The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-06
oNE-srDED ARRANGEMENT.

In his annual report the post
master general has recommended an
Increased allowance for rural post
al delivery and advocates the ex-
tension of the service wherever prac-
ticable. This is all very well. But h g
GIL o e suggests that there might be a
good deal more of discrimination shown
in the selection of the localities which
have the rural free delivery, and that
if the department willed it the distribu-
ton among the localities could be made
highly promotive of the good roads
movement.
The meritorious movement in favor of
good roads has been attended with great
er difficulties and has made relatively
less progress than might in reason have
been expected. A great service to the
cause would be rendered If congress in
its further legislation on the subject
would impose some condition as to the
maintenance of the public highways In
U1SlIiClS W NC SefFtO ny tuS lfeS 1uidl
delivery system.
The Eastern communities served are
generally those in which a serious effort
has been made in improved road build
ing. If some such condition could be es-
tablished in the West the good roads
movement in this section would be ma
terially advanced. The duty of the peo-
pie served and of the postal authorities
should be regarded as reciprocal. If the
porous and thickly inhabited to warrant
the extension of the rural free delivery
system to it are not public spirited and
self-sacrificing enough to tax themselves
for an improved road system they can
hardly be regarded as entitled to have
the mass of the people of the entire coun-
try taxed to supply them with improved
postal facilities.
If a certain specified extent of road i'm
provement were exacted by law before q
given region were included in the rural
free delivery area, farmers who are now
so dull or so close-fisted that they will
not put their roads in decent shape would
wake up to their duty to themselves as
well as to the general public.
Mr.. Croker is reported as making bitter
complaint that the reporters in this coun-
try are bothering him all the time; while,
when he Is abroad, the reporters give
him no trouble at all. Moral, Mr.. Crok-
er? Why, go away and stay away per-
manently from the scene of your troubles.
CODDLING, SLATERY AND POLYG-
AMY.
''The question Of the sultan of Sulu
and his harem is very small matter
questions that are now involved. The
sultan lives in dirty, tumble-down
house and he may have several wives,
but he is a very Insignificant individual.
l do not fear any trouble with him."
This is in part the language in which
Congressman Weeks, of Michigan, ex-
presses his views of matters in the Phil
ippine islands, from which he has just
returned Congressman Weeks is a good
Republican and a loyal Administrations.
He speaks on the authority of personal
experience concerning the sultan of Sulu,
whose domain he has evidently visited.
In the early days of imperialism the
United States adopted the sultan of Sulu
as sort of suzerain They guaranteed him
the peaceful enjoyment of all his pow
ers and prerogatives as Mohammedan
ruler. We entered into treaty with him,
sanctioning conditions of personal servi-
tude on the part of his subjects, which
represented slavery pure and simple. We
gave the sanction Of our liberation and
prestige to his polygamous relations.
Why? Because, as our rulers at Wash
ington advised the country at the time,
it would have been a dangerous under
taking and would have been promotive
of much bloodshed If VIE undertook to
disturb the conditions which we found
prevailing in the dominions of this miser-
able little Eastern satrap.
And now comes Congressman Weeks,
and assures us all that the sultan of Sulu
is an insignificant sort of parsonage, who
may have a number of wives, and pos
sibly, a number of slaves, who lives In a
tumble-down old house, and is evidently
not capable Of making any trouble.
Now if this be the true state of things
concerning the sultan of Sulu, why is it
found necessary to extend to him the pro-
lection of this government? Why do this
people make themselves morally RESPONSE
BILE for his crimes against morality and
freedom, by maintaining treaty relations
with him? Why is he not made to con-
form to our regulations designed for the
internal government of that section?
Why do we apply one law to him and
other and less favorable laws to other
natives in his situation?
If Congressman Weeks speaks the
truth concerning the sultan of Sulu we
have not left even the poor excuse of de-
string to spare the shedding of human
blood to offer for the sanction we con-