The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1890-12-06

grow.out of our favorable position as a ma
ton. Our form of government, with its
incident of universal suffrage, makes it
imperative that we shall save our working
which the scant work n wages that have
no margin for comfort always beget.
But after all this is done, it will be found
that our markets are open to friendly CON-
mercial exchanges of enormous values to
other great powers. From the time of my
induction into Office the duty of using
sye tSs g eSeoati HRd d i%n5iSsnss g fSs tns BY Se7 isT
opment of larger markets for u products,
especially III farm products, has been
kept constantly in mind, and no effort has
been, or will be, spared to promote that
end. We are under no disadvantage in
any foreign market, except that we pay
our w~Orkingmen and WOrkin0wOmen bet.
ter wages than are paid elsewhere; better
abstractly; better relatively to the cost of
the necessaries Of life. l do not doubt but
a very largely increased foreign trade is
accessible to us without bartering for
either our home market for such products
of the farm as our W people can supply
or the wages of the hard working people.
H RECIPROCITY CLAUSE
of the tariff act wisely and effectually
opens the way to secure a large reciprocal
trade in exchange for the free admission
TO our ports of certain products. lndica-
tons thus far given are for very. favorable
ceive our large imports of coffee and sugar,
and it is confidently believed If steam COM
municatiOn with these countries be i'm
proved and enlarged, the next year will
show a most gratifying increase in our ex.
ports Of breadstuffs and provisions, as we'll
as Of some import lines of manufactured
goods.
MISCELLANEOUS.
In addition to important bills that be-
came laws before the adjournment of the
last session, some other bills of the highest
Importance were well advanced toward a
final vote and now stand upon the calen-
dars of the two houses in favored positions.
I urge their passage, and also favor steam
ship mail lines. The enactment Of q
national bankruptcy law is still regarded
as very desirable. The constitution hav-
ing given to congress jurisdiction of this
subject it should be exercised and uniform
rules provided for the administration of
the affairs of insOlvent debtors.
1 also enc the recommendation in
favor of legislation atfOrding a just copy
right protection to foreign authors on a
footing Of reciprocal advantage for our
authors abroad.
Uniformity and increased safety in
brakes and couplers on freight cars is
recommended as a measure for legislation.
The subject of conservation and equal
arid regions has been paid much attention
from congress. but has not as yet been put
upon g permanent and satisfactory basis.
The urgency Of the subject does not grow
out of any large present demand for the
use of these lands for agriculture, but out
of the dangers that the water supply and
sites for necessary catch basins may. fall
into the hands of individuals or private
corporations and be used to render sub
servient large areas dependent upon such
supply. The owner of water is the owner
of lands, however titles may run. All un-
appropriated natural water sources and all
necessary reservoir sites should be held by
the government for equal use at talr rates
of homestead settlers who will eventually
take up their lands. The United States
should not, in my opinion. undertake con.
.struction of dams or canais. but should
limit its work to such surveys n obser-
vations as will determine the water supply
both surface and subterranean, areas
capable of irrigation and use and storage
capacity of reservoirs. This done, the use
of water and of reservoir sites might be
grant6d to the respective states or terri
tories, or to individuals or associations,
upon condition that the necessary works
should be constructed and the water fur
nished at fair rates without discrimination,
the rates to be subject to supervision by
legislatures OF by boards OF water CON-
m%issiOners. The duly constituted essen
tial thing tn be secured is common n
equal use at fair rates of the accumulation
of water supply. 1t were almost better
that these lands should remain arid than
that those who occupy them should be-
come slaves of unrestricted m%OnOp0lies
controlling n essential element of land
values and crop results.
The use of the telegraph by the post
Office department as a means for rapid
transmission of written communications Is,
I believe, upon proper terms quite deirahle.
The government does not own or operate
the railroads and it should not, l think,
own or operate the telegraph lines. 1t
does, however, seem quite practicable for
the government to contract with the tele-
graph companies, as it does with railroad
companies, to carry at specified rates such
communications as senders may designate
for this method of transmission, l recon-
mend that such legislation be enacted as
we'll enable the postOfice department fairly
to test by experiment the advantages of
such use of the telegraph. He .favors q
more effective federal election law and
III uOO a. oOAAo ASNoyn u" ~
The preparation Of general appropriation
bills should be conducted with the greatest
care and greatest scrutiny of expenditures.
The appropriations should be adequate to
the needs Of the public service, but they
should be absolutely free from p~rodigality.
I venture again to remind you that the
brief time remaining for consideration OF
important legislation now awaiting your
attention offers no time for waste. The
present duty discharged with diligence, f.
deity and courage, the work of the Fifty.
first congress may confidently be submitted
to the considerate judgment of the people.
BENJAMIN HARRISON.
Executive Mansion. Washington, Dec. l,
1890.
WOMEN As LAY DELEGATES.
Enough Returns Received to Show That
the Women Have Carried the Day.
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 8.-The question,
.Shall women be admitted into the general
conference as lay delegates y has been
submitted to the congregations of all the
Methodist churches in the United States,
o,d tho D~hilodolnhio MothOr{st Wi1l aQv