The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-12-05

Their construction has been conclu-
sively shown to be an undertaking
too vast for private effort. Nor can it
be best accomplished by the Individual
states acting alone. The government
should construct and maintain these
reservoirs as it does other public works.
Where their purpose is to regulate the
flow Of streams, the water should be
turned freely into the channels in the
dry season to take the same course
under the same laws as the natural
flow.
The reclamation Of the unsettled arid
public lands presents different prob
lem. Here it is not enough to regulate
the flow Of streams. The object of the
government is to dispose of the land
to settlers who will build homes upon
it. To accomplish this object water
must be brought within their reach.
The pioneer settlers on the arid pub
lie domain chose their homes along
selves divert the water to reclaim their
holdings. Such opportunities are prac-
tically gone. There remain. however,
vast areas of public land which can be
made available for homestead settle
ment. but only by reservoirs and main
line canals impracticable for private
enterprise. These irrigation works
should be built by the national govern
ment. The lands reclaimed by them
should be reserved by the government
for actual settlers, and the cost of con-
struction should, SO far as possible, be
repaid by the land reclaimed. The dis
tribution CT the water, the division of
the streams among irrigators, should
be left to the settlers themselves in
conformity with state laws and with
out interference with those laws or
with vested rights.
The declaration Is made that in the
arid states the only right to water
which should be recognized is that Of
use. The president says that the doc
trine of private ownership of water
apart from land cannot prevail without
causing wrong.
Insular Problems.
Insular questions are next treated.
In Hawaii our aim must be to develop
the territory on the traditional Amer
lean lines. Porto Rico is declared to be
thriving as never Defore The atten-
ton Of congress IS called to the need of
legislation concerning the islands pub
lie lands. In Cuba 1t is stated that
much progress has been made toward
putting the independent government Of
the island upon 4 firm footing. and it Is
declared that independence will be an
accomplished fact. The president
adds:
Elsewhere | have discussed the cues
ton of reciprocity. In tie case Of Gu
ba, however. there are weighty reasons
of morality and of national interest
why the policy should be held to have
peculiar application. and / nest ear
EvStly ask your atteut.0n to tie wis
| dom. indeed to tie vital reed. OF pro-
viding for 4 substantial reduction In
The tariff duties On Cuban imports into
the United States.
In dealing with the Philippine peo-
pie we must show both patience and
strength, forbcarance and steadfast res
OlutlOu. ouE AIN Is Ii. " e not
desire to do for the islanders merely
what has elsewhere been done for trop-
ic 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 government after the
fashion of the really free nations.
The only fear is lest in our overan1-
iety we give them 4 degree of indie.
pendence for which they are unfit,
thereby inviting reaction and disaster.
AS fast as there is any reasonable hope
that in a given district the people can
govern themselves self government
has been given in that district. There
| Is not 4 locality fitted for self govern.
ment which has not received it. But il
may we'll be that in certain cases II
| will have to be withdrawn because the
| inhabitants show themselves unfit to
| exercise it; such instances have already
| occurred. In other words. there is not
the slightest chance Of our failing to
i show a sufficiently humanitarian spirit