Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-12-05

spect and examine the workings of
the great corporations engaged in
| Interstate business There should
be created cabinet officer to be
known as secretary of commerce and
industries. 1t should be his province
to deal with commerce in its broad
est sense and what ever concerns la
Dor, business and merchant marine.
| Labor must be protected by tariff
and in other ways, and for that rea-
son l regard it necessary to re-inact
Immediately the law excluding Chi
nese laborers. Our present immi-
grafton laws are unsatisfactory We
need every honest and efficient immi-
grant who brings here strong body,
| a stout heart. good head
and will be God-fearing
| member of the community to
to come and remain with us. But
all others should be excluded
Passing on to the tariff system, the
| message says the first requisite to
our prosperity is the continuity of
the stability of this economic policy.
Nothing could be more unwise than to
disturb the business of the country
by any general tariff change at this
| time. Doubt, apprehension. uncer-
tainty are exactly what we wish to
avoid in the interest OF our CONNER
cial well-being.
The message then calls attention to
the condition of American merchant
marine and says action is de-
manded by congress. 1T is discredit-
able to us as a nation if our merchant
marine should be utterly insignificant
in comparison to that of other ma
tions, which we overtop in other
forms of business.
Regarding the establishment of
gold as the standard of money. the
ton should continue. 1t was time
ly and judicious act, he declares.
Referring to the regulation of inter
state railways. the message was very
brief. 1t says the act of 1897 Great
ing commission was experimental
and could be improved.
Touching upon the subject of ag
riculture, the message says the cabi
net department has accomplished real
value in upbuilding foreign and do
nestle trade. 1t has created in the
public opinion a more just apprecia-
tion of the value of forests. The
message declares that this should be
continued and immense forest reserv-
es maintained. The reclamation and
settlement of the arid lands. the pres
ident says, will enrich every portion
of our country. just as the settlement
of the Ohio and Mississippi valleys
brought prosperity to the Atlantic
states. There should be no extrav
agance. however, in the matter of
spending public monies, and what
ever the nation does for the extension
of irrigation should harmonize with
the end to improve the condition of
those now living on irrigated land.
We are not at the starting point of this
development. Over two hundred
millions of private capital has al
ready been expended on the construc-
ton of these irrigating works and
many millions of arid land reclaimed.
The nation must ultimately cooper
ate with the several arid states in
proportion as these states by legisla-
ton and administration show them
selves fit to receive it.
Speaking of the new acquisitions,
the president says our aim must be
to develop Hawaii on traditional
lines. We do not wish a region of
large estates titled by cheap labor, but
a healthy American community own
ing small farms. Porto Rico, says
the message is thriving as never be-
fore, and is being administered Off
cially and honestly and Cuba's pro-
gress has been made and put the in
dependent government of the island
upon firm footing. and before the
present session of congress closes
this will be an accomplished fact, and
Cuba will start as her own mistress.
In the Philippines our problem is
larger There are rich tropical is
lands inhabited by varying tribes.
We must help them along the stony
government. Already greater
measure of prosperity and govern
| mental honesty has been attained in
the Philippines than ever before in
| their history. There are still troubles
ahead in the islands; spirit of brig
andage is rampant, and we must
crush it out. The Monroe doctrine
should be the cordinal feature of the
foreign policy of all the nations of
the two Americas, as it is of the
United States. 1t is in no wise in
tended as hostile to any nation in the
old world.
| The work of up-building the navy
must be steadily continued. No one
point of our policy, foreign or domes
tic. is more important than this to
the honor and material welfare, and
above all. to the peace of our nation
in the future.
The message awards the fullest
honor to the men who commanded
the ships which destroyed the Span
iards in the Philippines and In Cuba
but we must not forget that an equa
need OF praise belongs to those con
gressmen who voted years in ad
| I,,, ~ Aats. r.