Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-12-02

the tribes I'VE uncer widely c.-->rent con1iiion=.
Where tribe has made considerable advance and
lives on fertile farming soil it is possible TO aoe
the members lands in sevcralty much is the
case with white settlers There other tribes
where such course is not dcsirsble. On the
arid prairie lands the effort should be to induce
the Indians to lead pastoral rather than agricul-
tural lives and TO permit them to settle in VIII
lagos rather than to force them into isolation
The large Indian schools situated remote from
any Indian reservation Go 4 special and peculiar
work of great irnportaacc; H;Ii EXCELLENT tboI,-h
these are. an Immense amount Of additional work
must be done the reservations themselves
Indians.
The first AMI most important step toward the
absorption of the Indian Is 10 leach him to earn
his living, yet IL Is not necessarily to b. assumed
that II each community all Indians must become
either illlers OF the soil or stock raisars. Their
who show special desire aLaptabiity fcr indus
trial or even commercial pursuits should lac on
couragtd so far Is practicable TO follow each
his own bent
Every effort should be made to develop the In
encourage the existing native industries peculiar
10 certain tribes, such the Various kinds Of
blanket work Above all, The Indian boys and
girls should be given confident command of col
Tor a vigorous struggle with the conditions under
which their people live rather than ior inmedi-
ate absorption into some more highly developed
The oitcials who represent the government in
dealing with the Indians work under hard Condi-
lions and also under conditions which render it
easy TO do wrong and very difficult detect
wrong Consequently they should be amply paid
on OF iHe one hand and on the other hand par
ucu!aIly high standard Of conduct should be de-
handed from them, and where misconduct be
proved Tie punishment should be exemplary,
Scientific Aid To Farming
In no department OF governmental work in
cent years mas there been greater success than
IN that 81 giving scientific aid 10 the farming
population. thereby showing them how most cfb-
GENTLY TO help themselves There is no need Of
insisting upon its Importance, for the welfare Of
the farmer is fundamentally necessary TO the
welfare Of the republic a whole. In addition
TO such work quarantine against animal and
He-t'ab!e p'a-GeS' anu warning against them when
here introduced uluch efficient help has been rem
d1rcd TO Che farmer by the introduction OF new
plants specially lifted FOR cultivation under the
peculiar conditions existing in different portions
Of the country; New cereals have been established
IN NE seIAarid west For instance, the practi-
cabllty OF producing the best types OF maCaToni
wheats IN regions OF an annual rainfall OF only
demonstrated. Through the introduction Of new
rices in Louisiana and Texas the production of
nee IN tins country has been made to about equal
the home demand. In the southwest the POSSIBLE
ity OF Tegrassing OverstoCked range lands has been
demonstrated; in the north many forage
crops have been introduced, while in the erst it
has been shown that some of our choicest fruits
can be stored and shipped in such 4 way as TO
find profitable market abroad.
l again recommend to the favorable considera-
ton of the congress the plans of the Smithsonian
institution for making the museum under its
charge worthy Of the nation and for preserving
at the national capital not only records Of the
vanishing races of men. but of the animals of this
continent which, like the buffalo. viii soon be
come extinct unless specimens from which their
their native regions and maintained there in
safety.
The District of Columbia.
The District Of Columbia is the only part Of
territory il which the national government
exercises local or municipal functions and where
in consequence the government las a free hand
noi.c ees!ation which must b. essentially local
or municipal in their character. The government
sh9uld see 70 II lot instance. that The hFglenc
and sanitary legislation affecting v ssi.lnSton i
of a high character. The evils OF sIIm dwellings.
whether in the shape Of crowded and ooIScstcd
tenement house districts or OF the back alley
type, should never he permitted to grow M il
Washington The city should be model il every
respect tor All the cities OF the country The
charitable and correctional systems OF the Dis
trict should receive consideration the hands CT
the congress TO the end that they may tmhody
the results Of the most advanced thought in these
fields. Moreover. while Washington i not great
cltS, there Is some indCstrlaS1n here
and or labor legislation, while il would not be
important in itself. might be made a model for
the rest of the nation. We should pass, for in
stance. wise employers liability faT the Dis
trict Of Columbia. and need such act in
cur navy yards. Railroad companies in The Dis
trict ought be required by law 10 block their
The safety appliance laEv for the better pro-
lection Of the lives and limbs OF railway en-
ployees, which passed in 1888, went into fun
effect on Aug /. 1901. 1t has resulted il avert
however. the necessity OF additional! legislation
to perfect this law. pill to provide for this
hoped that some such measure may now be en-
acted into law
Inere Is q growing tendency 10 PROVIDE lot tne
publication OF masses OF documents Tor which
there is public demand and tor the printing %
which there is real necessity Large numbers
of volumes are turned out by the government
printing presses for which there is Justification.
Nothing should be printed by any Of the depart
ments unless 1t contains something of permanent
value. and the congress could with advantage cut
down very materially on all the printing winch
it has become customary 10 provide The
excessive cost of government printing is strong
argument against the position OF those who are
inclined on abstract grounds 10 advocate the gov
ernment'S doing any work which can with pro-
pTiety he left in private hands.
Gratifying progress has been made during the
year in the extension Of the merit system Of max
ing appointments in the government service. Il
should be extended by law 10 the District of Co
lunbia. Ii is uuch to be desired that
providing Tor appointment and promotion only in
consequence of proved fitness,
White House improvements.
Through q wise provision % the congress at its
last session the White House. which had become
iSE.urcd BY homogeneous additions and changes.
be by Washington. In making the restor1tious
the utmost has bean exercised to come
near possible 70 the early plans and to supple
ment these plans by careful study OF such
buildings that OF the University Of Virginia.
which built by jefferson. The White House
IS the property Of the nation, and so far as is
as il originally was, for the same reasons that
We keep Mount Vernon it originally The
stately simplicity of its architecture is
preston OF the character of the period in which
il was built and is in accord with the purposes
L designed to II Is a good thing TO
preserve such buildings historic monuments
which keep alive our sense of continuity with the
The reports OF the several executive depart
nents submitted to the congress with this
THEoDoTE ROOSEVELT.
Largest Gun in the World