Heppner times., December 17, 1903, Image 7

PRESIDENT
TO CONGRESS
permanent court of arbitration at The I tlssn politic from ths public service. The
! Hague. It fTir-tl to m to offtr an ad-1 conation of the Islander In In material
mlrabla opportunity to advance the prac-I tblr lar better than ever before, while
tire of the peaceful settlement Of dl-1 their governmental, Intellectual, and
pole between nation and to nee lire for I mora) advanre has kopt pac with their
'1 he Hagu tribunal a mi'mor W.i'M-.4m'l pi iiiTlnl advance. No one people ever
Chief Executive Sends Message
le's Lawmakers
to
of It practical Imix.rtanc. The nation
Interested In the controversy were o nu
merous and, In many Instance, so power
ful a to make It evident that beneficent
result would follow from their appear
ance at the name time before the bar of
that sugust tribunal of peace.
Our hope In that regard have been re
alized. Russia and Austria are represent
ed in the peraona of the learned and dis
tinguished jurist who com none the trl-1 Office for
bunal, while Great Britain, Germany, $tl,Z4,743.6,
benefited another people more than we
have benefited the Filipino by taking
possession ot the Inland.
PUBLIC LANDS.
Necessity for Revision of the Laws Is
Pointed Out.
The caah receipt of the General Land
the laat flacal year were
1" 1 f bunal, while Oreat Britain, Germany, tl,-4,743.6, an Increase of $4,762,818.47
rtlJIJltJ S lIlW ITIIlIvtira France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, the Neth- over the preceding year. Of thl turn,
erlanda. Hweden and Norway. Mexico, approximately. Um.M will so to the
the United State and Venexuela are rei- I credit of the fund for the reclamation
resented by their resoectlve agents and of arIC land, making; the total of thl
counsel. Such an Imposing concourae of fun... up to the 3oth of June, im. ap-
natlon irea'nt rig their argument to and proximately, iis,iiii,..
Invoking the tin Islon of that high court A gratifying disposition ha been
of International justice and International evinced by those having unlawful Ineloa-
peace can hardly fall to secure a like ub- ure or public land to remove their fence,
mission of many future controversies. Nearly 2,000,OoO acre so Inclosed have r en
The nation now etinearlng there will And tnrown open on demand. In but com
It far easier to appear there a second pnrtuveiy rew cases baa it Deen mxes
tlme, while no nation can Imagine its Just to go Into court to accompl's.l tn s
pride will be lessened by following the ex- purpose This work will be vigorously
ample now presented. Till triumph of prcseuited until all unlawful Inclosurr.s
the principle of International arbitration nave oeen removed.
I a subject of warm congratulation, and Experience ha shown that In the West
ht.rif.tf b Liuuru r..f th t.arM Af 1 em States themselves aa well as in the
ping-uxtena Kurai i-rcc ucuvery-ueuer uegis- t. wor.d. . .
law and the resulting- administrative
practice no longer meet the present r.ceda
HANDLES MATTERS BEFORE PUBLIC
Favors Lewis and Clark Exposition Undesirable
Class of Immigrants Should be Kept Out Ap
point Commission to Inquire Into Needs of Ship
lation for Alaska Panama Canal Question.
1903, ha been in excee of last year '
aversge, approaching PO claim for each
working oay, and It la bellev- d that the
work of the Bureau will be current at
the close of the present fiscal year.
CIVIL SERVICE RULES.
Competitive Examinations Promote
Efficiency and Economy.
During the year ended June 30 last 25,-
M persons were appointed through com
petitive examinations under the clyll-
servlce rules. This waa 12.672 more than
during the preceding year, and 40 per
cent, of those who passed the examina
tions. This abnormal growth wa largely
occasioned by the extension of clari
fication to the rural free-delivery serv
ice and the appointment last year of over
9000 rural carriers. A revision of the
clvll-servlce rules took effect on April
15 last, which ha greatly Improved their
operation. The completion of the reform
of the civil service la recognized by good
citizen everywhere a a matter of the
highest public importance, and the suc
cess of the merit system largely depends
upon the effectiveness of the rules and
and the machinery provided for tjjelr en
forcement. A very grauiying spirit oi
friendly co-operation exist In all the de
partment of the Government in the en
forcement and uniform observance of
both the letter and spirit of the civil-
service act.
RELATI0N3 WITH CHINA.
Signing of Commercial Treaty Cause Tle character and use of the remaining
' . . public lands differ widely from those of
.wr oaiiaiacuon. tne public lands which the Congress had
The signing of a new commercial treaty especially in view when these laws were
with China, which took place at Shanghai passed The rapidly increasing rate ot
on the Htn or October, is a cause for sat- disposal of the public lands la not ioi
iHfactlon. Thl act, the result of long lowed by a corresponding Increase In
discission and negotiation, places our home-bulldlng. There ia a tendency to
W A B 1 1 1 NQTON. Dee. 1-Prldent i of Justice to conduct proceeding and
Itoostvcll' mpHmige to Congress was read prosecution under suld law In the court
before the Bnnat and House today. 1 lie or the United Bute. I now recommend,
textol thu iiiinmko follows: l" a mutter of the utmost importance and
To the Bmwl. and House of Represents- urgency, the extension of the purposes of Lmmer,.,al relation with the great Orl- mass In large holding public land, c
live; I " m'f"' ii"u. " mm ii ma wo
The country I to be congratulated on available, under the direction of the At
the amount of substantial achievement toriiey-General, and untjl used, for the
which hit murked the past year, botlt
a regards our foreign anil a regards our
ental Kmnlr on a more aatlsractorv pectally timber and grazing land, ;:
footing than they have ever heretofore thereby to retard settlement. I renew ana
enjoyed. It provides not only for the emphasize my recommendation of lart
1 ee of dlolo- year that o far a they are available if
n l. .it t,.r I arrirnltiire. In Its broadest sense, an J to
domestic policy, l!"m! ,na '" relutlng to public Bn Important extension of our commerce whatever extent they may be reclaimed
mm a nation as wun a man inn .... .m mo ma rmuuii iu iioniui hv inrrKrt facllltv of aceens f chinMi urder the national irrigation .aw, tne re
r. ...... ...u uuc,,.,:. biiu inn ui -Mirta. and for tha relief of traits h the malnlng oubllc lands snouio oe neia
"-i vui uivenuiiuiioiis Iremou.l tit orris of fh ,hlo.-lu. which r g d y for the nome-ouiiaer. ine alien
have shown a deplorable state of affair nav embarrassed It In the naat. ln of the Congre 1 especially directed
in inese tnren matter or vital concern. to the timber and stone law, the deai-rt-
due enforcement of the laws of the United ordinary rights and prlvllei
Btate In general and especially of the mac ,n(1 Congular omce
civil and criminal law relutlng to public imn,.r,, ,- f '
Important things are those ot the house
hold, and therefore the country Is espe
cially to be congratulated on what ha
been accomplished In the direction or "
vkllng for lit exercise of supervision over
tlm great corporations and combinations
Uy varloua frauds and by forgeries and RURAL FREE-DELIVERY SERVICE land law. and the commutation clar.se
perjuries, thousand of acre of the pub-1 of the homestead law, which In their oper
of corporation engaged In Interstate com- lie domain, embracing land of different Rvitem Muat Be Extended and Sal- atlon have In many respects conflicted
meroo, The Congress has created ths Ue- character ard extending through varl- 7 "v Mu. uty, ali WHh wiae public-land policy. The d scus-
nartment of Commerce and Labor. Includ
tng the Hureitu of Corporations, with for
the first time authority to secure proper
publicity of such proceedings of these
great corporations a the tmhlle ha tha
rlaht to know. It has provided for the
expediting of suit for the enforcement of
the Federal anti-trust law; and by an
other law It hu secured en,ual treatment
to all producers In the transjrortatlon of
their aoods. thus taking a long stride
forward In making effective the work of
the Interstate Commerce Commission.
RECEIPT8 AND EXPENDITURES
indications Are That the 8urplus of
tha Present Year Will Be Small.
arlea Of Carriers Adjusted. Islon In the Congress and elrewhere have
The rural free delivery eervlce ha been made It evident that there Is a wide di-
steadlly extended. The attention of the vergence of opinions between those noic-
Congreas Is asked to the question of the Ing opposite view on inese suDjec, i i.u
compensation of the letter carrier and that the opposing side have string tnd
clerks engaged In ths postal service, convinced representative of weight bcth
especially on the new rural free-delivery within and without the Congress; the dlf-
routes. More route have been Installed ference being not oniy as io immen vi
since the first of July last than in any opinion, but a to matter of fact.
like period In the department s history. I Reclamation of Arid Lanaa.
While a due regard to economy must be Th work nf reclamation of the arid
fuctlv known bronifhl lotn nniniln.ni. IK.
kept in mind In the establishment of new i,nA. fh West is oroeresslng steadily
urgent necessity of a practical demarca- rout. yt lh extension of the rural f ,-ee and gatisfactorlly under the term of the
tlon or the boundurle twtween the Jurl-1 "" y w" buhhhu, ,ur law ettlng aside the proceeos irom me
diction of the Cnlted Htate and Ureat I r'a"on of oun(1 publlo policy. No Gov- dapoeal of public lands. The corps of
Hrltsln. Although the treaty of IKS be- meniai movement or recent year nas . neer- known as the reclamation
iween ureat iirituln and Kustita. the pro- """ umcuv
visions of which were copied in the treaty the ot the country districts.
ou aectlon of the country, have been
aisnonestly acquired.
ALA8KAN BOUNDARY.
Decision of the Commission Removes
Question Which Caused Alarm.
For several year past the raold de
velopment or Alaska and the establish
rncnt of growing American interests In
region therefore unsurveyed and linper
From ail source, exclusive of the po- of lwr?, whereby. Russia conveyed Alaska
tal service, the receipt of the (lovernmwnt
for the last Hscal year aggregated MiO.a'JO..
-7. The expenditure for the ame period
to the united Htatea, wa positive a to
in control, nrst by Itussla and later by
the United Blates, of a atrip of territory
LEWIS AND CLARK EXPOSITION
Congress Should Give It Support as
Well as Recognition,
t trust that the Congress will continue to
favor In all proper way the Louisiana
Purchase Exposition. This exposition
talnty undesirable. Two year ago the description of the landward margin of the commemorate the Loulalana purchase.
n llll TV 1 1 V Q I V n v iivy I II k HO
pension which made us a continental
were IUJ6.vH9.oir7, the surplus for the fiscal along the continental mainland from the
year being IM.J97.6ti7. Thd Indication are western hor or Portland Canal to
that the surplus for the present fiscal year Mount Ht. Kllaa, following and surround
will be very small. If Indeed there be any lug the Indentation of the coast and In
aurplua. A large surplus la cer-1 eluding the Islands to the westward, it
ervlce, which Is conducting the survey
and examinations, ha been thoroughly
organized, especial pain being taken to
secure under the civil service rule a
body of skilled, experienced and efficient
men. Surveys and examinations are
progressing throughout the arid states and
territories, plans for reclaiming works be
ing prepared and passed upon by boards
of engineers before approved by the Sec
retary of the Interior. In Arizona and
Nevada. In localities where uch work Is
pre-eminently needed, construction ha al-
cununcniiu - . ,,. -.. f .v..
Nation. The expedition of Lewi, and r " -Vl -.n .7
Clark across the continent followed there- "rm V . "i. JL-T.. ..
war taxes were taken off with the express strip waa Indefinite, resting on the sun-
tntentlon of equalising the Governmental posed existence of a continuous ridge or
receipt and expenditure, and though tne rang or mountains skirting the coast.
first year thereafter still showed a surplus figured in the charts of the early navl
It now seems likely that a iinsianiiai gators.
quality of revenue and expenditure
be attained, Hucn Ixing tha rase i
creat moment both to exerclso ca
economy In appropriations, anu to can channel tmtween two high peak on either IV""""" "; "Si . . . .work contemolated
aharpiy any change In our nscal revenue side, about U mile above the river "i " ..V, . of National Importance, Involving Inter
Inn nA m.rb tha h.ilnnln. nt Ik. I vIll.c iuno.ua i..- ' -r -
in 78 que- I . T. -.7 " . 1". these being delayed In part by
win It ions or revenue administration on the " , . vl.n :V"k-..T. necessities of reaching; agreemenu or un-
t ia oi BliKine Ktver tea to the establishment of I"" "V. , A derstandlng a regarda right of way or
re and . orovlslonal demarcation, crossing- the l'"cl"c- Tha acquisition of the Oregon " Mta." Mo.t of the
I ... ... -'I . ' r. . . , V ln..li.(lln. . h a ..col. .... H i.im nr 1 " -l -
for construction are
symem which msy reduce our Income
Needs of Financial Situation.
The Integrity of our currency Is beyond
.question, and under present conditions It
would be unwise and unnecessary to at
temnt a reconstruction of our entire mone
tary system. The same lllierly should be
granted the Secretary of the Treasury to
deposit the customs receipts as Is granted
lilm In the deposit of receipts from other
sources. In my mesnago of December 2,
mouth, in iro similar questions growing " ,-'"" ; ij sute question, or the securing of stable,
out or the extraordinary development of r!l I" , Vv. ".".. self-sunoorting communities In the midst
mining Interests in the region about the "'". """I I nt ' ret. of vacant land. The Nation
ascendency in ine commerce oi ids great- I - - - - ; . , . .
est of the oceans. The centennial of our aa m wn ' .,",""
.... .1.11.1. nf ..nnn ih. u..t.ra fn... creaUon of these homes, adding as they
1 . r ... T. k th. .Mtltlnn at Lewi and C!lark la 00 to (no weaun anu smuni.y vi ine
ws.erno.Hi mvioes or me nue ana cnn- ""jr"-"" . .w.V': V,. T' .: country, and furnishing a home market
...... . . .. ........ ..... ... .... ..... . i . . i . i iii im rc rui ni u Ah . w. i.ni.v.. ' i . . v y n.t .
nw... ,...,.. n, n,i iu vnn 1IUIII1 HI ..IUH-1 ,
head of Lynn Cimul brought aNmt a tern
(Hirary moiius vlvendl, by which a con
venient separation was made at the
wan. on the Klehlnl River. These partial Kaposi tlon In the Bummer of 1905. and this
and tentative adjustments could not. In 'vent houl(1 receive recognition and sup-
the very nature of things, be satisfactory P" ,ro,n """""'
19..2. I called attention to certain needs of lasting. A permanent dlsjiosltlon of DEVELOPMENT OF ALASKA
.. . . . . . ... ..... I the matter becsme tmni-isi v. I utfLturmLir i vr susgrwi.
the financial situation, and I agnln ask
the consideration of the Congress for these
question.
MERC HANTM A R I N E
Commission Is Recommended to In
quire Into Needs of Shipping.
A majority of our 'people desire that
steps be tnken In the Interests of Amir
lean shipping, so that we msy once more
resume our former position In the ocesn
carrying triuie. Hut hitherto the differ
ences of opinion a to the proper method
of reaching I his end have been so wide
thnt It has proved JmiHisnlble to secure
the adoption of any particular achi m
Having In view these facts. I recommend
the matter became Imperative.
understamiing through a Joint nigh Com- Legislation Is Needed and the Survey Pl
for the products of the East and South.
The reclamation law. while perhaps not
Ideal, appear at present to answer the
larger need for which it I designed.
Further legislation is not recommended
until the necessities of change are more
mission, followed by prolonged negotia
tions, ronuueteu m an amicable spirit, a
convention between the United Rtatea and
(Ireat Ilrltnln was signed January Jt, lutrt.
providing for an examination of the sub
ject by a mixed tribunal of six members,
three on a side, with a view to Its final
disposition. Ratlllcatlons were exchanged
on March 2 Inst, whereupon the two gov
ernments appointed their respective mem
In is This tribunal met In Irfimlon
on Heptemlier 2, uinler the presidency of
I.ord Alverstone. The proceedings were
expeditious, and marked by a friendly
and connlcentlous spirit. The respective
PRESERVATION OF FORESTS.
Need There. f Is Recognized Now as
Never Before.
The study of the opportunities of recla
mation of the vast extent of arid lund
control, will be a business a permanent shows that whether this reclamation Is
QOIie uy lliuiriuunin. vu "ji iiviio, ui
state, the sources of water supply must be
of Public Lands Urged.
I call your special attention to the Ter
ritory of Alaska. The country 1 develop-
ng rapidly, and it ha an assured future.
he mineral wealth 1 great and has as
et hardly been tapped. The fisheries. If
Isely handled and kept under National
.i . .i r. . 77 1 ?" &. ' argument pre.
that the Congress direct h HcereUry , g
the Navy m - I-Ji i -k tha 2u,h ' V brr a majority of the
the Hecretsry of t nmn-erca and Ibor Kreement
saoclated with such , a representation , ti(,nn au,,mUuj by the
from the Benate and House of K'Pren of lnflMconv,ntlon. y
laiives SS IIIU I uil-rris III li ni.HVIII
may designate, to serve as a commission
for the purpose ot investlgntlng ana r
porting to the Congress st Us next
Inn what legislation Is desirable or nee
ssary for the development of tha Amer.
lean nisrchnnt msrme and Ainericsn com
merce, and Incidentally of a National
ocean mull service of adeunte auxiliary
naval cruisers and naval reserve.
IMMIGRATION.
Undesirable Class Must Be Kept Out,
That Wanted Better Distributed
We can not hsvs too much Immigration
of the right kind, and we should have
none at nil of the wrong kind. The need
I to devise some system by which nude
slrnhle Immigrants slmll be kept out en
tlrely. while deslrsble Immtcrants are
property distributed throughout the conn
try. At present some district which need
Immlgrsnls have none; and In others,
where the population l already congest
d, Immlgrsnls come In such numbers a
to depress ths conditions of life for those
already there. During the last two years
the Immigration service st New York has
tieen greatly Improved, and the corruption
nd Inefficiency which formerly obtained
there hsv been eradicated. This service
ha Just been investigated by a commit
tee nf New York cltlsens of high stand
ing Messr. Arthur V. Ilrlesen, Lee 1C.
Krankel, Kugene A. I'lillbln, Thomas W.
Hyne and Ralph Trainman. Their report
deal with the whole situation st length,
and conclude with certain recommenda
tion for sdmlnlstrstlve snd leglslstlv
action. It Is now receiving the attention
of ths Secretary of Commerce and Labor.
FRAUDS INUBLIC 8ERVICE.
Appropriations Urged to Investigate
Land and Postal Affairs. .
In my last annual message. In connec
tion with ths subject of the due regula
tion of combination of capital which are
or may become Injurious to the public, I
recommend a special appropriation for the
better enforcement of the antitrust law
a It now stands, In be expended under
tha direction of the Attorney-Oeneral. Ac
cordingly (by the legislative, executive and
judicial appropriation act nf February tfi,
l:i.1. 22 Hlat., BU, tot), the Congres a p.
proprlated, for th purpose of enforcing
the various Federal trust ana interstate'
commerce law, the sum nf torn.)) to be
expended under the direction of the At
torney-Uensral In the employment of spe
clal counsel and sgsnt la th Department
...e award Is self-executing on the vital
point. To make It effective as regards
the others, it only remains for the two
governments to appoint, each on Its own
behalf, one or more sclentlllc experts,
who shall, with all convenient speed, pro
ceed together to lay down the hounil.iry
line In accordance with tha decision of the
majority of the tribunal. I recommend
that the Congress make adequate pro
vision for the sppolntment, coniciiintin
Snd rxpenses of the member to serve on
this joint boundary commission on the
part of the I nltcd States.
CLAIMS AGAINST VENEZUELA
Reference to The Hague Court
Great Triumph for Arbitration.
It will be remembered that during the
Second session nf the last Cniutrcxs Oreat
lliitaln, (lermnny and Italy formed an al
liance for the purpose of blockading the
ports of Venesuclii and tiding such other
mean of pressure as would secure a set
Dement of claims due, a they alleged, to
certain of their subjects. Their employ
ment o force for the collection of these
claims wa terminated by an agreement
brought about through the nfTlce of the
diplomatic representative of die Unltei!
Htate at Caracas end the Government a
Washington, thereby ending a situation
which wa bound to cause Increasing frlc
tlon, and which Jeoparded the pence o
th continent. Under thl agreement Ven
cKucut agreed to set apart a n-itain pr
rentage of the customs receipts of two
01 her port to be applied to tha paymen
of whatever obligation might lie iiscer
tallied by mixed commissions appointed
for thnt purpose to be due front her, not
only to the three power already men
tinned, whose proceedings against her had
resulted In a slut" of war, but also to th
United Slates, France, Spain, Ilelglum
the Netherlands, Hweden and Norway
and Mexico, who had not employed force
for th collection of the claims alleged to
be due to certain of their cltliens.
A demand wa then made by th 0'
called blockading powers that Ihe sum
ascertained to he due to their rlllxens by
such mixed commissions should tie ac
corded payment In full before enythln
wa paid upon th claim of any of the
so-called peace power. Vesssuela, on th
other hand, Insisted that all her creditors
should be paid upon a basla of rxar
equality. During the efforts to adjust
this dispute It was suggested by tha
power In Interest that It should be re.
ferred to me for decision, but I was clear
ly of the opinion that a far wiser course
would be to submit ths question to the
as any other, and ot the utmost Import
in... I,. Ihn numile Th fiirnat If
ropeily guarded, will form another great Effectively protected and the reservoir.
KUtsrucu Lty nio v. iiiu lur
(Ma at the headwaters of the streams.
The engineers making the preliminary ex
aminatlons continually emphaslxe this
need and urge that the remaining public
lands at the headwaters of the Important
streams of the West be reserved to in
sure permanency of water supply for lr
ligation. Much progress In forestry has
been made during tha past year. The ne-
i
source of wealth. Portion of Alaska
re fitted for farming and itockralslng.
IthmiKh the methods must be adapted to
he peculiar conditions of the country
Alaska I situated in the Far North; but
so are Norway and Sweden and Finland
nd Alaska can prosper and play Its part
In the New World just as those nation
have prospered and played their parts In
he Old World. 1 'roper lund laws should
THE ARMY.
8ystem of Promotion by Mere Senior
ity Is Not Well.
The effect of the laws providing a gen
eral staff for the Army, and for the more
effective use o the National Oi'ard, has
been excellent. Great Improvement ha
been made In the efficiency of our Army
In recent years. Such schools as those
erected at Fort Leavenworth and Fort
Klley and the institution of Fall maneuver
work accomplished satisfactory results.
The good effect of thes maneuvers upon
the National Guard Is marked, and ample
appropriation should Je made to enable
the guardsmen of the several states to
share In the benefit. The Government
should as soon as possible secure suitable
permanent camp sites for military man
euvers In the various sections of the coun
try. The service thereby rendered not
only to the regular Army, but to the Na
tional Guard of the several states, will be
so great as to repay many times over the
relatively small expense. We should not
rest satisfied with what has been done,
however. The only people who are con
tented with a system of promotion by
mere seniority are those who are con
tented with the triumph of mediocrity
over excellence. On the other hand.
system which encouraged the exercise of
social or political favoritism in promo
ttons would be even worse. But it would
surely be easy to devise a method of pro
motion from grade to grade in which the
opinion of the higher officers of the serv
ice upon the candidates should be decisive
upon the standing and promotion of the
latter. Just such a system now obtains
at West Point.
THE NAVY.
There Must Be No Let-Up In Work
of Increasing It. t
Shortly after the enunciation of that fa
mous principle of American foreign pol
icy now known as the "Monroe Doctrine,"
President Monroe, in a special message
to Congress, on January 30, 1824, spoke as
follows: "The Navy la the arm from
which our Government will always derive
most aid In support of our . . . right.
Every power engaged tn war will know
the strength of our naval power, the
number of our ships of each class, their
condition, snd the promptitude with
which we may bring them Into service,
and will pay due consideration to that
argument."
I heartily congratulate the Congress
upon the steady progress In building up
the -.merlcan Navy, we cannot afford
let-up In this great work. To stand still
means to go back. There should be no
cessation In adding to the effective units
of the fighting strength of the fleet.
Meanwhile the Navy Department and the
officers of the Navy are doing well their
part by providing constant service at sea
nder conditions akin to those or actual
warfare. Our officer and enlisted men
are learning to handle the battleships,
cruisers and torpedo boats with high effi
ciency In fleet and squadron formations,
and the standard of marksmanship la be
ing steadily raised. The best work ashore
is Indispensable, but the highest duty
of a naval officer Is to exercise command
at sea.
The establishment of a naval base In
the Philippines ought not to be longer
postponed. Such a base Is desirable In
time of- peace; In time of war it would
be Indispensable, and Its lack would be
ruinous. Wltnout it our fleet would be
helpless. Our naval experts are agreed
thnt Sublg Bay Is the proper place for the
purpose. The national Interests require
that the work of fortification and develop
ment of a naval station at Sublg Bay be
begun at an early date; forsunder the
best conditions It la a work which will
consume much time.
e enacted and the survey of the public cesslty for perpetuating our forest re-
itnds Immediately begun. Coal-land laws sources, whether in puonc or private
hold he nrov ded wherehv the eoal-land nanua, is recognisea now as never oe-
ntrvman mat make his location and se- for. The demand for forest reserves ha
cure patent under methods kindred to become Insistent In the West, because the
those now prescribed for homestead and est must use ne wsu-r, www ana oum-mlneral-entrymen.
Salmon hatcheries, ex- mcr range which only such reserves can
luslvely under Government control, supply, regressive luniDermen are stnv
hould be established. The cable should Ing. through forestry, to give their busl
be extended from Bllka westward. Wagon nesa permanence. Other great business
roads and trulls should be built, and the I interests are awakening to the need of
liullillnir of railroads oromoted In all le- forest preservation as a business matter,
Kltlniiite ways. Lighthouse should be The Government' forest wifrk should re
nin along the rouHt. Attention should be celve from the Congress hearty support,
paid to the needs of the Alaska Indians; and especially support adequate for the
riivlxlon should be made for an ofllccr. protection or the rarest reserve ngnlnst
with deputies, to study their needs, re- fire. The forest-reserve policy of the Gov-
lleve their Immediate wants, and help ernment has pnsscii beyond the experl
them adapt themselves to the new con- mental stage, and has reached a comll
dltlom. tlon where scientific methods are essential
to Its successful prosecution. The admin
istrative features of forest reserves are a
present unsatisfactory, being divided be.
tween three bureau of two department.
It 1 therefore recommended that all mat
tera pertaining to forest reserve, except
those Involving or pertaining to Ian
titles, be consolidated In the Bureau o
Forestry ot the Department of Agrlcul
ture.
HAWAII.
Greater Power Should Be Vested In
the Governor.
I recommend that an appropriation be
madn for building lighthouses In Hawaii,
and taking possession of those already
built. The territory should be reimbursed
for whatever amount It ha already ex
pended for lighthouse. The Governor
should be empowered to suspend or re
movt any official appointed by him with
out submitting th matter to th Lrgl
latur.
INSULAR POSSESSIONS.
Philippines Should Bs Knit Closer by
Tariff Agreements.
Of our Insular possessions ths Philip
pine and Porto Itlco It I gratifying to
say that their steady progress ha been
inch as to make It unnecessary to spend
much tlm In discussing them. Tet th
Congress should ever keep In mind that
a peculiar obligation rest upon u to
further In every way th welfare of
these communities. The I'hllllpplnee
should be knit closer to us by tariff ar
rangement. It would, of course, bs lm
Hnlbl suddenly to rsls th people of
tha Inland to th high pitch of Industrial
prorcrlty and of governmental efficiency
INDIAN AFFAIRS.
Agents Should Not Be Dependent
Upon Partisan Politics.
The Indian agent should not be depend
ent for their appointment or tenure o
office upon consideration of partisan poll
tics; th practice of appointing, when
possible, ex-army onlcers or bomlej super
Intendents to the vacancies that occur Is
working well. Attention la Invited to th
wldespresd Illiteracy due to lack of pub
llo schools In the Indian Territory. Prompt
heed should be paid to th need of du
cation for th children In this territory.
PENSIONS.
No Other Class Deserves So Well of
tha Nation as tha Veterans
No other clas of our cltlxens deserve
o well of the Nation a those to whom
th Nation owe lis very being, the vet
to which they will In th end by d-gree erans of ths Civil War. Hprclal sttentln
attain; and th caution and moderation I asked to th excellent work of th
shown In developing them hav been Pension Iiureau in expediting and dls
among th main reasons why this dnvel posing of pension claims. During the
npmcnt has hitherto gone on SO fiscal year ending July 1, UKfl. th Bureau
smoothly. Kcruptilous rare has been settled frl.BM claims, an average of t.3
taken In th choice of governmental claim for each working day of th year.
agunta, and Ih "tlr elimination of par The number of eettlemtnta since July L
ISTHMIAN CANAL.
Review of Dealings With Colombia
and Recent Eventa.
By the act of June SS. 1902. the Congress
authorised the President to enter Into
reaty with Colombia for the building ot
he canal across the Isthmus ot Panama;
It being firovlded that In the event of
failure to secure such treaty after the
lapse of a reasonable time, recourse should
be had to building a canal through Ni
caragua. It has not been necessary to
consider this alternative, as I am enabled
to lay before the Senate a treaty provid
ing for the building of the canal across
the Isthmus of Panama. This was the
route which commended Itself to the de
liberate Judgment of the Congress, and
we can now acquire by treaty the right
to construct the cannl over thl route.
The question now. therefore. Is not by
which tout the isthmian canal shall be
built, for that question has been definitely
and Irrevocably decided. The question 1
simply whether or not we shall have an
Isthmian canal.
When the Congress directed that we
should take the Panama route under
treaty with Colombia, the essence of the
condition, of course, referred not to the
Government which controlled that route,
but to the route Itself; to the territory
across which the route lay, not to the
name which for the moment the territory
bore on th map. Th purpose of th
law was to authorise the President to
make a treaty with the tower In actual
control of the Isthmus of Panama. Thl
purpose ha been fulfilled.
In the yer 1M6 this Government en
tered Into a treaty with New Granada.
th predecessor upon the Isthmus of the
Renubllo of Colombia and of the present
Republiu of Panama, by which treaty It
wa provided that tha Government and
cltlxen of the United State should al
ways hav free and open right of way
or transit across the Isthmus of Panama
by any modes of communication that
might be constructed, while In return our
Government gueranteed the perfect neu
trsllty of the above-mentioned Isthmu
with th view that the free transit from
the one to the other sea mliiht not be
Interrupted or embarrassed. Th treaty
vested In th United State a nilMttantla
property right carved out of the right
of sovereignty and tiropertv which New
Granada then had end possessed over th
said territory. Th nnme of New Granada
has passed sway snd It territory ha been
divided. It successor, the Oovenimen
of Colombia, ha ceased to own any prop.
ertv In th Isthmu. A new republic, that
ot Panama, which waa at on time a ao?'
erelgn state. nd at another time a mere
department of the successive confedera
tions kno,n a New Granada and Co
lombia, ha now aucceeded to the right
h.:h first one nd then th other for
merly exercised over the Isthmu. But a
long a tho Isthmu endures, th mere
reographlcal fact of It existence, and
the peculiar Interest therein which la re
quired by our position, perpetuate tn
solemn contract which bind th holder
of the territory to repect our right to
freedom of transit acros It, and blnda
ua In return to safeguard for the Isthmu
nd the world the exercise of that Ines
timable privilege. The true Interpretation
of the obligations upon which the United
States entered In this treaty of 1846 has
been given neatedly In the utterances
of Presidents and Secretaries of Stat.
Repudiation of Treaty by Colombia.
Laat Spring, under the act above re
ferred to, a treaty concluded between th
representative of the Republic of Colom
bia and of our Government wa ratified by
the Senate. This treaty wa entered Into
at the urgent solicitation of the people
of Colombia, and after a body of expert
appointed by our Government especially
to go Into the matter of the routes across
the isthmus had pronounced unanimously
n favor of the Panama route. In draw
ing up this treaty every concession was
made to the people and to the Govern
ment of Colombia. We were more than
Just In dealing with them. Our generos
ity was such as to make it a serious ques
tion whether we had not gone too far in
their Interest at the expense of our own;
for In our scrupulous desire to pay all
possible heed, not merely to the real, but
even to the fancied right of our weaker
neighbor, who already owed so much to
our protection and forbearance, we yield
ed In all possible wtys to her desires In
drawing up the treaty. Nevertheless the
Government of Colombia not merely re
pudiated the treaty, but repudiated It In
such manner as to make It evident by
the time the Colombian Congress ad
journed that not the scantiest hope re
mained of ever getting a eatistactory
treaty from them. The Government of
Colombia made the treaty, and yet when
the Colombian Congress was called to
ratify it the vote against ratification was
unanimous. It does not appear that the
government made any real effort to se
cure ratification.
Immediately after the adjournment of
the Congress a revolution broke out in
Panama. The people of Panama naa long
been discontented with the Kepuouc oi
Colombia, and they had been kept quiet
only by the prospect of the conclusion of
the treaty, which wa to them a matter ot
vital concern. When It became evident
that the treaty wa hopelessly lost, the
people of Panama rose literally as on
man. Not a shot was fired by a single .
man on the Isthmus In the Interest ot
the Colombian Government. Not a life
was lost In the accomplishment of the
revolution. The Colombian troops sta
tioned on the Isthmus, who had long been
unpaid, made common cause with the peo
ple of Panama, Vid with astonishing
unanimity the new Republic was started.
The duty of the United States In the
premises was clear. In strict accordance
with the principals laid down by Secre
taries Cass and Seward in the official docu
ments above quoted, the United States
gave notice that it would permit the
landing of no expeditionary lorce, tne ar
rival of which would mean chaos and de
struction along the line- of the railroad
and of the proposed canal, and an Inter
ruption of transit as an inevitable conse
quence. The de facto uovernment ox
Panama was recognlxed In tne tollowing
telegram to Mr. Ehrman:
The people of Panama have, by appar
ently unanimous movement. dissolved
their political connection with the Repub
lic of Cotombla and resumed their inde
pendence. When you are satisfied that a
de facto government, republican In form
and without substantial opposition from
tts own people, has been established In
the State of Panama, you will enter Into
relations with It as the responsible gov
ernment of the territory and look to It
for all due action to protect the persons
and property of citizens of the United
State and to keep open the Isthmian
transit. In accordance with the obligations
of existing treaties governing- the rela
tion of the United State to that terri
tory." The Government of Colombia was noti
fied of our action by the following tele-,
gram to Mr. Beaupre:
"The people of Panama having, by an
apparently unanimous movement, dis
solved their political connection with th
Republic of Colombia and resumed their
Independence, and having adopted a gov
ernment of their own. republican in form,
with which the Government of the United
States of America has entered into rela
tions, the President of the United States,
In accordance with the ties of friendship
which have so long and so happily existed
between the respective nations, most earn
estly commends to the Governments of Co
lombia and of Panama, the peaceful and
equitable settlement of all questions at la
sue between them. He holds that he ia
bound not merely by treaty obligation,
but by the Interests of civilization, to see
that the peaceful traffic of the world
across the Isthmus of Panama ahall not
longer be disturbed by a constant succes
sion of unnecessary and wasteful civil
war."
The control. In tha Interest of the com
merce and traffic of the whole civilised
world, of the means of undisturbed tran-
It across the Isthmus of Panama has be
come of transcendent Importance to the
United States. We have repeatedly exer
cised thl. control by intervening In the
course of domestic dissension, and by
protecting the territory from foreign In
vasion. In KA Mr, Everett assured the
Peruvian Minister that we ahould nut hes
ttiite to maintain the neutrality of tha
Isthmu In the case of war between Peru
and Colombia. In 1864, Colombia, which
has always been vigilant to avail Itself
of It privilege conferred by the treaty,
expressed it expectation that In the event
of war between Peru and Spain the United
State would carry Into effect the guar.
antee of neutrality. There have been few
administration of the Stat Deportment
In which thl treaty ha not, either by
the one side or the other, been used a a
basis of more or leas Important demands.
It was said by Mr. Flh In 1871 that th
Department of Slat had reason to be
lieve that an attack upon Colombian sov
ereignty on th Isthmus had, on several
occasions, been averted by warning from
this Government.
Every effort ha been made by the Gov
ernment of the United State to perauad
Colombia to follow a cour- which wa
essentially not only to our Interest and
to th Interests of th world, but to th
Interest of Colombia Itself. These effort
hav failed, and Colombia, by her persist
ence In repulsing th advance that hav
been made, ha forced us, for th ak of
our own honor, snd of th Interest snd
well-being not merely of our own people,
but of the people of the Isthmu ot Pan
ama and th people of the civilised coun
trim nf lha world, to take decisive steos
to bring to an end a condition of affair'
which had become Intolerable. Th new
Republic ot Panama Immediately offered
to negotiate a treaty with ua. Thl treaty
I herewith submit. Ity It our Interest
are better safeguarded than In th treaty
with Colombia, which wa ratified by th
H-nat at tta last session. It I better In
It term than th treaties offered to u
by ths Republic of Nicaragua and Cost
Rica. At last th right to begin thl great
undertaking I mad avallabl. Panama
ha don her part. All that remain 1
for th American Congress to do It part,
and forthwith this republic will enter
upon th execution of a project colossal
In Ha six and of well-nigh Inralculabl
possibilities for th good of this country
and th nations of mankind.
THrXJDOnn ROOSEVELT.
, Whit llou. December 1. UW.