The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1902-12-05

inducements to the actual settlSr az 10 nod
9eslre TO see take Possession of the nun we
forests on Alaska should be protectsS
secondary but still important n,ot,Na, and,
also, and at the same time il l. ~, the 81
the settlers should be allowed 10 c,t 1--WE
uer proper regulations, for their own -
snpula ne enacted to protect the Alaskan =,
nsheries against the greed which worij n
industry and food supply. Thoir d perma
ana control should be turned over to H.
sion OF fish and fisheries Alaska sb - con
ueieSate IN the congress. 1t would he -, I M
congressional committee could visit A.
investigate its needs on the ground -'i'sAa
In dealing with the Indians Our ain, ~.
their, ultimate absorption into the bof a,ou
people, but IN many cases this abeor,t% VI
and should he very slow. In portions Ion ~ !,
dian Territory the mixture Of blood no. "a
AT the same time with progress in was7,b
education, so that there are plenty - t AZ
varying degrees OF purity of Indian b I1el
are absolutely ndistinguishable in point ~
political and economic ability from H. -
associates. There are other tribes Will
YET maze no perceptible advance tov,sri
tquanl's, 10 Try TO force such tribes loo "a
TO prevent their going forward al All No.
NE tribes live under widely difarrnt ~ ~
Where tribe has made considarallo al
lives on fertile farming soil it is ms.
the members lands in slveraltv mrcb ~
case with white settlers. There arc a.t 40
arid prairie lands the effort should La vi
the Indians to lead pastoral rather Than
tural lives and to permit them 10 sa,tI -
lagos rather than to force them into ISL; III
me large Indian schools situated remoto
any Indian reservation do q sneciaI all W
work of great importance; but. exceIIer+ p.
these are, an immense amount of addifior,,1 ]
must be done on the reservations H.
among the old, and, above all, among tbe y
Indians. 's Tue ~
The first and most important step toward
absorption of the Indian is 10 teacb b; ~" al
his living, yet it is not necessarily n ha ~, W
that III each community all Indians mrst h.
either tillers Of the soil or stock raisors y y,
industries may properly be diversified. and X
VINO snow special desire or adaptability for irl
ellal Vi even commercial pursuits should be
couraSed SO lar as practicable to follow out
his own bent "ul
Every effort should be made to develon tho
dian along the lines of natural antitudee o1
encourage the existing native industries noel
70 certain tribes, such the various kind
basket weaving, canoe building, smith wort
blanket work. Above all. the Indian boys
girls should be given confident command ri
ioquial English and should ordinarily he nrer
Tor vigorous struggle with the conditions
which their people live rather than for inT1
community.
The officials who represent the governmor
oeallng with the Indians work under hard ga
lions and also under conditions which ren5e
easy to do wrong and very difficult IN n
wrong. Consequently they should be anplv
on the one hand, and on the other hand
ticuiarly high standard of conduct should i'll
manded from chem, and where. misconduct ca
proved the punishment should be eXemplar,
In no department of governmental work inl
cent years has there been greater success 4
IN that OF giving scientific aid to the farrl
population, thereby showing them how most
GENTLY TO help themselves. There is no nea
insisting upon its Importance, for the welf9rl
the farmer is fundamentally necessary to
welfare OF the republic as a whole. In adiiI
to such work as quarantine against animal
vegetable plaques, and warning against them VI
here introduced, much efficient help has been
dered to the farmer by the introduction OF
plants specially fitted for cultivation under
peculiar conditions existing in different portI
OF the country. New cereals have been establil
in the semiarid west. For instance, the prl
cabllity OF producing the best types of macal
wheats IN regions OF an annual rainfall of
ten inches or thereabout has been conelusft
demonstrated. Through the introduction Of
rlces in Louisiana and Texas the production
rice in this country has been made to about I'd
the home demand. In the southwest the moss
1ty OF regrassing overstocked range lands has h
demonstrated; in the north many new for
crops have 0een introduced, while in the eas
mas been shown that some of our choicest IN
can be stored and shipped in such way as
ma prOntable market abroad
| again recommend to the favorable consid
tion Of the congress the plans of the Smithsor
institution for making the museum under
charge worthy Of the nation and for presery
at the national capital not only records OF
vanishing races of men, but of the animals Of
continent which, like the buffalo, will soon
come extinct unless specimens from which n
representatives may be renewed are sought
their native regions and maintained there
safety.
The District of Columbia is the only part
our territory in which the national governm
exercises local or municipal functions and wl
In consequence the government has Tree b
in reference to certain types Of social and c
monte legislation which must be essentially 10
or municipal in their character. The goyernm
should see to it, for instance, that the hygie
and sanitary legislation affecting Washington
OF high character. The evils OF Stun dwcllin
whether in the shape OF crowded and conses
tenement house districts or of the back al
type, should never be permitted TO grow up
Washington. The city should be model in ey
respect for all the cities of the country.
charitable and correctional systems of the
trlct should receive consideration at the hands
the congress to the end that they may emb
the results of the most advanced thought in Il
fields Moreover, while Washington is not a q
industrial city, there is some industrialism h
and our labor legislation, while it would not
important in itself, might be made model
stance, wise employers liability act Tor the
trict Of Columbia, and we need such an act
our navy yards. Railroad companies in the
trict ought to be required by law to block Il
frogs.
The safety appliance law, for the better
lection of the lives and limbs Of railway
ployees, which was passed in 1898, went into
effect on Aug. l. 1901. 1t has resulted in ay
ing thousands Of casualties. Experience sho
however, the necessity OF additional legislai
to perfect this law. A bill to provide for
passed the senate at the last session. 1t is 10
hoped that some such measure may now be
acted in;o law.
There is a growing tendency to provide for
publication of masses of documents for VII
there is no public demand and for the printing
which there is no real necessity. Large numi
OF volumes are turned out by the Coyernm
printing presses for which there is no iustihcati
Nothing should be printed by any Of the dep
ments unless it contains something OF perman
value, and the congress could with advantage
down very materially on all the printing VIII
1t has now become customary to provide
excessive cost of government printing is str,
argument against the position of those who
inclined on abstract grounds to advocate the e
ernment's doing any work which can with
yriety he left in private hands.
Gratifying progress has been made during
year in the extension of the merit system OF m
Ing appointments in the government service.
lumba 1t is much to be desired that our c
sular system be established by law on b
providing for appointment and promotion only
consequence of proved fitness.
Through a wise provision of the congress al
last session the White House, which had becc
dishgured by incongruous additions and chan.
has now been restored to what it was planned
be by Washington. In making the restoratl
the utmost care has been exercised TO come
near as possible to the early plans and TO supl
ment these plans by careful study OF s.
buildings as that of the University Of Nirgi
which was built by jefferson. The White 10
is the property of the nation and 50 far q
compatible with living therein it should be I
as il originals was for the same reasons \
we keep Noun: Vernon as it originally was.
stately simplicity of its architecture IS an
preston Of the character Of the period IN wa
It was built and is in accord with the purpo
1t was designed to serve. 1t is good thing
preserve such buildings as historic monuhe
which keep alive our sense OF continuity Win
lation's past.
The reports of the several executive d1epa
nents are submitted to the congress Win ,l, !
communication. THEODORE RoosE'EIi