Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1901-12-13
InsuIar Possessions.

In Hawaii Our aim must be to de-
velop the territory on the traditional
American lines. We do not wish a
region of large estates titled by cheap
labor: we wish healthy American COM
munity of men who themselves till the
farms they own. All our legislation for
the islands should be shaped with this
end in view.
1t is pleasure to say that it is
hardly more necessary to report as to
Porto Rico than as to any State or
territory within our continental limits.
The island is thriving as never before,
and it is being administered efficiently
and honestly Its people are now en-
loving liberty and order under the pro-
lection of the United States, and upon
this fact we congratulate them and our
selves. | ask the attention of the Con-
gress to the need of legislation concern
inc the public lands OF Porto Rico.
In Cuba such progress has been made
towards putting the. independent gov
eminent of the island upon firm loot
ing that before the present session of
the Congress closes this will be an &C
complished fact, Cuba will then start
as her own mistress; and to the beauti-
full Queen of the Antilles, as she unfolds
this new page of her destiny, we extend
Our hearticst greetings and good wishes.
Elsewhere | have discussed the question
of reciprocity. In the case Of Cuba, how
ever. there are weighty reasons of NOR
atty and of national interest why the
policy should be held to have a pecu
| liar application, and | most earnestly
ask your attention to the wisdom, in
deed to the vital need, of providing for
substantial reduction in the tariff du
ties on Cuban imports into the United
States.
In the Philippines Our problem is
larger. They are very rich tropical is
lands inhabited by many varying tribes,
representing widely different stages of
progress toward civilization. Our earn-
est effort is to help these people upward
along the stormy and difficult path that
leads to sclf-government We hope to
make our administration of the islands
honorable to our Nation by making it of
the highest benefit to the Filipinos them
selves; and as an earnest of what we in
tend to do, we point to what we have
done. Already greater measure of
material prosperity and of governmental
honesty and efficiency has been attain
ed in the Philippines than ever before in
their history.
There are still troubles ahead in the
islands. The instruction has become
an affair of local banditti and maraud-
ers, who deserve no higher regard than
the brigands of portions of the Old
World. Encouragement, direct or in
direct, to these insurrectos stands on the
same footing as encouragement to hos
tile Indians in the days when we still
had Indian wars. Exactly as our aim
is to give to the Indian who remains |
peaceful the fullest and amplest consid-
Grafton, but to have it understood that |
we will show no weakness if he goes
on the warpath, SO we must make it
evident, unless we are false to our own
traditions and to the demands of civil
ization and humanity, that while we
will do everything in our power for the
Filipino who is peaceful, we will take
the sternest measures with the Fill
Pine who follows the path of the in
surrecto and the ladrone.
The heartiest praise is due to large
numbers Of the natives of the islands
for their steadfast loyalty. The Maca-
bebes have been conspicuous for
their courage and devotion to the flag.
The time has come when there
should be additional legislation for
the Philippines. Nothing better can
be done for the islands than to intro
duce industrial enterprises. Nothing
would benefit them so much as throw
ing them open to industrial development.
| call your attention most earnestly
to the crying need of a cable to
Hawaii and the Philippines, to be con-
tinued from the Philippines to points
in Asia. We should not defer day
longer than necessary the construc-
ton of such a cable. 1t is demanded
not merely for commercial but for
political and military considerations.
Either the Congress should imme-
diately provide for the construction
of government cable, or else an ar
should be made by which
like advantages to those accruing from
a government cable may be secured to
the government by contract with a pri-
vate cable company.
No single great material work which
remains to be undertaken on this con-
tlnent is of such consequence to the
American people as the building OF
canal across the Isthmus connecting
North and South America. Its import
ance to the Nation is by no means linn
tied merely to its material effects upon
our business prosperity; alone it would
be to the last degree important for us
to begin it.
| am glad to be able to announce to
you that Our negotiations on this subject
with Great Britain conducted on both
sides in spirit of friendliness and mu-
tual. good will and respect, have resulted
in my being able to lay before the Sem
ate treaty which if ratified, will enable
lis to begin preparations for an Isthmian
canal at any time, and which guarantees
to this Nation every right that it has
ever asked in connection with the canal.
The signed treaty will at once be laid
before the Senate, and if approved, the
Congress can then proceed to give effect
10 the advantages it secures us by pro-
viding for the building of the canal
The Monroe Doctrine.
Our people intends to abide by the
Monroe Doctrine and to insist upon it
as the one sure means of securing the