The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1902-12-11

AFTER nave closer TtidllOuS Win
us than with any other power. Thus In a
sense Cuba has become a part of our In
ternational political system. This makes
II necessary that In return she should be
given some of the benefits of becoming
part OF our economic system. IL rs, from
our own standpoint, short-sighted and
mischievous policy 20 fail 10 recognize
this need. Moreover, IL is unworthy OF a
mighty and generous nation, itself the
greatest and most successful republic in
history, to refuse to stretch out helping
hand to a young and weak sister republic
just entering upon its career OF independ-
ence. We should always fearlessly insist
UPON our rights In the face OF the strong,
and we should with ungrudging hand do
our generous duty by the weak. urge
the adoption OF reciprocity with Cuba not
only because II is eSinently for our own
interests TO control the Cuban market
and by every means TO foster our SUI
premacy In the tropical lands and waters
south of US, but also because we. Of the
giant republic OF the north, should make
all our sister nations OF the American
continent feel that whenever they will
permit IL we desire to show ourselves dis
interestedly and effectively their friend.
The congress has wisely provided that
we shall build at once an isthmian canal
II possible AT Panama. The attorney gem
eral REPORTS that we can undoubtedly ac-
quirc good title from the French Panama
Canal company. Negotiations are now
pending with Colombia TO secure her as
sent TO our building the canal This canal
Will be one OF the greatest engineering
engineering feat than has yet been ac-
COiaplished during the history OF man
kind, The work should be carried out as
continuing policy without regard 20
change of administration: aud II should
be begun under circumstances which VIII
make II matter of price for all admin
istratious to continue the noltcy
OF Porto Rico II il only necessary to
say that the prosperity of the Island ana
the wisdom with which IL has been
governed have been such as to make IL
In -. hat iG hnE
Insular administration.
fcSNe ana ssstp9aaa.- - In Phttpp' "'~.
Oh. July last. on the one hundred AMI
twenty-siXth anniversary of the declara-
ton Of indererdence, peace and amnesty
were promulgated in the Philippine ISL
ands. Som trouble has stree from tme
to time threatened with the hCEam-
medan Moros, but with the late insuIrec-
tfonafy Ftltpinos the war has entirely
ceased.
Taking the work OF the army and tho
civil authorities together. II may be que9-
toned whether auyN mere else IN mod
ern times the world has seen better e%-
ample Of real constructive s3tcSuian-
ship than our people have given IN re
Philippine islands High praise should
also be given those Filipinos, In the aS-
gregate very numerous, VINO nave &C
cepted the rev conditions and Joined with
our representatives to work with hearty
good will for the welfare OF the islands,
An EficicnJ Navy Insurcs Peace.
For the first time in our history naval
uldntuNtfS OH a large Stdlt are btiio
held under the Immediate command OK
the admiral OF the navy. Constantly in
creasing attention is being paid TO the
gunnery OF the navy, but Il is yet tar
from what II should be- | earnestly urge
that the increase asked for by the secre-
tary OF the navy in the appropriation Tor
improving the craftsmanship be granted
In battle the only shots that count are
the shots that hit. 1t Is necessary to pro-
vide ample funds for practice with the
great guns in time of peace. These funds
H. hoe -
projectiles, but for allowances for prizes
to encourage the gun crews, ana especial
ly the gun pointers, and for perfecting an
Intelligent system under which alone IL Is
possible to get good practice.
There should be no halt in the work Of.
building up the navy, providing every
year additional fighting craft, We are a
very rich country, vast in extent of terri
tory and great in population; country,
moreover, which has an army diminutive
indeed when compared with that OF any
erately made our own certain foreign
policies which demand the possession OF
tirst-class navy. The isthmian canal
VIII greatly increase the efficiency Of our
navy IL the navy is of sufficient size; but
II we have an Inadequate navy then the
building of the canal would be merely CIV
g fosT g NJ amy power OF SslPSFi52r
treated as the cardinal feature OF Amer
lean foreign policy; hut 1t would be worse,
than IDLE to assert II unless we Intended
only by thoroughly good navy, A good
navy Is not a provocative of war. T. &
the surest guaranty Of peace.
Rural free delivery is no longer in the
experimental stage: IL has become a fixed
policy. The results following its intro
duction have fully Justified the congress
in the large appropriations made for its
establishment and extension. The aver
age yearly increase in postottlce receipts
In the rural districts of the country is
about 2 per cent. We are now able, by
actual results, to show that where rural
free delivery has been established TO such
an extent as TO enable us TO make COM
parsons the yearly Increase has been up
ward OF 10 per cent
IL is to be hoped that the congress will
make liberal appropriations for the con-
tinuance of the service already estab-
Irrigation and Protection OF Forests.
Few subjects of more Importance have
been taken up by the congress in recent
years than the Inauguration Of the sys-
TEN OF nationally aided rriga ton for the
arid regions Of the Far West A good
beginning therein has been made. Now
that this policy OF national irrigation has
been adopted, the need Of thorough and
scientific forest protection will grow more
rapidly than ever throughout the public
In view Of the capital Importance of
these matters, ! commend them to the
earnest consideration of the congress, and
II the congress finds difficulty in dealing
with thom from lack Of thorough Fnowi-
cage OF the subject, / recommend that
provision be made for . commission OF
experts specially to investigate and re-
port upon the complicated questions in
yolyed
solution of the Indian Problem.
In dealing with the Indians our aim
should be their ultimate absorption into
the body of ON people. But in pany
cases this absorption must and should
be very slow. In portions of the Indian
Territory the mixture OF blood has gone
on at the same time with progress in
wealth and education, so that there are
plenty of men with varying degrees Of
purity of Indian blood who are absolutely
indstinguishable in point Of social, politi-
cal, and economic ability from their white
associates. There are other tribes which
toward such equality. To try TO force
such tribes too fast Is to prevent their
going forward at all Moreover, the
tribes live under widely different condi-
tions Where a tribe has made consider
able advance and lives on fertile farming
lands in seyeralty much as is the case
with white settlers. There are other
tribes where such a course Is not desir-
able. On the arid prairie lands the effort
should be to induce the Indians to lead
pastoral rather than agricultural lives
rather than 10 force them into isolation
The large Indian schools situated re-
mote from any Indian reservation do
special and peculiar work Of great i'm
portance But, excellent though these
are, an immense amount Of additional
work must be done on the reservations
thcmseIyes among the old, and above All
among the young, Indians. The first and
most Important step toward the absorb
ton q the Indian ad, Is to teach him to
~ he assumed that In each Commute
all Indians must become either tillers ~