Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-04-18
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extend this aid, or the general govern
ment should extend the work it is now do
ing in the reclamation of certain Indian
reservations to the reclamation of the
unoccupied public lands. One policy
much discussed and widely favored is
legislation which will permit of the leas-
ing of the public grazing lands for term
of years at a small annual rental, the
proceeds to be given to the several arid
states and applied by them to irrigation
development
III this is carried out the settlers own
ing the contiguous irrigated land should I,
be favored, the object being to unite with |
the lands reclaimed a certain portion Of
the public pasture. Only the national
government can make the best and
broadest study of the various economic /
questions related to the development Of
agriculture on arid lands The investiga-
tlons of the Office of Experiment Stations
into the methods employed in distribut-
ing and using water and it's efforts to Sc
cure more uniform and efficient water
laws are destined to have untold value in
correcting existing evils and in promot-
ing development upon broader lines in
the future.
Professor Waterhouse of st. Louis de-
livered an address on Trade With the
Orient" He said in part:
THE total foreign commerce of the
United States is now more than $2,O00,-
O0O,OOO year. But even this aggregate,
though bewilderingly large. will increase. +.
AT present, the trade of the United
States with the Orient is small. In 1899
the total amount of our commerce with
Japan, China, Hong Kong and the Phil
ippines was $S7, 100000. i
Upon the assumption that the Philip
pines become permanent possessions Of
the United States, what economic use
can be made of them These islands,
more than 1,70O in number and upwards
of 100000 square miles in extent, contain
population of perhaps 100000. They
will yield all the productions of the equa-
torial zone. Probably the bulk of our
tea and raw silk will continue to be inn
ported from China and Japan but rice,
sugar. coffee, tobacco, spices and fibres
are staples which the Philippines are
especially fitted to produce. The best
hemp in the world is grown in this group
of islands, and the supply can be in
creased to meet the enlarged demands of
mankind. The farmers Of the United
States annually consume 12o,ooO,oOO
pounds of binding twine, and as sisal
will probably grow as luxuriantly in the
Philippines as it will in Yucatan. there
is no good reason why every pound OF
the hemp and sisal so useful in sheafing
American grains, should not be raised on
our own lands.
"The United States are now annually
importing nearly $500 0O00 900 worth Of !
tropical products. Almost all of these
commodities the natives of our own
islands ought to produce.
1.-THE Oriental industries, stimulated
and guided by the intelligent enterprise
of Americans, ought not only to augment
the commerce and supply the wants OF
the United States, but also to promote
the material welfare and amelioriate the
social condition of the Philippine people.
"Asiatic dealers dislike to buy goods
t1,n,r nofr fhnr hop fnrn III.
out the Orient warerooms for the exhibi-
tiOn of American commodities should be
established. The object lessons taught
by such displays would be by far the
most attractive and convincing forms
of advertisement.
IA cable across the Pacific would be
another means of promoting our Oriental
interests. 1t would not only tend to in
sure the safety of the Philippines, but it
would also enable American merchants
quickly to meet the changing wants of
Asiatic markets. Congress ought not to
postpone work so conducive to our
mercantile success"
The Hon. l.. Bradford Prince of New
Mexico spoke about the admission of
territories to statehood saying in part:
1.-The idea which l wish to emphasize
! Is that in respect to the three territories
of New Mexico, Arizona and Oklahoma
, certainly so far as New Mexico is con-
tcerned-admssiOn to statehood is not a
thing to be begged for as privilege, but
should be conceded as Il right.
mo circumstance now exists in rea-
tion to the people of New Mexico which
justities their being no longer deprived OF
F.! their full rights under a state govern
| ment. Its population is 260,5O0, excu-
sive of Indians. In financial strength it
is amply able to support Il state govern
ment, and the sole obstacle to rapid ad-
vancement is the continuous territorial
| condition.
| Mr.. James A. Troutman Of Kansas de-
f., livered an address, entitled "A Century Of
Trans Mississippi Development"
"He said that in 1886 Texas ceded terri
tory over which it asserted dominion to
the United States for 100000 600. In 1890
the cows Of the state Of Texas gave milk
enOught at 10 cents a gallon to pay that
purchase price and leave 81. 10000 for pin
money
In 1863 Thomas Jefferson paid Napo-
leon Bonaparte $15,0O9.0 900 for Louisiana.
| The hens that cackle around the pienti-
GUS barns of the Louisiana Purchase"
~