North Park union., 1901-12-13


ed. The reclamation and settlement OF
the arid lands. the President 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 extravaganza, however. In the
matter of spending public moneys, and
whatever the nation does for the ex-
tension of irrigation should harmonize
with and tend to improve the condition
OF those now living on irrigated land.
We are not at the starting point of
this development. Over $2OO,OOO,OOO
OF private capital has already been ex-
pended on the construction of these ir-
rigation works and many millions Of
acres OF arid land reclaimed. The na-
tlon must ultimately cooperate with
the several arid states In proportion as
those states by Legislation and admins
tration show themselves fit to receive
1t. With few creditable exceptions,
the arid states have failed to provide
for the certain and just division Of
streams in times OF scarcity. Lax ana
uncertain laws have made 1t possible
to establish rights to water in excess
OF actual uses or necessities. and many
streams have already passed into prl-
vate ownership, or control equivalent
to ownership.
"Whoever controls a stream practi-
cally controls the land 1t renders pro-
ductive. and the doctrine of private
ownership OF water apart from land
cannot prevail without causing endur-
ing wrong. The recognition OF such
ownership. which has been permitted
to grow up in the arid regions, should
give way to more enlightened and
larger recognition Of the rights of the
public In the control and disposal OF
the public water supplies. Laws
founded upon conditions obtaining In
humid regions, where water is too
abundant to justify boarding 1t, have
no proper application In n dry country.
Laws SO vitality affecting homes rs
those which control the water supply
will only be effective when they have
the sanction OF the irrIgators; reforms
can only be final and satisfactory when
they come through the enlightenment
of the people most concerned. The
larger development which national aid
insures should, however, awaken In
every arid state the determination to
make Its irrigation system equal in
Justice and effectiveness That of any
country in the civilized world. No
thing could be more unwise than for
isolated communities to continue to
learn everything experimentally, in
stead OF profiting by what Is already
known elsewhere. We are dealing
with new and mOmentous question,
In the pregnant yenrs while institu-
tions are forming, and what we do will
affect not only the present but future
generations"
Speaking of the new acquisitions the
President snys our atm must be to de-
velop Hawaii on traditional American
lines. We do not wish a region of large
estates TILED by cheap labor, but a
healthy American community owning
small farms. Porto Rico" says the
message, ''is thriving as never before.
and IL being administered officially and
honestly, and In Cuba progress has
been made, and we must put the indie
pendent government of the island upon
IL firm footing, and before the present
sessions OF Congress close this will be
an accomplished fact and Cuba will
start rs her own mistress. In the Phil
ippines our problem IL larger. There are
rich tropical islands Inhabited by vary
ing tribes. We must help them along
the stony and difficult path that leads
to self.government. Already a greater
measure OF prosperity and government
nj honesty has been obtained In the
Philippines than ever before In their
history.
"The Monroe doctrine should be the
cardinal feature Of the foreign policy
of all the nations Of the two Americas,
us It is OF the United States. II Is In
no wise Intended as hostile to any ma
tion OF the old world"
THE work OF upbuilding the navy
must be steadily continued. No one
point Of our policy, foreign and domes-
tic, Is more important than this to the
honor and material welfare. and above
all to the peace of our nation in the fu-
ture. Whether we desire 1t or not, we
must hencefOrth recognize that we
have International duties no less than
international rights.
Our people intend to abide by the
Monroe doctrine and to insist upon 1t
as the one sure means of securing the
peace Of the Western hemisphere. The
navy offers us the only means of max
ing our insistence upon the Monroe
doctrine anything but subject of de-
rision to whatever nation chooses to
disregard It,
1T is not necessary to Increase our
army beyond Its present size Mt this
time, but II is necessary to put 1t at the
highest point of efficiency. The pro-
portion Of our cavalry regiments has
wisely been increased. The American
cnvnlryman. trained to vancouver and
fight with equal facility OH foot and on
horseback, Is the best type OF soldier
for general purposes now to be found
in the world
The message compliments the vet
erans and the survivors Of those who
saved the Union during the Civil war,
md then goes on to commend the merit
system Of making appointments In the
public service. All applicants, he holds,
should have n fair field but no favor.
Political utilization should have no
bearing. When merit alone IL consid-
cred the results are admirable. Navy
yards, the postal service now living up
to the merit system show great gain In
economy In efficiency and honesty, due
to the enforcement Of this principle.
1t Is important to have this system OBJ
tain Mt home. but 1t is even more i'm
portant to have 1t applied rigidly In our
insular possessions.
I'm my Judgment" says the message,
"the time has arrived when we should
definitely make up our minds to recog-
nlZe the Indian as an individual and
not as member OF n tribe"
1.-The denth of Queen Victoria caused
the people OF the United Stntes deep
md ri nj 20 .I,t II.