Evening journal., 1902-12-02
THE MESSAGE
Continued From First Page.

been established 10 such an extent as to enable
MS TO make comparisons the yearly increase has
been upward of 10 per cent.
On Nov j. 1902 $50 rural free delivery.
cs had been Established and were 10 operation.
covering about onc-third OF the territory Of the
inied states available for rural free delivery
service. There are now awaiting the action of
the department petitions and applications for the
establishment OF l,iio additional routes. This
shows conclusiNely The want which the establish
mest of the scrfice has met and The need Of fur
thcr extending IL as rapidly possible. 10 Ia
justified both Oy the financial result. and by the
practical hnchis TO our rural populations; It
brings the men who live on the soil into close
relations with Che active business world; it keeps
the farmer In daily touch with the markets, it Is
potential educational force; 70 enhances the
value of farm property. makes farm life far
pcasantcr and less isolated, and will do much to
check the undesirable current from country TO
city
II is to be hoped that the congress will make
liberal appropriations for the continuance of the
service already established and for its further ez
tension.
Few subjects Of more importance have been
taken up by the congress in recent years than
the Inauguration Of the system Of nationally aided
irrigation for the arid regions OF the far west.
good beginning therein has been made. Now
that this policy OF national irrigation has been
adopted the need Of thorough and scientific forest
protection viii grow more rapidly than ever
throughout the public land states.
Legislation shouia be provided for the protec-
tion Of the game and the wild creatures sener-
ally on the iorcei reserves The senseess slaugh-
ter Of game. which can by judicious protection De
permanently preserved on our national reserves
for the people as a whole. should be stopped az
once. II ~ for instance a serious count against
our national good sense 10 permit the present
practice Of hutchering on such q stately and
beautiful creature as the elk for its autlers or
So far as they are available for agriculture and
20 whatever extent they may be reclaimed under
the national irrigation law. The remaining public
the settler who lives on his land and ior no one
else. In their actual nse the desert land law,
clause VI The homestead law have been 80 per-
Ncrted from ihe intention with which they were
enacted as 10 permit the acquisition Of large
areas of the public domlin iur other than actual
Tcnt. Moreover. the approaching exhaustion OF
the public ranges has 'oi late led 90 much dis
fussion MS to the best manner Of using these pub.
lie lands in the west which are suitable chiefly or
only for grazing. The sound and steady develop.
uent of ihe west depends upon the building up
~ homes therein. Much Of our prosperity as a
natiun has been due Go The operation OF the home
itcad law on the other hand, we should rcc0g'
nizc the fact that in the grazing region the man
who corresponds % the hamcstcaior may ho un-
able TO settle permanently II only allowed 20 use
the SAME amount Of pasture land That his brother.
the homosteader, is allowed TO use of arabic land
One hundred and sixty acres OF fairly rich and
well Watcrcd soil or much smaller amount ot
irrigated land may keep a family In plenty where
as no one could get living from le0 acres OF
dry pasture land capable Of supporting az the
outside only head % cattle 20 every ten acres
In the past great tracts of the public domain
have been fenced in by persIns launs no title
hereto, n direct defiance OF the law forbiddins
NE maintenance or construction Of any such un
lawful incosure Of public land. For various
reasons there has been little interference with
such inclOsures IN the past. but ample rQtce has
now been given The respassers, and ah tne fe
sources at the command Of the government will
hereafter be used 90 put stop 20 such ucsnassing
Ia view Of the capital importance OF these mat
ters ! commend them 20 the earnest confederation
Of the congress. and ii the congress hnds diiii-
Guilty in dealing with them from iacs q thorough
knowledge Of the subject ! recommend that pro-
vision be made for commission Of experts spe-
oially TO investigate and report upon The com
plcated questions involved.
especially urge upon the congrgss the need Of
wise legislation for Alaska u Is not 20 our
credit a milton that Alaska. which has been
for thirtyhye ycals, should still have as poor
a system OF laws as Is the case. 40 country has
a more valuable possession in mineral wealth in
fisheries. iurs. forests and also IN land afailahi'
for certain kinds Of farming and stock Erowing
n is q territory Of great size and faltll re-
sources, well fitted 20 support large pertinent
population. Alaska needs n good lana Jaw ana
such provisions for homcsteads and pre-empuqn
as viii encourage permanent settlement
should shape legislation With O view not 70 th'
exploiting and abandoning Of the territory, but
10 the building up Of homes therein. The lant
laws should be liberal In type so as tn bold on
inducements TO the actual settler whom We mos
desire TO see take possession OF the country tn'
forests Of Alaska should be protected and, as
secondary but still important natter, ihp gami
also and az the same time IL IS imperative tha
the settlers should he allowed 20 cut timber, On
der proper regulations, for their own use Law
should be enacted 10 protect the Alaskan salmon
fisheries against the greed which would destroy
them. They should be preserved a. a pefmantn
industry and food supply Their manlgemeH
and Control should be turned over TO the commits
sion Of fish and fisheries. Alaska should have
congressional committee could visit Alaska anl
investigate its needs on the ground.
In dealing with the Indians our aim should b
their ultimate absorption into the body Of ou
people but in many cases this absorption mus
and should be very slow. In portions OF the IN
dian Territory the mixture OF blood has gone OF
at the same time with progress ia wealth an.
education, so that there are plenty Of men wiz
varying degrees Of purity ci Indian blood VII
are absolutely indistinguishahe IN point of social
political and economic ability from their whit
associates. There are other tribes which have o
yet made perceptihe advance toward suC
/ equality To try 70 force such tribes TOO fast j
/ 10 prevrnt their going forward az all. Moreover
the tribes live under widely different conditions
! Where a tribe has made considerable advance an
| lives on fertile farming soil 10 is possible Go auo
the members lands in sa'eralty much as is th
/ case with white settlers. There arr other tribe
/ where such a course IS not desirable. on th
/ arid prairie lands the c1ort should De % Undue
| the Indians to lead pastoral rather than agricu
/ tural lives and 70 uirnit them to settle in VII
lages rather than TO force them into isolation
The large Indian schools situated remote iror
/ any Indian reservation do special and peculia
/ work Of great importance; but, excellent thoug
/ these are, an immense amount OF additional wor
| must be done on the reservations tnemseNl
among the old, and above an, among the youn
| Indians
The first and most important step toward th
! absorption of the Indian is TO teach him 90 ear
his living yet it is not necessarily 70 be assume
| that in each community an Indians must Deeom
either tillers of the soil or stock ralsers. ih'l
/ industries may properly be diversified. and thos
| who show special desire or adaptabiity for lndu
| trial or even commercial pursuits should hc cr
| Couragcd far as practicable TO follow out eac
Fvery effort should be made to develop the II
dian along the lines Of natural aptitude and
encourage the existing native industries pecuh'
/ 10 certain tribes, such as the various kinds
! basket weaving. canoe building, smith work an
| blanket work Above an the Indian boys an
| Girls should be given confident comm1n1 ot 90
| ioauis English and should ordinarily he prepare
| for a vigorous struggle with tho conditions und.
which their people live rather than for immed
ate absorption into some more highly develops
| community
The officials who represent the government
dealing with the Indians work under hard con1
tions and also under conditions which render
easy 10 do wrong and very dihcut 60 dete
wrong. Consequently they should he amply pa
on the one hand, and on the other hand q pa
ticnlarlv high standard Of conduct should be q
manded from them. and where misconduct can
proved the punishment should be exemplary.
In no department Of governmental work IN :
cent wears has there been greater success th'
in that OF giving scientific aid TO the iarmii
population thereby showing them how most II
| cieutly TO help themselves. There Is no need
insisting upon its importance, for the welfare
| The farmer Is fundamentally necessary 20 y
welfare oi the republic as whole. In adalV.
| t. such work as quarantine against animal Al
| vegetable plaques, and warning against them VIII
here introduced much efficient help has been r.