The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-12-03

in the semi-arid West For instance, the practicability of producing the best types l of macaroni wheats in regions of an an- nual rainfall of only ten inches or tnere- abouts has been conclusively demonstrat- ed. Through the introduction of new rices in Louisiana and Texas the production of | rice in this country has been made 10 | about equal the home demand. In the Southwest the possibility of regrassing overstocked range lands has been demon strated: in the North many new forage crops have been introduced, while in the East it has been shown that some of our choicest fruits can be stored and shipped in such way as to find a profitable mar ket abroad.
 Smithsonian Institute.
 I again recommend to the favorable
 consideration of the Congress the plans of the Smithsonian Institution for max ing 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 ani- mals of this continent which, like the buffalo, will soon become extinct unless specimens from which their representa- | tives may be renewed are sought in thelr native regions and maintained there in safety.
 The District of Columbia is the only part of our territory in which the national government exercises local or municipal | functions, and where in consequence the | government has Q free hand in reference | to certain types Of social and economic | legislation which must be essentially To- | cal or municipal in their character. The government should see to 1t, for instance, l that the hygienic and sanitary legisll- | ton affecting Washington is of high | character. The evils of slum dwellings, | whether in the shape of crowded and con gested tenement house districts or of the | back alley type, should never be permit | ted to grow up in Washington. The city | she uld be model in every respect for .tN sNft thA mt Ina .ah n able and correctional systems of the Dis l trict should receive consideration at the l hands of the Congress to the end that l they may embody the results of the most advanced thought in these fields. More over while Washington is not great l industrial city, there is some industrial | ism here, and our labor legislation, while | it would not be important in itself, might l be made a model for the rest of the na- l ton. We should pass. for instance a | wise employers liability act for the Dis | trict of Columbia. and we need such an
 act in our navy yards. Railroad compa, nies in the District ought to be required by law to block their frogs.
 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 l, 1901. It has resulted In averting thousands Of cas- ualties. 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. It Is to be hoped that some such measure may now be enacted into law.
 There is a growing tendency to provide for the publication of masses of docu-
 ments for which there is no public de- msnd and for the printing of which there is no real necessity. Large numbers or volumes are turned out by the Govern ment printing presses for which there IS | no justification. Nothing should be print | ed by any of the Departments unless 1t contains something of permanent value | and the Congress could with advantage | cut down very materially on all the print | ing which 1t has now become customary | to provide. The excessive cost of Gov ernment printing is a strong argument against the position of those who are tn- ] ciined on abstract grounds to advocate | the Governments doing any work which can with propriety be left in private | hands.
 | ing the year in the extension of the merit system of making appointments in the Government service. It should be extend ed by law to the District of Columbia. It is much to be desired that our cons l1r system be established by law on d oasis providing for appointment and promotion
 only in consequence of proved fitness. Through a wise provision of the Con- gress at its last session the White House. which has become Cisfgured by incon- grous additions and changes, has now been restored to what 1t was planned to be by Washington In making the resto-
  cfsed to come as near as possible to the early plans and to supplement these plans by Q careful study of such buildings as that of the University of Virginia, which
 was built by Jefferson. The White House
 Is the property of the nation, and so far as is compatible with living therein 1t should he kept as 1t originally was, for the same reasons that we Keep Mount Vernon as it originally was The stately simplicity of Its architecture is an expres- sicr of the character of the period in
 which it was built and is in accord with the purposes it was designed to serve. It Is T good thing to preserve such buildings as historic monuments which keep alive our sense of continuity with the nation past
 The report of the several Executive De partments are submitted to the Congress
 with this communication. Theodore Roosevelt. White House, December -, 1902,
 Prisoners whe narrested in Morocco are