New-York tribune., 1901-12-04

4 which was known to have his approval, that a
| Department of Commerce be created, the
sequence suggesting that in his opinion the
| supervision of industrial combinations should
| be intrusted to the new branch OF government
| No part of the Message will be greeted with
| more interest and presumably with more appro-
baton in certain sections of the country than
| that dealing with the question Of Irrigation, III
which the President expressly commits himself
10 the proposition that ''it is right for the
national government TO make the streams ana
rivers of the arid region useful by engineering
works for wafer storage as 10 make useful the
rivers and harbors Of the humid region by
engineering works of another kind Ii may
be generally admitted that this conclusion is
logically impregnabe, but it is certain to revive
painful recollections of scandals and mlscar-
riages resulting from river and harbor bills III
years gone by, and TO arouse apprehenslohs OF
similar abuses hereafter at new points within
the national domain. But Congressional action
should not be controlled by tinlid and partiai
considerations like these. 1t ought TO be pos
sible to make a cautious calculation Of advan-
tages and drawbacks. and thereupon without
undue haste to base q national policy IN respect
to the irrigation of dry lands
With mere allusiOn TO the Presidents plea
for an increase of the naval establishment, DIS
remarks concerning the organization and discl-
Milne of the army the merchant marine, the
isthmian canal and the Pacific cable his pru-
dent assertion of the principle of the Monroe
Doctrine and his declaration that the tine has
come to do away with the tribal status OF the
Indians and recognize them as individuals, we
pass in conclusion to his UNQUALIFIED advocacy
of the merit system in the Civil Service, ana
especiaIly In the administration of our fnsular
dependences No definition of duty and state
ment of purpose the part of the appointing
power could be more full of promise for the
credit of the nation and the welfare OF the
peoples newly committed to its care:
1t is important to have this system obtain at
home. but II is even more important TO nave IL
applied rigidly in insular possessions rot
an office should be filled in the Philippines or
Porto Rico with any regard to the mans par.
tiSan affiliations services. with any REGARD
to the political social personal influence
which he may have at his command In snort,
heed should be paid to absolutely nothing save
the mans own character and capacity and the
needs of the service. The administration OF |
these islands should be wholly free from the !
suspicion of partisan politics the admfnistra-
ton OF the army and navy. All that We ask |
from the public servant in the philippines or
Porto Rico is that he reflect honor on his coun- |
try by the way in which he makes that coun- |
try's rule benefit to the peoples who have come
under it This Is all that we should ask, ana
we cannot afford to be content with less.
1t is not reasonable surmiSe, but q solemn |
fact. that our success in solving the problems
and meeting the requirements of sovereignty In
the West Indies and the Orient will be measured
by the degree of fidelity with which the govern
ment of the United States adheres 10 that policy.