislation along Ihe lines laid down by the present ad ministration of the Immigration otliee. The strengthening of Ihe civil service receives the approval of the Presi dent, and the recent slgulug of the contract with the Pacific Cable Company Is referred to ns another step toward the advancement of the Interests- of this country In the Pacific Ocean and the far East. The President refers to Congress having already wisely provided that we shall nt once build an Isthmian canal, If possible at Panama. He reports that a good title can be acquired from 1he French Panama Cnnal Company, and tells that the negotiations with Colombia are still pending. ply every legitimate demand of produc tive Industrie and of commerce, not only in the amount, but in the character of circulation; and of making all kinds of money Interchangeable, and, at the will of the holder, convertible Into the estab lished gold standard. CAPITAL AM) LABOR. Interest of Kach Must Harmonize with Interest of the Public. now to secure fair treatment atlke for labor and for capital, how to hold In check the unscrupulous man, whether employer or employe, without weakening Individual Initiative, without hampering and cramp ing tbe Industrial development of Ibe coun try. Is a problem fraught wltb great diffi culties and one wblcb It Is of tbe highest luiportsuee to solve ou Hues of sanity aud far-slgbtcd common sense as well as of devotion lo tbe right. 'Ibis Is on era of federation and combination. Kxuctly as business men llud I bey must olieu work through corporal Ions, sod as II Is a con st ant tendency of these corporutious to grow larger, so It Is often ucccMsiiry fur laboring men to work lu federations, aud these have become Important fuclors of modern indnslrinl life. Itotb kinds af federation, capitalistic and labor, can do lunch good, mm as a uec, sary corollary they cun both do evil. Op position lo ei'eh kind of nrinin'zntton "heipd tske the form of opposition to whatever Is had In the conduct of ony given corpora tion or union not of attacks upon corpora tions as tinli nor upon unions ns sucb. f r some of tbe most far reselling heiieltecnt work for our people has been accomplished through both corporations and mil. ms. Kaeb must refrnln from srbprnry or tyrannous Interference with Ihe right of others. Or ganised capltsl and organised labor alike should remember that lu tbe long run the Interest of pneb musl he brought lulo har mony wltb the Interest of the gem-rat pub lic; snd Ihe conduct of each must conform to the fundamental rules of obedience to the law, of Individual freedom, and of Ins lice and fair dealing toward all. Each should remember thai In addition to power It must strive after the realisation of healthy, lofty, and generous Ideals. CUBAN KKCIPKOCITY. Treaty with the Istaiti Rennhllc (soon to II Hntitriltted. I bope soon lo submit lo the Henste a reciprocity treaty wltb Cuba. On May '.'0 Issl Ihe I '111 led Htates kept Its promise In Ibe Island by formally vacating Cuban soil and timilnf Cobs over lo those whom her own people bad chosen aa tbe first olUelals of the new republic. Cuba lies at our itoors. and whatever af fects her for (nod or for III affce'a ns also, Ho muck have our people felt this that In the i'latt asjsadasnt ws delslitly lock the ground that Cuba must hereafter have closer political relations wltb us than with any other power. Thus In a sense Cuba has become a part of our International po litical system. This makes It necessary that In return she should be given some of the benefits of becoming part of our eco nomic sysieui. It Is, from our own stand point, a short-sighted and mischievous poll cv to fall lo recognize this need. We should always fearlessly Insist upon nnr rights In the face of the strong, and we should with ungrudging hand do our generous duty by tbe weak. 1 urge the adoption of reciprocity with Cuba not only because It Is eminently for our own Inter ests to control the Cuban market and by every means to foster our supremacy la the tropical lauds and waters south of ns, hut also because we, of tbe giant republic of tbe north, should make all our sister na tions of tbe American continent feel that whenever they nil! penult It we desire to show ourselves disinterestedly and effect ively 1 heir friend. A convention with Oreat Britain has been concluded, which will be at once laid be fore ihe Senate for ratification, providing for reciprocal trade arrangements between the I 'nlted Htntes and Newfoundland ou substantially Ihe lines of Ihe convention formerly negotiated by tbe Secretary of Mate, Mr. manic. I believe reciprocal trade relations will be greatly to tbe advautnge of both rountrles. Tiie ll u ac Tribunal. Wherever possible, arbitration or some similar method should he employed In lieu of war to seiTle difficulties between civil ized mi Inns, iiltboiigb as yet ihe world has not progressed sufhelcii' ty to render It pos sible, or necessarily desirable, lo Invoke arbitral tun In every case. The formal Ion of Ihe Inlcrmilhiual tribunal which sits at 'Ills Hague Is an event of good otiieu from which great conse(Uenees for the welfare or all mankind may flow. It Is a matter of sincere cnngrnialntlon to mir country that Ihe CnPcd States snd Mexico should have beeu tbe first to use the good otllces of The Hague court. Ibis was done last summer wlib most satlsiac lory results In Ihe cne of a elnltn at lasue between us and our sister republic. THK ISTHMIAN CANAL. Will He the Oreateat I n-rlneerlnn; Fent Yet Ace in pi (she I, The Congress has wisely provided that we shall build at mice an Isthmian canal, If possible at Panama. The Attorney l.eiiorul reports thai we can undoubtedly acquire good title from Ihe French I'atiaiiia Canal Company. Ncgollu . Ions are now iwiidlug wi ll t oloinlitn to secure her assent lo our building I lie canal. 'I his canal will he one' of the greatest engineering feats of the 1 twen leth century; a. greater engineering test than has yet been accompli-bed dur- i lug Ihe lilnnrv of nmnkllid The work I should be csrrltd out aa a con tinning policy without riganl lo change of ndiiiiiilsi rat ieir, snd It should he begun under elreiine 1 stances which will make It a mailer off pride for all aduilulsirallons to cuutluut lb peliey. Tbe canal will be of great benefit to America, and of luiportauce to all the world. Il will be of advautuge to us In dustrially sad also as Improving eur mili tary position. It will be of advantage to tbe uouDtrtes of tropical America. It is earnestly to be hoped that all of these countries will do as some of them have al ready done wltb signal success, aud wilt invite to their shores commerce by recog nizing that statiflHy and order are tbe'pre' requisites of successful development. A Pacific Cable. During Ihe fall of 1101 a communication was addressed to the Becertnry of State, asking whether permission would he grant ed hy the President lo a corporation to lay a cable from a point on the California coast to the Philippine Islnds by way of Hawaii. A statemeut of conditions or terms Uou which such corporation would undertake to lay and operate a cahlp was volunteered. The Congress adjourned without taking any action, leaving the matter In exactly 1 be same condition in which it stood when the Congress convened. Meanwhile tbe Commercial Pacific Cnhle Company bud proceeded wltb preparations for laying Its cuble. It also made applica tion to the President for access to and use of soundings taken by Ihe t'nlted Stales steamer Nero, for tbe purpose of discover ing a praetlenhle route for a trans-Paolhc cable. I'endiug consideration of this sub ject. It appeared Important and desirable to attach certain conditions to the permission to examine and use the soundings. If It should be granted. These condition pre scribed, among other things, a maximum rate for commercial messages and that the company should construct a line from the Philippine Islands to China, there being at present, as Is well known, a British line from Manila to Hong Kong. The representatives of the cable company have, however, at length acceded to these conditions, and no all-American line be tween our Pacific const and the Chinese empire by way of Honolulu and the Philip pine Islands Is thus provided for and Is expected within a few months to be ready for business. Porto Rico Is Prosperous. Of Porto Itlco It Is only necessary to say that the prosperity of the Island and the wisdom with which It has been governed have been such as to make it serve as on example of aii that is best in iusuiar administration. PKACK IN THK PHILIPPINES. Nicht of Liberty and Government Reach Limit of Advisability. On July 4 last, on the li;6ih anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, peace and amnesty were promulgated In the Philippine Islands. Some trouble has since from time to time threatened with the Mohammedan Morns, but with the late In surrectionary Filipinos, t he war has entirely censed. Civil government bits now been Introduced. Not only does each Filipino enjoy such rights to life, liberty, and tbe pursuit of happiness as lie has never before known during the recorded history of the Islands, hut the people taken as a whole now enjoy a measure of self government greater than that granted lo any other Oriental bv anv foreign power and greater than that enjoyed by ny other Orientals miller their own governments, save the Japanese alone. Yc have not gone too far lu granting these rights of liberty and self government: but we have certainly gmie to the limit that in the Interests of the I'hlllp plue people themselves It wns wise or Just to go. To hurry matters, to go faster than we are now going, would entail calamity on the people of the Islands. No policy ever entered Into by the American people has vindicated Itself lu more signal manner than the policy of holding the Philippines. The triumph of our arms, above all the triumph of our laws and Ihe principles, has come sooner than we had any right to ex pect. Too much praise cannot be given to Ihe army for whn' It hns done In the Philip pines both In warfare and from an ad ministrative standpoint In preparing the way for civil government: and similar credit belonics to the civil authorities for tbe way In which they have planted the seeds of self government In the ground thus made ready for them. The courage, the unflinch ing endurance, the high soldierly efficiency, and the general kind heartedness and hu manity of our troops have been strikingly manifested. There now remain only son.e lfi.ono troops In the Islands. All told, over 100.000 hove been sent there. Construct ve rt eamanahip. Taking the work of tbe army and the civil authorities together. It may be ques tioned whether anywhere else in modern times the world has seen a better example of real constructive statesmanship than our people have given In the 1'blllpplne Islands. Hlgb praise should also be given those Kliiplnns. In the aggregate very numerous, who have accepted the new conditions and joined with our representatives to work wltb hearty good will for the welfare of the Islands. Tbe army hns been reduced to tbe mini mum allowed by law. It Is very small for the sire of the nation, and most certainly should he kept at the highest point of ef ficiency. The senior officers nre given scant chance under ordinary conditions to exer cise commands commensurate wltb their rank, nnder circumstances which would fit them to do their duty Id time of actual war. A system of maneuvering our army In bodies of some little size haa been be gun and should be steadily continued. The measures providing for tbe reor ganization of the ml lit la system and for securing tbe highest efficiency in tbe aa tlonal guard, which bns already passed the House, should receive prompt atteutlon and action. Naval Maneuvers and The r Object. for the first time In our history naval maneuvers on a large scale are being belli under tbe immediate command of tbe ad miral of tbe navy. Constantly increasing atteutlon Is being paid to the gunnery of the navy, but It Is yet far from what It should he. I earnestly urge tbst the In crease asked for by t tie Secretary of the Navy In tbe appropriation for Improving tbe marksmanship be granted. There ahould be no halt In tbe work of building up tbe navy, providing every year additional fighting craft. We are a very rich country, vast In extent of territory and great In population; a rnuutry, more over, wblcb has on army diminutive Indeed when compared with ihst of ony other first class power. We have deliberately mode our own certain foreign policies which demand tbe possession of a flrat cluss navy. The Isthmian Canal will greatly Increase the ef ficiency of our navy If the navy is of suf ficient size: but If we hnve an Inadequate nnvy, then the building of tbe canal would be merely giving a hostage to any power of superior strength. The Monroe Doctrine should be treated ns the ciirdlnnl feolure uf American foreign policy: but It would be worse thou Idle to assert It unless we In tended to hock II up. mid It can be hacked up only by a thoroughly good navy. POHTAL HKVKNUKH INCHIiAhK. Business Activity tho Cause-l'roKrcss of Free Rural Mai Delivery, The striking Increase lu Ihe revenues of tbe postolllce deportment shows clearly the prosperity uf our people and Ihe Increasing ocll il. of ihe business of Ihe country. 'Ihe receipts of the postolllce department for tbe fiscal year ending Julie Ho Inst amounted lo t I21.MK,(H7.-1. an Increase of lll.21il.Ki:i.M7 over the preceding year, Ihe largest Increase known in Ibe history of the postal service. The magnitude uf this lu cres will best appear from the fuel that the entire postal receipts for tbe year lMjo it mutinied to but f,'lh.tXi". Ilurui free delivery service Is no longer In Ihe experimental singe: It has become a fixed policy, t'l'lie results following Its In troduction have fully Inslltlrd the congress In the large iipprnprlat mas made for lis eat u I ill i- li n e ii I and extension. 'Ihe average jenny Increase In poslofllee receipts lu tna rural districts of the country Is about per cent We jre now able, by actual re sults, lo show flint where rural free deliver suits, lo snow Hint where rural free deliv ery service lias been established to sucb an extent as to enable us to moke compari sons Ihe i early increase baa been upward of 10 per cent. On Nov. 1, 1002, ll.n.'.O rural free deliv ery routes had ben established aoO war In operation, covering a boat ene third of the territory of the 1 nlted States available ; for rural free delivery service. There ore ! now awaiting tbe action of the department petitions and applications for tbe establish meut of 10.748 additional routes. Thlg ; shows conclusively the want which the es tablishment of the service has met and : tbe need of further extending it as raaidlv j ss possible, it Is ju,:t fried bo!b by tho nuauciai results ana oy uie practical Bene fits to our rural population: It brings the men who live on the soil Into close rela tions with the active business werld: It keeps the farmer In dally touch with tbe markets; It is a potential educational force: 't enhances the value of form prop erty, makes farm life far nlensanter and J less Isolated, and will do much to check the undesirable current from country to city. It Is to lie hoped that tbe Congress will make liberal appropriations for- the con tinuance of the service already established and for Ita further extension. Irriuatiou of Arid Western Lands. Few subjects of more Importance bava been taken up by the Congress la recent years than the inauguration of tbe system of nationally-aided irrigation for tbe nrld regions or ibe tar West. A good beginning therein has beeu ninde. Now that this pol icy of national irrigation hns been adopted, the need of thorough and scientific forest protection will grow more rapldtv tbaa ever throughout the public-land States. Hit far as they ore available for agricul ture, and to whatever extent tbev may he reclaimed under the national irrig.itloa law the remaining public lands should be held rigidly for tbe home builder, tbe settler who lives ou his land, and for no one else. In lUelr actual use Ihe desert land law, the timber and stone law, and tbe commutation clause of the homestead law have been so perverted from the Intention with which they were enacted as to permit the ac quisition of large areas of the public do main for other than aetnal settlers and the consequent prevention of settlement. Moreover, the approaching exhaustion of the public rsuges has of late led to much discussion as to tbe best manner of using these public lands In the West which ara suitable chiefly or onlv for grazing. Tha sound and steady development of tbe West depends upon the building up of boraea therein. Much of our prosperity ns a notion has been due to the operation of tbe bonie steotl law. On the other hand, we should recognize the fact that In Ihe grazing re gion the man who corresponds to the home steader may lie unable to settle permanent ly If only allowed to use Ihe some amount of pasture land that his brother, the home steader Is allowed to use of arable land. Alnhk Need of Better La I especially urge upon the Congress tha need of wise legislation for Alaska. It Is not to our credit as a nation that Alaska, which has been ours for thirty-five years. cm utile H (Jlior U BSieill OI IBWS as is the case. No country has a more valuable possession In mineral wealth, In fisheries, furs, forests, and also In land available for certain kinds of farming and stock growing. It Is a territory of great size aud varied resources, well fitted to support a large permanent population. Alas ka needs a good land law and such provis ions for homesteads and pre-emptions aa will encourage permanent settlement. How to Deal with the Indian. In dealing with the Indians our aim should he their ultimate absorption Into the body of our people. But In many cases this absorption uniM and should be very slow. In portions of the Indian Territory the mixture of blood hns gone on at tha same time with progress In wealth aud eiiucaiinn, so that there are plenty of men wltb varying degrees of purity of Indian blood who are absolutely Indistinguishable in point of social, political, ond economic ability from their white associates. Tbera I "ther tribes which have ns yet mad j no perceptible advance toward aiieb equal ity. To try to force sucb fribes too fast is to prevent their going forward at all. I The first and most Important step toward ; the absorption of the Indian la to teach him to earn bis living; yet It Is not neeea sarily to he assumed that In each com munity all Indians must become either till ers of the soil or stock-raisers. Tbeir In dustries may properly be diversified, and those who show special desire or adapta bility for Industrial or even commercial pursuits should be encouraged so far aa ; oractlcahle to follow nut nu,.h hi Kvery effort should be made to develop i tbe Indian along the lines of natural apti tude, and to encourage the existing native Industries peculiar to certain tribes, such aa Ihe various kinds of basket weaving, canoe building, smith work, and blanket work. Above all, the Indian boys and girls ahould be given confident command of col loquial Kngllsb, and should ordinarily b prepared for a vigorous struggle wltb tho conditions under which fhelr people live, rather than for Immediate absorption Into some more highly developed community. ecieacs Brought to Farmer's Aid. In no department of government work la recent years bas there been greater success tbaa lu thai of giving scientific aid to lbs farming population, thereby showing them how most efficiently to help themselves. There Is no need of Insisting upon Us Im portance, for the welfare of the farmer Is fundamentally necessary to the welfare of the republic aa a whole. In addition to sucb work as quarantine agalnat animal and vegetable plugues, and warring agalnat them when here Introduced, much efficient help has been rendered to the farmer by . tbe Introduction of new plants specially fitted for cultivation nnder the peculiar con ditions existing In different portions of ths country. The District of Columbia Is the only part of our territory In wblcb tbe national gov ernment exercises local or municipal func tions, and where In consequence ihe gov ernment baa a free hand In reference ts certain types of social and economic legis lation which must he essentially local or muolclpal in their character. Tbe govern ment should see to It, for Instance, Ibat ' the hygienic and sanitary legislation affect ing Washington Is of a hlgb character. Ths evils of slum dwellings, whether In a shaps of crowded and congealed tenement houss districts or of the back alley lype, should sever be permitted to grow np In Wash ington. The city should be a model is every respect for all Ihe cltiea of tbe coun try. The safety-appliance law, for tbe better protection of the Uvea and limbs of rail way employes, which was passed In 1HH3, went Into full effect on Aug. I, 1001. It has resulted In averting thousands of casu alties. Kxperlenee shows, however, ths necessity of additional legislation to per fect thla law. I seless Public Dncnments. There Is a growing tendency lo provlds for Ihe publication of masses of documents for which there is no public demand and for tin printing of which Ihere Is no real necessity. Nothing should be printed by any of the deportments unless II contains soineihliig of permanent value, and Ihe Con gress could with ndvnntnge cut down very materially on all the printing which It baa now become rustonniry lo provide. Gratifying progress has been made dur ing ibe year lit Ihe extension of ibe merit system of tusking nppnliiinicula In ihe gn erniueut service It should he extended by law lo the District of Columbia. Il Is much lo be desired that our consular system be established bv law on a basis providing for appointment and promotion only In con sequence of proved filness. Additions to I'rcsid-nt's Residence. Through a wise provision of the Congress at Its last session Hie While House, which hsd become disfigured by Incongruous addi tions snd changes, bus now been rintorcd to what II v. as planned to be by Washing ton. In making the resinrnlloua Ihe ut most care hns been exercised to come as near as possible to the early plans and Is supplement these plans by a c ireful study of auch buildings as I hat of Ibe I nlverslty of Virginia, which wns Inilll by Jefferson. 'Ihe White House Is the properly vt ibe na tion. 'Ibe siaiely simplicity of lis arest lecture la an expression of ihe character of Ihe period In which It was Inilll. and U ts accord with the purposes li was designed to serve. It Is n gnnd thing to preserve), such buildings na historic uinniatmt e"a) keep alive our sense of continuity with its saltan's past. THKODORI HuOISriLT. '
