The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1902-12-04


land capable Of supporting al the OUT
s5,,. only one head Of cattle 10 every ten
acres. In the past great tracts OF the
public domain have been Fenced IN y
defiance OF the law forhidding the main
;eHluCc or construction OF any such un-
lawful Enclosure OF public land. For. va
rious reasons there has been little inter-
ference with such Enclosures in the past.
but ample notice has now been given
the treSpaSsCrS, and all the RESOURCES az
the command OF the government will
hereafter be used TO put stop to such
treSpasSing.
Alaska Legislation Asked For.
| especially urge upon the congress the
need of wise legislation for Alaska. IL
is not to our credit as a nation that
Alaska. which has been ours for 81 years,
should still have as poor n system of
more valuable possession-ln mineral
wealth. in fisheries, furS. forests. and
also in land available for certain kinds
OF farming and stock growing. Il is a
territory Of great size and varied re-
sources. well fitted to support large
permanent population. Alaska needs q
good land law and such provisions for
homesteads and preemptions as will en-
courage permanent settlement. We
should shape legislation with view not
to the exploiting and abandoning of the
territory, but to the building up OF homes
therein The land laws should he liberal
in type. so as to hold out Inducements
to the actual settler whom We most de.
sire to see take possession of the ,uun.
try. The forests Of Alaska should he
protected, and as secondary but Still
important matter, the game also, and NJ
the same time Il Is imperative that the
settlers should be allowed to cut tim.
be- under proper regulations for their
own use. Laws should be enacted TO
protect the Alaskan salmon llshrries
against the greed which would destroy
thnnN ThRN Shnull he nrIStrNHI "A a
permanent industry and foad supply
Their management and control should he
turned over to the Commlr7 ON of Sh
and Fisheries. Alaska should have dele.
gate in the congress, II weUR h" veil
II congressional committee could visit
Alaska and Investigate rs needs on the
ground.
The Indians.
In dcsllng with the Indians our aim
should he their ultimate absorption into
the body of our people, But In many
cases this absorption must and should
be very slow, In portions of che Ind IN
territory the mixture of blood has gone
on at the same time with progress 10
wealth and education, 80 that there are
plenty az men with varying degrees OF
purity of Indian blood who are ahso.
lutela ndiSt!nguiShable in pc n, OF social,
political and economical ability irom
their white associates. There are other
tribes which have as vet made no per-
cepthlc advance toward such cQua! ~.
To try to force such tribes too fast il 20
prevent their going forward az all Nurr-
over. the tribes live under widely GlTvr-
cut conditions. Where a tribe has "a lde
considerable advance and lives On icgti!e
farming soil 1t is possible To allot he
members lands in scVcrltiy much As IL
the case with the white settlers, There
are other tribes where such vuUrS" L. uut
desirable ON the arid pr3 Vi. A0H, the
effort Should be- To induce the ladty.s 10
lead pa tuydi rather team "a al.ural
aud la t,rTmit lltrn tls In
Villages ssttAeE-+lsiH= e=+aree=tiisiii=IIate
isolation.
The large IrtHar schools situated remote
from any IuCian reservation 90 >pr clal
and peculiar work Of great lmpofttrce.
But, excellent though these are, an I'M
meuse amount OF aGGitiull, work must he
done on the reservations themselves among
the old, and above all among the young.
The first and most important step toward
the absorption Of the indian T. 90 teach
him to earn his living; yel ii Is not recess
sarily TO be assumed that IN each commune
ity all Indians must become either ti,iers
of the soil or took ralsrrs. Their Industries
may properly be diversified, aud those who
show special desire or aGaptahiuly Tor IN
Gustridl or even commercial pursuits
should be encouraged 50 far as practicable
to follow out each his own bent.
Scientific Aid to Farmers.
In no department of governmental work
In recent - airs has there been greater sue
cess than IN that of giving scientific AID to
R the a fnM m pGpu ee hGT a p SqEE ms
selves. There is no need Of Insisting upon
its importance. for the welfare of the
farmer Is fundamentally necessary to the
welfare of the republic Is a whole. In adj
diton to such Work as quarantine against
animal and vegetable plaques, and war
ring against them when here Introduced.
much efficient help has been rendered to the
farmer by the Introduction Of new plants
specially fitted for cultivation urGer the
peculiar conditions existing in different
portions of the country. New cereals have
been established In the semi-arid west.
For instance, the praCt!Cability OF produce
Ing the b-st-.srrS Of rrarTrurt wfcTts IN
regions OF an annual rainfall of only ten
inches or thereabouts has beer conclusive
ly demonstrated. Through the introGuc-
ton Of new r!ces in Louisiana ard Texas
the production Of rice in This country has
been made to about equal the home '.e-
mand. In the southwest the possibility Of
regrassirg ovCrstOcked range lanes has
been demonstrated, in the north many new
forage crops have been introduced, while
in the east 1t has been shown that some Of
our choicest fruits can be stored and
shipped In such way as to find profitable
market abroad.
The District of Columbia Is the only part
of our territory In which the ratiuna, gov-
eminent exercises local or municipal iunc-
tons. ana where in Consequence the gov
errment has a free hand in reference to
certain types of social and economic legiS-
lation which must be essentially local or
municipal In their character. The govern
ment should see 10 II, for instance, that The
hygienic and sanitary legislation affectiLg
Washington Is of a high character. The
evils of-sfttff -dwriffr,y7 wt-rrTrr IN me
shape of crowded and congcsteG tenement.
house districts or Of the back-alley type.
should never be permitted 70 grow up in
Washington. The city should be a model
In every respect for all the cities of the
country. The charitable and correctional
systems of the district should receive con-
sideration at the hands of the congress 10
the end that they may embody the results
OF the most advanced thought in these
fields Moreover, while Washington is not
a great industrial city. there is some indus
trialism here, ard our labor legislation,
while II would not be important in Itself.
might be made model for the rest Of the
nation. We should pass. for instance. a
wise employer STABILITY act for the Dis
| trict of Columbia, and we need such an act
| in our navy-yards Railroad companies In
the district ought to be required by law ia
| block their frogs.
| Protection for Railway Employee.
The safety-appliance law for the better
| protection OF the lives and limbs of rail-
| way employees, which was passed in 1893,
| went into full effect on August |, 1901. II
has resulted In averting thousands OF
casualties. Experience shows, however the
necessity of additional legislation to per-
feet this law. A bill to provide for this
passed the senate at the last session. II "a
to be hoped that some such measure may
now be enacted into law
Gratifying progress has been made dur
| ing the year in the extension of the
merit system OF making appointments
| in the government service II should be
| extended by law to the District OF Co.
lumbia. II Is much to be desired that
| our consular system be established by
law on a basis providing for appointment
| n al