The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-12-05

any other portion of our country. We have
given them the great gift of free access for
their products to the markets Of the United
States ask the attention of the Congress
to the need of legislation concerning the pub
lie lands of Porto Rico.
Progress In Cuba.
'In Cuba such progress has been made to-
ward putting the Independent government of
the island upon Arm footing that before the
present session of the Congress closes this
will be an ACCOMPLISHED fact. Cuba will then
start as her own mistress; and to tho beauti-
full Queen of the Antilles, as she unfolds this
new page of her destiny, we extend our
heartiest greetings and good wishes. Else
procity. In the case of Cuba. however, there
are weighty reasons of morality and OF ma
tional interest why the policy should be held
to have peculiar application, and l most
earnestly ask your attention to the wisdom,
indeed to the vita need of providing for q
substantial reduction in the tariff duties on
Cuban imports into the United States. Cuba
has in her constitution affirmed what we de-
sired, 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 CT honor
and eXpediency to pass commercial measures
in the interest of her material well-being.
The Philippine Problem.
"In the Philippines our problem is larger
They are very rich tropical islands, inhnbi-
ted by many varying tribes, representing
civilization. Our earnest effort is to help
these people upward along the stony and diff
ficult path that leads to self-governnlent. We
hope to make our administration CT the is
lands honorable to our nation by making it
Of the highest benefit to the Filiplnos them
selves; and as an earnest of what we intend
to do we point to what we have done. AL
ready n greater measure of material prosper
ity and of governmental honesty and effici-
ency has been attained in the Philippines
than ever before in their history.
I'm dealing with the Philippine people we
must show both patience and strength, for
bearance and steadfast resolution. Our aim
is high We do not desire to do for the is
landers merely what has elsewhere been done
governments. w 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
tree nations.
ITO leave the islands at TITS time would
mean that they would fall in.o a welter of
murderous anarchy. Such desertion of duty
on our part would be crime against hui
marty. The character of Governor Taft and
OF his associates and subordinates is proof,
II such be needed, of the sincerity Of our eff
fort to give the islanders constantly in
creasing measure Of self-government exactly
as fast as they show themselves fit to exer-
else it. Since the civil government was es-
tablished not an appointment has been made
in the islands with any reference to consider
atoms of political influence, or to aught else
save the fitness of the man and the needs
of the service.
"There are still troubles ahead in the is
lands. The instruction has become an affair
OF local bandtti and marauders, who deserve
no higher regard than the brigands Of por
tons OF the old world. Encouragement, di-
rect OF indirect, to these insurrectos stands
on tho same footing as encouragement to hos
tile Indians in the days when we still had In
dian wars. AS we will do everything in our
nNy fOr f1a ltyoyn ,f,r tC ft11
will take the sternest measures with the
Filipinos who follow the path of the insur-
recto and the ladrone.
The time has come when there should be
additional legislation fer the Philippines.
Nothing better can be done for the islands
than to introduce industrial enterprises.
Nothing would benefit them SO much as
throwing them open to industrial develop
ment. 1t is therefore. necessary that the
Congress should pass laws by which the re-
sources of the islands can be developed; Sc
that franchises for limited terms Of years.
can be granted to companies doing business
in them, and every encouragement be given
to the incoming of business men of every
kind.
crying need of cable to Hawaii and the
Philippines, to be continued from the Phil
ippines to points in Asia. We should not
defer Il day longer than necessary the con-
struction Of such cable. It is demanded
not merely for commercial but for political
and military considerations.
Either the Congress should Immediately
provide for the construction of a govern
ment cable, or else an arrangement should
be made by which like advantages to those
accruin,g from government cable may be
secured to the government by contract with
private cable company.
Recommends n caraguan Canal.
mo single great material work which re-
mains to be undertaken on this continent is
OF such consequence to the American people
as the building of a canal across the Isthmus
connecting North and South America. While
its beneficial effects would perhaps be most
marked upon the Pacific coast and the gulf
and South Atlantic states, it would also
greatly benefit other sections 1t is en-
phatcally work which it is for the interest
of the entire country to begin and complete
as soon as possible; it is one Of those great
works which only great nation can under
take with prospects of success, and which
when done are not only permanent assets
in the nations material interests, but stand
ing monuments to it's constructive ability.
II am glad to be able to announce to you
that our negotiations on this subject with
Great Britain, conducted on both sides in a
spirit of frendliness and mutual good will
and respect, have resulted in my being able
to lay. before the Senate treaty which if
ratified will enable us to begin preparations
for an Isthnlian canal at any time, and which
guarantees to this nation every right that
it has ever asked in connection with the
canal In this treaty, the old Clayton Bull
wer treaty, SO long recognized as inadequate
to supply the base for the construction and
maintenance of a necessarily American ship
canal is abrogated 1t specifically provides
that the United States alone shall do the
work of building and assume the RESPONSE
bility of safeguarding the canal and shall
regulate its neutral use by all nations on
terms of equality without the guaranty or
interference of any outside nation from any
quarter. The signed treaty will at once be
laid before the Senate, and if approved the
Congress can then proceed to give effect to
the advantages it secures US by providing for
the building of the canal.
THE true end of every great and free peo-
pie should be self-rcspecting peace; and this
nation most earnestly desires sincere and
cordial friendship with all Others Over the
entire world, of recent years, wars between
the great civilized powers have become less
and less frequent Wars with barbarous or
smi-barbarous peoples come In an entirely
different category, being merely most re-
grettable but necessary international police
duty which must be performed for the sake
Of the welfare of mankind. Peace can only
be kept with certainty where both sides wish
to keep it; but more and more the civilized
peoples are realizing the wicked folly of war
and are attaining that condition of Just and
intelligent regard for tho rights of others
which will in the end, as we hope and be-
lieve, make worldwide peace possible The
peace conference at The Hague gave definite
expression to this hope and belief and mark
ed a stride toward their attainment.
Tl,n Nfonroo nooArino