The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-12-03

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all administrations to continue the pol
icy.
The canal will be of great benefit to
America and of Importance to all the
world. 1t will be of advantage to us in
dustrially and also as improving our mil
itary position. 1t will be of advantage
to the countries Of tropical America 1t
is earnestly to be hoped that all of these
countries will do as some of them have
already done with signal success, and
will invite to their shores commerce and
improve their material conditions by
recognizing that stability and order are
the prerequisites of successful develop
meut. No Independent nation of America
need have the slightest fear Of agrees
sion from the United States. 1t behooves
each one to maintain order within Is own
borders and to discharge its just obliga-
lions to foreigners When this is done,
they can rest assured that, be they
strong or weak, they have nothing to
dread from outside interference. More
and more the increasing interdependence
and complexity of international political
and economic relations render 1t incum-
bent on all civilized and orderly powers
to assist on the proper policing of the
world.
PACIFIC CABLE.
During the fall Of 1901 a communication
was addressed to the secretary of state,
asking whether permission would be
granted by the president to corporation
to lay a cable from point on the Call
fornia coast to the Philippine Islands by
way of Hawaii. A statement of condi-
tions or terms upon which such corpora
tion would undertake to lay and operate a
cable was volunteered.
Inasmuch as the congress was shortly
to convene, and Pacific cable legislation
had been the subject of consideration by
the congress for several years, 1t seemed
to me wise to defer action upon the appli-
cation until the congress had first an OPP
portunity to act. The congress adjourned
without taking any action, leaving the
matter in exactly the same condition in
which it stood when the congress con-
vened
Meanwhile 1t appears that the CONNER
cial Pacific Cable Company had prompt
ly proceeded with preparations for laying
its cable. 1t also made application to
the president for access to and use of
soundings taken by the u. 8. s. Nero,
for the purpose of discovering a practical
route for a trans-Pacific cable, the COM
pany urging that with access to these
soundings 1t could complete its cable
take sorndings upon it's own account.
Pending consideration of this subject 1t
appeared important and desirable to at
tach certain conditions to the permits
sion to examine and use the soundings,
If it should be granted.
In consequence of this solicitation of
the cable company, certain conditions
were formulated. upon which the pres
ident was willing to allow access to these
soundings and to consent to the landing
and laying of the cable. subject to any
alterations or additions thereto imposed
by the congress. This was deemed
proper, especially as it was clear that a
cable connection Of some kind with
China, foreign country. was part of
the company's plan. The course was.
moreover. In accordance with line of
presidents, including President Grants
action in the case of the first French
cable. explained to the congress In his
annual message OF December, 1875, and
the instance occurring In 1879 of the Sec
ond French cable from Brest to st.
Pierre, with branch to Cape Cod.
These conditions prescribed, among
other things, a maximum rate for COM
mercial messages and that the company
should construct a line from the Philip
pine Islands to China, there being at
present. as is well known, a British line
fro m Manila to Honelxong.
The representatives of the cable COM
pany kept these conditions long under
consideration, continuing In the mean
time, to prepare for laying the cablo.
They have. however, acceded to them,
and an all-American line between our
Pacific coast and the Chinese Empire by
way of Honolulu and the Philippine Is
lands. is thus provided for. and is ex-
pected within a few months to be ready
for business.
Among the conditions Is one reserving
the power Of the congress to modify or
repeal any or all of them. A copy Of the
conditions are herewith transmitted
OF Porto Rico 1t is only necessary to
say that the prosperity of the island and
the wisdom with which It has been gov
erned have been such as to make It serve
as an example of all that is best in insu-
lar administration.
PHILIPPINES.
On July last, on the one hundred and
twenty-sixth anniversary OF the deciara-
ton of our independence. peace and am
nesty were promulgated In the Philip
pine Islands. Some trouble has since
from time to time threatened with the
Mohammedan Moros, but with the late
insurrectionary Filipinos the war has
entirely ceased Civil government has
now been introduced. Not only does each
Filipino enjoy such rights to life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness as he has
rever before known during the recorded
history Of the islands, but the people
taken as a whole now enjoy a measure or
self-government greater than that grant
ed to any other Orientals by any foreign
power and greater than that enjoyed by
any other Orientals under their own gov
ernments. save the Japanese alone. We
have not gone to far in granting these
rights Of liberty and self-government; but
we have certainly gone to the limit that
In the interests of the Philippine people
themselves It was wise or Just to CO. To
hurry matters, to go faster than we are
now going. would entail calamity on the