MESSAGEJS READ
Serate and House Receive Docu
ment in Usual Form.
RATE SUPERVISION THE THEME
Urges Economy in Public Expendi
turesMonroe Doctrine Re
duce Philippine Tariff,
The most lit portant points brought Oat In
the president's message follow:
To the Senate and House of Representatives:
The people of this country continue to en
Joy great prosperity. Undoubtedly there will
be ebb and flow In such prosperity, and this
ebb and flow will be felt more or less by all
members of the community, both by the de
serving and the undeserving. Against the
wrath of the Lord the wisdom of man cannot
avail; in times of flood or draught human In
genuity can but partially repair the disas
ter. A general failure of crops would hurt
all of us. Again, If the folly of man mars
the general well-being, then those who are
Innocent of the folly will have to pay part of
the penalty incurred by those who are guilty
of the folly. A panic brought on by the
speculative folly of part of the business com
munity would hurt the whole business com
munity. But such stoppage of welfare, thoujh
It might be severe, would not be lasting. In
the long run the one vital factor In the per
manent prosperity of the country la the high
Individual character of the average American
worker, the average American citizen, no mat
ter whether his work be mental or manual,
whether he be farmer or wageworker, busi
ness Bian or professional man.
In our Industrial and social system the In
terests of all men are bo closely Intertwined
that in the Immense majority of cases a
straight-dealing man who by his efficiency,
by his Ingenuity and industry, benefits him
self must also benefit others. Normally the
man of great productive capacity who becomes
rich by guiding the labor of many other men
does so by enabling them to product more
than they could produce without his guid
ance; and both he and they share In the
benefit, which comes also to the public at
large. The superficial fact that the sharing
may be unequal must never blind us to the
underlying fact that there It this sharing, and
that the benefit comes in some degree to each
man concerned. Normally the wageworker,
the man of tmall means, and the average con
sumer, as well at the average producer, are
all alike helped by making conditions such
that the man of exceptional business ability
receives an exceptional reward for his ability.
(Something can be done by legislation to help
the general prosperity; but no such help of a
permanently beneficial character can be given
to the lees able and less fortunate, save as the
results of a policy which 'shall inure to the
advantage of all industrious and efficient peo
ple who act decently; and this is only another
way of saying that any benefit which comes to
the less able and less fortunate must of ne
cessity come even more to the more able and
more fortunate. If, therefore, the less for
tunate man is moved by envy of his more
fortunate brother to strike at the conditions
under which they have both, though equally,
prospered, the result will assuredly be that
while damage may come to the one struck at,
It will visit with an even heavier load the one
who strikes the blow. Taken as a whole,
we must all go up or go down together.
The best possible regulation of rates would,
of course, be that regulation secured by an
honest agreement among the railroads them
selves to carry out the law. Such a general
agreement would, for Instance, at once put a,
stop to the efforts of any one big shipper or
big railroad to discriminate against or se
cure advantages over some rival; and such
agreements would make the railroads them
selves agents for enforcing the law. The
power vested in the Government to put a
stop to agreements to the detriment of the
public should, in my Judgment, be accom
panied by power to permit, under specified
conditloni and careful supervision, agree
ments clearly In the Interest of the public.
But, in my Judgment, the necessity for giv
ing this further power is by no means as
great as the necessity for giving the Com
mission or administrative body the other
powers I have enumerated above; and it
may well be Inadvisable to attempt to vest
this particular power in the Commission or
other administrative body until It already
possesses and it exercising what I regard as
by far the most Important power of all the
powers I recommend as indeed the vitally
important power that to fix a given maxi
mum rate, which rate, after the lapse of a
reasonable time, goes Into full effect, sub
ject to review by the courts.
Let me most earnestly say that these recom
mendations are not made in any spirit of
hostility to the railroads. On ethical grounds,
on grounds of right, such hostility would be
Intolerable; and on grounds of mere National
self-interest wt must remember that such hos
tility would tell against the welfare not mere
ly of some few rich men, but of a multitude
of small Investors, a multitude of railway
employes, wageworkers; and most severely
against the Interest of the public as. a whole.
I believe that on the whole our railroads have
done well and not 111; but the railroad men
who wish to do well should not be exposed to
competition with those who have no such de
sire, and the only way to secure this end is
to give to tome Government tribunal the
power to see that Justice Is done by the un
willing exactly as It is gladly done by the
willing. Moreover, If some Government body
ia given Increased power the effect will be to
furnish authoritative answer on behalf of the
railroad whenever Irrational clamor against It
Is raised, or whenever charges made against
It are disproved. I ask this legislation not
only In the Interest of the public, but in the
Interest of the honest railroad man and the
honest shipper alike, for It Is they who are
chiefly Jeoparded by the practices of their dis
honest competitors. This legislation should be
enacted In a spirit as remote as possible from
hysteria and rancor. If we of the American
body politic are true to the traditions we
have Inherited we shall always scorn any ef
fort to make us hate any man because he is
rich, Just as much as we should scorn any
effort to make us look down upon or treat
contemptuously any man because he Is poor.
Insurance,
The great Insurance companies afford strik
ing examples of corporations whose business
has extended so far beyond the Jurisdiction ot
the states which created them as to preclude
strict enforcement of supervision and regula
tion by the parent states. In my last an
nual message I recommended "that the Con
gress carefully consider whether the power of
the bureau of corporations cannot constitu
tionally be extended to cover Interstate trans
actions In insurance." Recent events have
acter of lnturance, for In the absence of
emphasised the Importance of an early and ex.
haustlve consideration, of this question, to
see wnetner it it, not possible to furnish bet
ter safeguards than ths several states have
been able to furnish against corruntlon of
ths flagrant kind which has been exposed. It
has been only too clearly shown that certain
of the men at the need of these large cor
porations take but small note ot the ethical
distinction between honesty and dishonesty;
they draw the line only this side of what may
be called law honesty, the kind of honesty
necessary In order to avoid falling Into the
clutches of the law. Of course the only com
plete remedy for this condition must be found
In an aroused public conscience, a higher sense
of ethical conduct In the community at large,
and especially among business men and In the
great profession of the law, and In the growth
of a spirit which condemns all dishonesty,
whether In rich man or In poor man, whether
It takes the shape of bribery or of blackmail.
But much can be done by legislation which Is
not only drastic but practical. There Is need
of a fur stricter and more uniform regulation
of the vast Insurance Interests of this country.
The United States should In this retpeet follow
the policy of other nations by providing ade
quate national supervision of commercial In
tereete which are clearly National In char
acter. My predecessors hare repeatedly recog
nised that the foreign business of these com
panies Is an important part of our foreign com
mercial relations. During the administrations
of Presidents Cleveland, Harrison and M
Klnley the State Department exercised Its in
fluence, through diplomatic channelt, to pre
vent unjust discrimination by foreign coun.
trios against American Insurance companies.
These negotiations Illustrated the propriety
of the Congress recognising the National char
Federal legislation the State Department could
only give expression to the wishes of the au
thorities of the several states, whose policy
was Ineffective through want of uniformity.
Economy In Expenditures.
I earnestly recommend to the Congress
the need of economy and to this end of a
rigid scrutiny of appropriations. As exam
ples merely, I call your attention to one or
two specific matters. All unnecessary offices
should be abolished. The Commissioner of
the General Land Office recommends the
abolishment of the office of receiver of pub
lic moneys for United States land offices.
This will effect a saving of about a quar
ter of a million dollars a year. As the busi
ness of the Nation grows It is Inevitable
that there should be from time to time a
legitimate Increase In the number of offi
cials, and this fact renders It all the more
Important that when offices become unneces
sary they should be abolished. In the pub
lic printing also a large saving of public
money can be made. There Is a constantly
growing tendency to publish masses of un
important Information. It is probably not
unfair to say that many tens of thousands
ot volumes are published at which no human
being ever looks and for which there Is no
real demand whatever.
Federal Elections.
In my last annual message I said:
"The power of the Government to protect
the Integrity of the elections of its own offi
cials Is Inherent and has been recognised
and affirmed by repeated declarations of the
Supreme Court. There is no enemy of free
government more dangerous and none bo
Insidious as the corruption of the electorate.
No one defends or excuses corruption, and
it would seem to follow that none would
oppose vigorous measures to eradicate it. I
recommend the enactment of a law directed
against bribery and corruption in Federal
elections. The details ot tuch a law may
bt safely left to the wise discretion of the
Congress, but It should go as far as unaer
the Constitution it is possible to go, and
should Include severe penalties against him
who gives or receives a bribe intended to
Influence his act or opinion at an elector;
and provisions for the publication not only
of the" expenditures for nominations and
elections of all candidates, but also of all
contributions received and expenditures made
by political committees." -I
desire to repeat this recommendation. In
political campaigns in a country as large
and populous as ours it Is Inevitable that
there should be much expense of an entirely
leg'tlmate kind. This, of course, means that
many contributions, and some of them of
large size, must be made, and. as a matter
of fact, in any big political contest such
contributions are always made to both sides.
It Is entirely proper both to give and re
ceive them, unless there is an Improper mo
tive connected with either gift or reception.
If they are extorted by any kind of pressure
or promise, express or Implied, direct or in
direct, in the way of favor or Immunity,
then the giving or receiving becomes not
only improper but criminal. It will un
doubtedly be difficult as a matter of prac
tical detail to shape an act which shall
guard with reasonable certainty against such
misconduct; but if it is possible to secure
by law the full and verified publication In
detail of all the sums contributed to and
expended by the candidates or committees of
any political parties the result cannot but
be wholesome. All contributions by corpor
ations to any political committee or for any
political purpose should be forbidden by
law, directors should not be permitted to
use stockholders' money for such purposes;
and, moreover, a prohibition of this kind
would be, as far as It went, an effective
method of stopping the evils aimed at in
corrupt practices acts. No only should both
the National and the several State Legis
latures forbid any officer ot a corporation
from using tht money of the corporation In
or about any election, but they should also
forbid such use of money In connection with
any legislation sava by the employment of
counsel In publio manner for distinctly legal
servicea.
Santo Domingo.
Santo Domingo, in her turn, has now made
an appeal to us to help her, and not only
every principle of wisdom but every generous
instinct within us bids us respond to the ap
peal. It Is not of the slightest consequence
whether we grant the aid needed by Santo
Domingo as an incident to the wise develop
ment of the Monroe Doctrine, or because we
regard the case of Santo Domingo as stand
ing wholly by Itself, and to be treated as
such, and not on general principles or with
any reference to the Monroe Doctrine. The
Important point is to give the needed aid,
and the case It certainly sufficiently peculiar
to deserve to be judged purely on Its own
merits. The conditions In Santo Domingo
have for a number of years grown from bad
to worse until a year ago all society was on
the verge of dissolution. Fortunately, Just
at this time a ruler sprang up In Santo
Domingo, who, with his colleagues, saw the
dangers threatening their country and ap
pealed to the friendship of the only great
and powerful neighbor who possessed the
power, and as they hoped also the will to
help them. There was Imminent danger of
foreign intervention. The previous rulers of
Santo Domingo had recklessly incurred
debts, and owing to her Internal disorders
she had ceased to be able to provide means
of paying the- debts. The patience of her
foreign creditors had become exhausted, and
at least two foreign nations- were on the
point of Intervention, and were only pre
vented from Intervening by the unofficial as
surance of this Government that it would
Itself strive to help Santo Domingo In her
hour of need. In the case of one of these
nations, only the actual opening of negotia
tions to this end by our Government pre
vented the seizure of territory In Santo Do
mingo by a European power. Of the debts
Incurred some were Just, while some were
not of a character which really renders It
obligatory on, or proper for, Santo Domingo
to pay them in full. But she could not
pay any of them unless some stability was
assured her government and people.
Accordingly the Executive Department of
our Government negotiated a treaty under
which we are to try to help the Dominican
people to straighten out their finances. This
treaty Is pending before the Senate. In the
meantime a temporary arrangement has
been made which will last until the Senate
has had time to take action upon the
treaty. Under this arrangement the Domini
can Government has appointed Americans to
all the Important positions In the customs
service, and they are seeing to the honest
collection of the revenues, turning over 45
per cent to the government for running ex
penses and putting the other 65 per cent Into
a safe depositary for equitable division In
case the treaty shall be ratified, among the
various creditors, whether European or
American.
The custom-houses offer well-nigh the only
sources ot revenue In Santo Domingo, and
the different revolutions usually have as
their real aim the obtaining possession of
these custom-houses. The mere fact that
the collectors of customs are Americans.
that they are performing their duties withl
efficiency and honesty, and that the treaty
Is pending in the Senate, gives a certain
moral powtr to the government of Bantu
Domingo which it has not had before. This
has completely discouraged all revolution
ary movement, while It has already produced
such an Increase In the revenues that the
government Is actually getting more from
the 45 per cent that the American collectors
turn over to It than It got formerly when
It took the entire revenue. It is enabling
the poor harassed people of Santo Domingo
once more to turn their attention to Industry
and to be free from the curse of Inter
minable revolutionary disturbance. It offers
to all bona fide creditors, American and
European, the only really good chance U
obtain that to which they are Justly entitled,
while It In return gives to Santo Domingo
ths only opportunity of defense against
claims which It ought not to navi for new
I lf 't meets the views of the Senate we
snau ourseiveB thoroughly examine all these
olaimt, whether American or foreign, and
see that aene that are Improper are paid.
There Is, of course, opposition to the treaty '
umuonest oredltors, foreign ana Amer
ican, and from the professional revolution
ists of the Island Itself. We have already
reason to believe that some of the creditors
who do not dare expose their claims to
honest scrutiny are endeavoring to stir up
sedition in the island and opposition to the
treaty. In the meantime I have exercised
the authority vested In me by the Joint reso
lution of the Congress to prevent the Intro
duction of arms into the Island for revo
lutionary purposes
Army and Navy,
We cannot consider the question of our for
eign policy without at the Bame time treating
of the Army and the Navy. We now have a
very small Army indeed, one well-nigh In
finitesimal when compared with the army of
any other large nation. Of course, the Army
we do have should be as nearly perfect ot Its
kind and for Its size as la possible. I do not
believe that any arm in the world has a
better average of enlisted man or a bettor
type of Junior officer; but the Army should be
trained to act effectively In a mass. Provis
ion should be made by sufficient appropria
tions for maneuvers of a practical kind so
that the troops may learn how to take care of
themselves under actual Bervlce conditions;
every march, for Instance, being made with
the soldier loaded exactly as he would be In
an active campaign. The Generals and Colo
nels would thereby have opportunity of hand
ling regiments, brigades and divisions and
the commissary and medical , departments
would be tested In the field. Provision should
be made for the exercise at least of a bri
gade and by preference of a division in march
ing and embarking at Bonis point on our
coast and disembarking at some other point
and continuing its march. The number of
posts In which the Army Is kept In time of
peace should be materially diminished and
the posts that are left made correspondingly
larger. No local Interests should be allowed
to stand In the way of assembling the greater
part of the troops which would at need form
our field armies In stations of such size as
will permit the best training to be given to
the personnel of all grades, Including the high
officers and staff officers. To accomplish this
end we must have not company or regimental
garrisons, but brigade and division garrisons.
Our Navy must, relatively te the navies of
other nations, always be of greater size than
our Army. We ktve most wisely continued
for a number of years to build up our Navy,
and It has now reached a falrlv hlrh standard
of efficiency. This standard of efficiency must
not only he maintained! but increased. It
does not seem to me necessary, however, that
the Navy should at least in the immediate
future be Increased beyond the present num
ber of units. What is now clearly necessary
Is to substitute efficient for Inefficient units
as the latter become worn out or as It be
comes apparent that thev are useless. Prob
ably the result would be attained by adding a
single battle ship to our Navy each year, the
superseded or outworn vessels being laid up
or broken up fta they are thus replaced. The
four Bingle-turren monitors built Immediately
after the close of the Spanish war, for In
stance, are vessels which would be of but
little use in the event of war. The moneys
spent upon them could have been more use
fully spent In other ways. Thus It would have
been far better never to have built a slncle
one of these monitors and to have put tie
money Into an ample supply of reserve guns.
most or me smaller cruisers and gunboats,
though they terve a useful purpose so far as
they are needed for International police work,
would not add to the strength of our Navy
In a conflict with a serious foe. There Is.
urgent need of providing a large Increase In
the number of ofTicers, and especially In the
number of enlisted men.
Naturalisation Laws.
During the past year evidence has accu
mulated te confirm the expressions con
tained in my last two annual messages as
to the Importance of revising bv appro
priate legislation our system of naturalizing
aliens. I appointed last March a commis
sion to make a careful examination of our
naturalization laws, and to suggest appro
priate measures to avoid the notorious
abuses resulting from the Improvident or
uniawiui granting of citizenship. This com
mission, composed of an officer of the De
partment of State, the Department of Jus
tice, and of the Department of Commerce
and Labor, has discharged the duty imposed
upon it, and has submitted a report, which
will be transmitted to the Congress for Its
consideration, and, 1 hope,' for Its favorable
action.
Breaches ef Trust la Public Service.
There seems to be no statute of the United
States which provides for the punishment of
a United States Attorney or other officer of
the government who corrupi-ly agrees to
wrongruuy ao or wrongfully refrain from
doing any act when the consideration foi
such corrupt agreement Is other than one
possessing money value. This ought to be
remedied by appropriate legislation. Legis
lation should also be enacted to cover, ex
plicitly, unequivocally and beyond question,
breach of trust in the shape of prematurely
divulging official secrets by an officer or
employe of the United States, and to pro- j
vide a suitable penalty therefor. Such offi
cer or employe owes the duty to the United
States to guard carefully and not to divulge
or In any manner use prematurely infor
mation which is accessible to the officer or
employe by reason of his official position.
Most breaches of public trust are already
covered by the law, and this one should be.
Public-Land Laws.
Once again I call your attention to the
condition of the public-land laws. Recent
developments have given new urgency to the
need for such changes as will fit these laws
to actual present conditions. The honest
disposal and right use of the remaining
public lands Is of fundamental Importance.
The Iniquitous methods by which the mo
nopolizing ot the public lands Is being
brought about under the present laws are
becoming more generally known, but the
existing laws do not furnish effective reme-
Lands Commission upon this subject are wise
and should be given effect.
The forest policy of the Administration ap
pears to enjoy the unbroken support of the
people. The great users of timber are them
selves forwarding the movement for forest
preservation. All organized opposition to the
forest reserves in the West has disappeared.
Since the consolidation of all Government for
est work In the National Forest Service there
has been a rapid and notable gain In the use
fulness of the forest reserves to the people
and in public appreciation of their value. The
National parks within or adjacent to forest
reserves should be transferred to the charge
of " the Forest Service also.
Merchant Marine.
To the spread of our trade In peace and
the defense of our flag in war a great and pros
perous merchant marine Is indispensable. We
Bhould have ships of our own and seamen of
our own to convey our goods to neutral mar
kets, and In case of need to reinforce our
battle line. It can not but be a source of re
gret and uneasiness to us that the lines of
communication with our sister republics of
South America should be chiefly under for
eign control. It Is not a good thing that
American merchants and manufacturers should
have to send their goods and letters to South
America via Europe if they wish security and
dispatch. Even on the Pacific where our
hips have held their own better than on the
Atlantic, our merchant flag Is now threatened
through the liberal aid bestowed ' by other
governments on their own steam lines. I ask
your earnest consideration of the report with
which the Merchant Marine Commission has
followed Its long and careful Inquiry.
Pensions.
It Is a matter ot unmixed satisfaction once
more to call attention to the excellent work of
the Pension Bureau; for the veterans of the
Civil War have a greater claim upon us than
any other class of our citizens. To tbem,
first of all among our people, honor Is due.
Seven years ago my lamented predecessor.
President McKlnlev, stated that the time had
come for the Nation to care for the graves
of the Confederate, dead. I recommend that
the Congress take action toward this end. The
first need is to take charge of the graves of
the Confederate dead who died In Northern
prisons.
Immigration. .
The question of Immigration Is of vital In
terest to this country, In the year ending
June 30, 1005, there came to the United States
1,020,000 alien immigrants. In other words,
In the single year that has Just elapsed there
came to this country a greater number of
people than came here during the 169 years of
ur Colonial life which Intervened between the
first landing at Jamestown ant rat Declara
tion ef Independence, It Is clearly shown In
the report of the Commissioner-General of
Immigration that while much of this enormous
Immigration Is undoubtedly healthy and natur
al, a considerable proportion Is undesirable
from ona reason or another; moreover, a con
siderable proportion of It, probably a very
large proportion, including most of the undo
strable class, does not come here of Its own
initiative, but because of the activity of the
agents of the groat transportation oompanlcs.
These agents are distributed throughou Ku
rope, and by the offer of all kinds of Induce
ments they whoedle and cajole many immi
grants, often against their best Interest, to
come here, The most serious obstacle we have
to encounter In the effort to secure a proper
regulation of the Immigration to those shores
arises from the determined opposition of the
foreign steamship lines who have no intercut
whatever In the matter save to Increase the
returns on their capital by carrying masses of
Immigrants hither in the steerage quarters of
their Hlilys.
The questions arising In connection with
Chinese Immigration stand by themselves. The
conditions In China are such that the entire
Chinese coolie class, that Is, the class of
Chinese laborers, skilled and unskilled, le
gitimately come under the head of undesir
able Immigrants to this country, because ot
their numbers, the low waget for which they
work and their low standard of living. Not
only Is it to the intorest of this country to
keep them out, but the Chinese authorities do
not desire that they should be admitted. At
present their entrance Is prohibited by laws
amply adequate to accomplish this purpose.
These laws have been, are being and will be,
thoroughly enforced. The violations ot thmn
are so few In number as to bt Infinitesimal
and enn bo ontlrely disregarded. There Is no
serious proposal to alter the Immigration laws
as regards the Chinese laborer, Bkllled or
unskilled, and there la no excuse for any
man feeling or affecting to feel the slightest
alarm on ths subject.
Hut In the effort to carry out the policy of
excluding Chinese laborers, Chinese coolies,
grave Injustice and wrong have been done by
this Nation to the people of China, and there
fore ultimately to this Nation ItHulf. Chinese
students, business and professional men of all
kinds not only merchants, but bankers, doc
tors, manufacturers, professors, travelers and
the like should be encouraged, to come here
and treated on precisely the same footing that
we treat students, business men, travelers and
the like of othor nations. Our laws and
treatlet should be framed, not so as to out
these people In the excepted classes, but to
state that we will admit all Chinese, oxcent
Chinese of the coolie clast, Chinese skilled
or unskilled laborers. There would not be
the least danger that any such provision would
result In any relaxation of tht law about
laborers. These will, under all conditions, be
kept out absolutely. But it will be more easy
to set that both Justice and, courtesy are
shown, as they ought to he shown, to other
Chinese, If the law or treaty is framed as
above suggested, Examinations should bo
completed at the port of departure from
China. For this purpose there thould be pro
vided a more adequate Consular service In
China than we now have. The appropriations,
both for the offices of the Consuls and for
the office forces in the Consulates, should be
Increased.
This Government has the friendliest feeling
for China and desires China's well-being. We
cordially sympathize with tht announced pur
pose of Japan to stand for the Integrity of
China. Such an attitude tendt to the peace
of tht world.
The (Ivll Service.
The civil service law has been on the statute
books for 22 years. Every President and a
vast majority of heads of departments who
have been In office during that period have fa
vored a gradual extension of the merit sys
tem. The more thoroughly Its principles have
been understood the greater has been the fa
vor with which the law has been regarued by
administrative officers. Any attempt to carry
on the great executive departments of the
Government without this law would Inevitably
result In chaos. The Civil Service Commis
sioners are doing excellent work, and their
compensations la inadequate considering the
service they perform.
Adulteration of Foods.
I recommend that a law be enacted to
regulate Interstate commerce in mlsbranded
and adulterated foods, drinks and drugs.
Such law would protect legitimate manufac
ture and commerce, and would tend to se
cure the health and welfare of the consum
ing public. Traffic In foodstuffs which have
been debased or adulterated so as to Injure
health or to deceive purchasers should be
forbidden.
National Parks.
I call your attention to the generous act
of the Statt of California In conferring
upon the United States Government the own
ership of the losemlte Valley and the Mari
posa Big Tree Grove. There should be no
delay In accepting the gift, and appropria
tions should be made for the Including
thereof In the Yosemlte National Park, and
for the care and pollceing ot the park. Cali
fornia has acted most wisely as well as
with great magnuntmlty In the matter.
There are certain mighty natural features
of our land which should be preserved ' in
perpetuity for our children and our chil
dren's children. In"my Judgment the Grand
Canyon of the Colorado should be made into
a National park. It is greatly to be wished
that the State of New York should copy 'as
regurds'Niagara what the State of California
hag done as regards the Yosemlte. Noth
ing should be allowed to interfere, with the
preservation of Niagara Falls In all their
beauty and majesty. If the state cannot see
to this then It is earnestly to be wished that
she should be willing to turn It over to the
National Government, which should in such
ca?:e 'if possible, In conjunction wlth the
Canadian government) assume the burden
and responsibility of preserving unharmed
Niagara Falls; Just as It Bhould gladly as
sume a 3lmllar burden and responsibility
for the Yosemlte National Park, and as it
has already assumed them for the Yellow
stone National Park. Adequate provision
should be made by the Congress for the
proper care and supervision of til these
National park.
Indians.
During the year just past, the phase of the
Indian question which has been most sharply
brought to public attention Is the larger
legal significance of the Indian's Introduction
Into citizenship. This has made Itself mani
fest not only In a great access of litigation
in which the citizen Indian figures as a party
defendant and in a more widespread dispo
sition to levy local taxatlonupon his per
sonalty, but in a decision of the United
States Supreme Court which struck away
the main prop on which has hitherto rested
the Government's benevolent effort to pro
tect him against the evils of Intemperance.
The court holds, In effect, that when an
Indian becomes, by virtue of an allotment. of
land to him, a citizen of the state in which
his land is situated, he passes from under
Federal control In such matters as this, and
the acts of the Congress prohibiting the sale
or gift to him of Intoxicants become sub
stantially Inoperative. It is gratifying to
note that the states and municipalities of
the West which have most at Brake in the
welfare of the Indians are taking up this
subject and are trying to supply, In a meas
ure at least, the abdication of its trusteeship
forced upon the Federal Government. Never
theless, I would urgently presB upon the at
tention of the Congress the question whether
some amendment of the internal revenue
laws might not be of aid in prosecuting
those malefactors, known In the Indian coun
try as "bootleggers," who art engaged at
once In defrauding the United States Treas
ury of taxes and, what is far more Impor
tant, in debauching tht Indians by carrying
liquors illicitly into territory still completely
under Federal Jurisdiction.
Ths Philippine!.
During tht last year the Philippine Islands
have been slowly recovering from the series
of dimeters which, since American, occupa
tion, have greatly reduced the amount of ag
ricultural producti below what wat productd
In Spanish times. Tht war, tht rlnderpett, the
locusts the drought and the choltra havt betn
united as causes to prevent a return of the
prosperity much nttded in tht Islands. The
most serious 1b the destruction by tht rinder
pest of more than 75 per cent of the draft
cattle because it will take stveral ytars of
breeding to rtstort the necessary number of
these indispensable aids to agriculture. The
CommlBslon attempted to supply by purchaso
from adjoining countries the needed cattle,
but the experiments made were unsuccessful.
Most of the cattle Imported were unable to
withstand the change of climate and the rig
ors el the voyage and died from other dis
eases than rlndersest.
Reduction of Tariff Needed,
The agricultural conditions of the Islanda
enforoe more strongly than ever the argument
in favor of reducing the tariff on the prod
ucts of tho Philippine Islands entering the
United Status. I earnestly recommend that
upon the products of the Philippine Islands be
entirely removed except the tariff on sugar
and tobacco, and that that tariff be reduced
to 25 per cent of the present rates under the
IUngley act; that after July 1, luutf, the
tariff upon tobacco and sugar produced In ths
Philippine Islands be entirely removed ami
that free trade between the Islands and ths
United States In the products of each country
then be provided for by law.
Iluvmll,
In my Judgment Immediate steps should be
taken for the fortification ot Hawaii, This
Is the most Important point In the Paclflo to
fortify In order to conserve the Interests of
this country. It would be hard to overstate
the Importance of this need. Hawaii Is too
heavily taxed. Laws should be enacted set
ting aside for a period of, say, 20 years 78
per cent of the Internal revenue and customs)
receipts from Hawaii as a suodal fund to be
expended In the lilands for educational and
publio buildings, and for harbor Improve
ments and military .and naval defenses. It
cannot be too often' repeated that our aim
must he to dovolop the Territory of Hawaii
on traditional American lines. That territory
has serious commercial and Industrial prob
lems to reckon with; but no meusure of relief
can be considered which looks to legislation
admitting Chinese and restricting them by
statute to field labor and dementi service.
The status of servility can never again bs
tolrrnted on American anil. Wo -cannot con
cede that the proper solution of Its problem
Is spoclal legislation admitting to Hawaii a
class of lahorers denied admission to the other
states and territories. There are obstacles,
nnd great obstacles, In the wny of butldtnir
the tariff now Imposed by tho plngley bill
up a representative American community In
the Hawaiian iBlnnds; but It Is not In the
American character to give up In the face ot
difficulty. Many an American commonwealth
has been built up against odds equal to those)
mat now confront Hawaii.
Torto Rl. .
I earnestly advocate the adoption of leg
islation which will explicitly confer Ameri
can citizenship on all citizens of l'orto Kino.
Thero is. In my Judgment, no excuse for
fullure to do this. The harbor of San Juan
should he dredged and Improved. The ex
penses of the Federal Court of Porto Hlco
shnuld ho met from the Federal Treasury,
and not from the Porto Itlcan treasury. The
elections In Porto Rico should take place
every four years, and the Legislature Bhould
meot In sesMlon every two years. The pres
ent form of government In Porto Rico, which
provides for the appointment by the Presi
dent of the members of the executive coun
cil or upper House of the Legislature, hna
proved satisfactory and has Inspired confi
dence In property-owners and Investors. I
do not deem It advisable at the present time
to change this form In any material feature.
The problems and needs of the Island are-
Industrial and commercial rather than po
litical. Alask.a
I earnestly ask that Alaska he given an.
elective delegate. Some person should bo
chosen who can speak with authority of the
needs of the territory. The Government
should aid In the construction of a nil I road
from the Gulf of Alaska to the Yukon River,
In American territory. In my last two
messages 1 advocated certain additional ac
tion on behalf of Alaska. I shall not now
repeat those recommendations, but I shall
lay all my stress upon the one recommen
dation of giving to Alaska some one au
thorized to speak for it. I thould prefer that
the delegate was made elective, but If this)
Is not deemed wise then make him ap
pointive. At any rate, give Alaska some-
person whose business It shall be to speak
with authority on her behalf to the Con
gress. The natural resources of Alaska art
great. Some of the chief needs of the pecul
iarly energetic, self-reliant, and typically
American white 'population of Alaska were
set forth in my last message. I also ear
nestly ask your attention to the needs of the
Alaskan Indians. All Indians who are com
petent Bhould receive the full rights of
American citizenship. It Is, for Instance, a
gross and indefensible wrong to deny to suchi
hard-working, decent-living Indians as the)
Metlakahtlns the right to obtain licenses a
captains, pilots and engineers, the right t
enter mining claims, and to profit by ths
homestead law. These particular Indiana
are civilized, and are competent and en
titled to he put on the Bame basis with the
white men round about them,
Admission to Statehood.
I recommend that Indian Territory nnd
Oklahoma be admitted as one state and that.
New Mexico and Arizona be admitted as one
state.. There la no obligation upon ub te
treat territorial subdivisions, which are mat
ters of convenience only, as binding us on
tho question of admission to statehood.
Nothing has taken up more time in the
Congress during the past tew years than the,
question as to the statehood to be granted
to the four territories shove mentioned, und.
after cart-fu! consideration of all that has--ot-er.
developed In the discussions of the
question I recommend that they be Imme
diately admitted as two states. There Is no
Justification for further delay; and the ad
visability of niaking the four territories lntc
two states has been clearly established.
The Panama (anal.
The treaty between the United States and
the Republic of Panama, under which the
construction of the Panama Canal was made
possible, went Into effect with its ratification
by the United States Senate on February 2;l,
1004. The canal properties of the French
Canal Company were transferred to the
United States on April 23, 11104, on payment
of $40,000,000 to that company. OrL,Aprll 1.
1005, the Commission was reorganized, and
It now consists of Theodore P. Shonts,
chnlrman; Charles E. Magoon, Benjamin M.
Harrod, Rear-Admiral Mordecal T. Endicott,.
Brigadier-General Peter C. Halns, and Colo
nel Oswald H. Ernst. John F. Stevens wa
appointed chief engineer on July 1 last.
Active work In canal construction, mainly
preparatory, has been in progress for les
than a year and a half. During that period
two points about the canal have ceased to
be open to debate. First, the question ot
route; the canal will be built on the Isthmus
of Panama. Second, the question of feasi
bility; there are no physical obstacles on this
routs that American engineering skill will
not be able to overcome without serious dif
ficulty, or that will prevent the completion!
of the canal within a reasonable time and
at a reasonable cost, This Is virtually the
unanimous testimony of the engineers who
have investigated the matter for the Gov
ernment. What is needed now and without delay lo
an appropriation by the Congress to meet
the current and accruing expenses of the
Commission. The first appropriation of $10,
000,000, out of the 1!15,000,000 authorized
by the Spooner act, was made three year
ago. It Is nearly exhausted. There is bare
ly enough of it remaining to carry the
Commission to the end of the year. Unless
the Congress shall appropriate before that
time all work must cease. To arrest prog
ress for any length of time now, when mat
ters are advancing so satisfactorily, would
be deplorable. There will be no money with
which to meet pay-roll obligations and none
with which to meet bills coming due for
materials and supplies; and there will be
demoralization of the forces, here and on
the Isthmus, now working so harmoniously
and effectively, lf there is delay in granting
an emergency appropriation. Estimates of
the amount necessary will be found in the
accompanying reports of tht Stcrttary of
War and the Commission.
Ths Department ef State.
I recommend more adequate provision than
has been made heretofore for the work of the
Department of State. Within a few years
there has been a very great increase In the
amount and Importance of the work to be
done by that department, both in Washing
ton and abroad. This has been caused by
the great Increase of our foreign trade, the In
crease of wealth among our people, which en
ables them to travel more generally than
heretofore, the Increase of American capita.'
which Is seeking lavestment In foreign coun
tries, and the growth of our power and
weight In the councils of the civilized world.
There has been no corresponding Increase of
facilities for doing ths work afforded to the
department having charge ot our foreign relation
1