The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-12-03

tates titled by cheap labor; we wish q
neaithy American community of men who
themselves till the farms they own.
All our legislation for the islands
should be shaped with this end in view;
the well being of the average homemakel
must afford the true test of the healthy
development of the islands
The land policy should as nearly as
possible be modelled on our homestead
system.
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. $50
The island Is thriving as never before,
| and 1t is being administered efficiently
| and honestly.
Enjoying Liberty and Order.
! Its people are now enjoying liberty
! and order under the protection of the
| United States, and upon this fact we con-
| graduate them and ourselves.
Their material welfare must be as care
fully and jealousy considered as the
| welfare of any other portion of our coun-
try.
| We have given them the great gift of
free access for their products to TIE mar
! kets of the United States. / ask the at
!
islation concerning the public lands of
Porto Rico.
In Cuba such progress has been made
, toward putting the independent govern
ment of the Island upon a 1irm footing
that before the present session Of
congress closes this will be an accom-
p!ished fact.
Cuba will then start as her own mis-
tress: and to the beautiful Queen Of
the Antilles, as she unfulds this new page
of her destiny. we extend our heartiest
greetings and good wishes.
Tari,t on Cuban Imports.
In the case of Cuba. however, there are
Weighty reasons CT morality and of ma
tional interest why the policy should be
held have peculiar application, and
l most earnestly ask your attention to
the wisdom, indeed to The vital need, Of
providing for substantial reduction in
the tariff duties on Cuban imports into
the United States.
Cuba has in her constitution affirmed
whit we desired. that she should stand,
in international malt>r is, in closer and
more friendly relations with us than
with any other power; and we are bound
by every consideration of honor and eX-
pediency to pass commercial measures in
In the Philippines our problem is larger.
They are very rich tropical islands,
inha bitei by many varying tribes, repre-
senting widely different stages of prog
ress toward civilization.
Our earnest effort is to help these peo-
pie upward along the stony and difficult
pat. that leads to self government.
HONORABLE TO THE NATION.
We hope to make our administration
of the islands honorable to our nation by
making 1t of the highest benefit to the
Fi!ipinos themselves; and as an earnest
of what we intend to do we point to what
we have done.
Already a greater measure of material
prosperity and of governmental honesty
and efficiency has been attained in the
Philippines than. ever before in their
history.
1t is no light task for a nation to
achieve the temperamental qualities
without which the institutions of free
government are but an empty mockery.
Our people are now successfully gov
erning themselves, because for more
than a thousand years they have been
slowly fitting themselves sometimes
consciously, sometimes unconsciously,
toward this end.
What has taken us 80 general tons to
achieve, we cannot expect to see another
race accomplish out OF hand, especially
when large proportions of that race start
very far behind the point which our an
cestors had reach d even 80 generations
ago.
Patience and Strength.
In dealing with the Pr inc people
we must show both patience and
strength, forbeararce and steadfast reso-
luton.
Our aim is high. We do not desire to
do for the islanders merely what has
elsewhere, been done for tropic peoples
by even the best foreign governments.
We hope to do for them what has never
before been done for any people of the
tropics-to make them fit for self-gov-
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