The Elk Mountain pilot., 1902-12-09
NATIONAL AFFAIRS DISGUISED IN
president ROOSEYELT'S MESSAGE

all, we need to remember that any
kind of class animosity in the politi-
cal world is, if possible, even more
wicked, even more destructive to ma
tional welfare than sectional, race or
religious animosity.
Secretary of Commerce. go
1t is earnestly hoped that a secre-
tary of commerce may be created, with
seat in the Cabinet. The rapid null
tiplication of questions affecting labor
and capital, the growth and complexity
of the organizations through which
both labor and capital now find ex-
preston, the steady tendency toward
the employment of capital in huge cor
poratlons, and the wonderful strides of
this country toward leadership in the
international business world justify an
urgent demand for the creation of such
a position. Substantially all the lead
ing commercial bodies in this country
have united in requesting it's creation.
1t is desirable that some such measure
as that which has already passed the
Senate be enacted into law.
Cuban Reciprocity.
l hope soon to submit to the Senate
a reciprocity treaty with Cuba. On
May goth last the United States kept
its promise to the island by formally
vacating Cuban soil and turning Cuba
over to those whom her own people
had chosen as the first officials OF the
new republic.
We should always fearlessly insist
upon our rights in the face of the
strong, and we should with ungrudg-
ing hand do our generous duty by the
weak. | urge the adoption of reciproc-
GN,tlao mn l..
eminently for our own interests to con-
troll the Cuban market and by every
means to foster our supremacy In the
tropical lands and waters south of us.
but also because we. of the giant re-
public of the North, should make all
our sister nations of the American
continent feel that whenever they will
permit it we desire to show ourselves
disinterestedly and effectively their
friend.
The lsthmian Canal.
The Congress has wisely provided
that we shall build at once an 18TH
mian canal, if possible at Panama. The
attorney general reports that we can
acquire good title from
the French Panama Canal Company.
are now pending with
Colombia to secure her assent to our
building the canal.
The Pacific Cable.
During the fall of 1901 a communi-
cation was addressed to the secretary
Of state, asking whether permission
would be granted by the President to
a corporation to lay cable from a
point on the California coast to the
Philippine islands by way OF Hawaii.
statement of conditions or terms
upon which such corporation would
to lay and operate a cable
was volunteered.
The representatives of the cable
company kept these conditions long
under consideration, continuing, in the
to prepare for laying the
cable. They have, however at length
acceded to them, and an all-American
line between our Pacific coast and the
Chinese empire, by way of Honolulu
and the Philippine islands, is thus pro-
vided for, and is expected within few
months to be ready for business.
Conditions in the Philippines.
On July 4th last, on the one hundred
and twenty-sixth anniversary of the
Declaration of Independence, peace
and amnesty were promulgated in the
Philippine islands. Some trouble has
since from time to time threatened
with tie Mohammedan Moors, but
with the late insurrectionary Filipinos
he war has entirely ceased. Civil
government has now been introduced
Not only does each Filipino enjoy
iuch rights to life, liberty and the pur-
suit of happiness as he has never be-
ore known during the recorded his
ory of the islands. but the people, tax
IN as a while, now enjoy a measure of
greater than granted
o any other Orientals by any foreign
power, and greater than that enjoyed
)y any other Orientals under their
own governments, save the Japanese
alone. We have not gone too far in
granting these rights of liberty and
but we have certain
y gone to the limit that in the inter
ssts of the Philippine people them
selves it was wise or just to go. To
hurry matters, to go faster than We are
low going, would entail calamity on
he people of the islands. No policy
,ver entered into by the American
people has vindicated itself in more
iignal manner than the policy of hold
ng the Philippines. The triumph of
,ur arms, above all the triumph of our
avs and principles, has come sooner
han we had any right to expect.
Too much praise cannot be given to
he army for what it has done in the
Philippines both in warfare and from
IN administrative standpoint in pre-
,aring the way for civil government;
md similar credit belongs to the civil
for the way in which they
rave planted the seeds of self-govern-
nent in the ground thus made ready
or them.
Army and Navy.
The army has been reduced to the
minimum allowed by law. 1t is very
mall for the size of the Nation. and
most certainly should be kept at the
highest point of efficiency. The senior
,fficers are given scant chance under
nd n n i1r cQnditiQnc to nYnrnisa