The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1901-12-05

4
j in times Of scarcity. Lax and uncertai
laws have made 1t possible to establis
rights to water In excess Of actual use
or necessities. and many streams hay
already passed into private ownership, o
control equivalent to ownership.
NO PRIVATE OWNERSHIP.
Whoever controls a stream practicall
controls the land 1t renders productive
and the doctrine of private ownership O
water apart from land cannot prevail
without causing enduring wrong. Tn
recognition of such ownership, which ha
been permitted to grow up in the arit
regions, should give way to more en-
lightened and larger recognition Of tn,
rights of the public in the control ant
disposal of the public water supplies
Laws founded upon conditions obtaining
in humid regions, where water Is to(
abundant to Justify boarding 1t, have M
4 proper application in a dry country.
In the arid states the only right t.
| water which should be recognized Is that
of use. In irrigation this right should
attach to the land reclaimed and be in
separable therefrom. Granting perpetual
water rights to others than users, withou,
compensation to the public, is open to all
the objections which apply to giving away
perpetual franchises to the public utilities
Of cities. A few of the Western States
have already recognized this, and have
Incorporated In their constitutions the
doctrine of perpetual state ownership OF
water.
The benefits which have followed the
unaided development of the past justify
the nations aid and cooperation In the
more difficult and important work yet to
be accomplished. The larger development
which national aid insures should, how
ever. awaken in every arid state the de-
termination to make its irrigation system
equal in Justice and effectiveness that of
any country in the civilized world. Moth
| ing could be more unwise than for iso-
lated communities to continue to learn
everything experimentally, instead of
profiting by what is already known else
| where. We are dealing with new and
momentous question, in the pregnant
years while institutions are forming, and
what we do will affect not only the pres
ent but future generations.
| A careful study should be made, both
by the nation and the states, Of the irri-
CATION laws and conditions here and
abroad.
CUBA AND PORTO RICO.
The prosperous conditions in Porto Rico
are briefly touched upon.
In Cuba such progress has been made
toward putting the independent govern
ment of the island upon firm footing
that before the present session OF the
Congress closes this will be an accom-
plished fact. Cuba will then start as
her own mistress; and to the beautiful
Queen of the Antilles, as she unfolds
this new page of her desting, We extend
our heartiest greetings and good wishes
Elsewhere / have discussed the question
of reciprocity. In the case OF Cuba,
however, there are weighty reasons OF
morality and of national interest why
the policy should be held to have pc
culiar application, and most earnestly
ask your attention to the wisdom, indeed
/ to the vital need, of providing for sub
stantial reduction in the tariff duties on
Cuban imports into the United States.
Cuba has in her constitution affirmed
what we desired, that she should stand,
In international matters, In closer and
more friendly relations with us than with
any other power; and we are bound by
every consideration of honor and expe-
diency to pass commercial measures in
the interest of her material well-being.
PHILIPPINE PROBLEM LARGER.
In the Philippines our problem is larg-
er. They are very rich tropical islands,
inhabited by many varying tribes, rep
resenting widely different stages of pro-
effort is to help these people upward
along the stony and difficult path that
leads to self-government We hope to
make our administration of the islands
honorable to our nation by making 1t OF
the highest benefit to the Filipinos them
selves; and as an earnest OF what we
intend to do, We point to what We nave
done. Already a greater measure OF ma.
terial prosperity and OF governmental
4 oAR Ut hos affair Cd
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 govern
ing themselves, because for more than
thousand years they have been slowly Mt
ting themselves, sometimes consciously,
sometimes unconsciously, toward TINS
end. What has taken thirty generations
to achieve. we cannot. expect to see an
other race accomplish out Of hand, espe-
cially when large portions of that race
start very far behind the point which our
ancestors had reached even thirty gener-
ations ago. In dealing with the Philip
pine people we must show both patience
and strength, forbearance and steadfast
resolution.
History may safely be challenged to
show a single instance in which mas.
terful race such as ours, having been
forced by exigencies of war to take pos
session of an alien land. has behaved to
| its inhabitants. with the disinterested
zeal for their progress that our people
have shown in the Philippines. To leave
| the islands at this time would mean that
they would fall into welter OF murder
Gus anarchy Such desertion OF duty on
our part would be crime against human
| ity.
In our anxiety for the welfare and pro-
gress CT the Philippines. it may be that
here and there we have gone too rapidly
| in giving them local self-goyernment. II
| Is on this side that our error, II any, mas
been committed. We are extremely anx-
| ious that the natives shall show the
power of governing themselves. We are
anxious. first for their sakes, and next
because II relieves US Of great burden:
There need not be the slightest fear OF
our not continuing to give them all the
liberty for which they are 1T.
| The time has come when there should
be additional legislation for the Philip
pines 1t is urgently necessary to enact
suitable laws dealing with general trans
portation, mining. banking. currency
| homesteads, and the use and ownership
Of the lands and timber. These laws VIII
give free play to industrial enterprise;
ana the commercial development which
will surely follow will AFFORD to the peo-
pie of the islands the best proofs OF the
sincerity of our desire to aid them
PACIFIC CABLE AND 1sTHMIAN
CANAL.
Attention is called to the urgent need
Of Pacific cable, and Congress II recon-
mended either to construct Il or TO au-
fhorixe its construction BY private
cable company. The importance OF tne
IIsthmian canal Is pointed ont Il H. ne
says. emphaticaIly . work which It - foi
the interest Of the entire country TO De-
/ gin and complete a. soon as possnle;
- one Of those great works which ony
rreat nation can undertake with pros