The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-08

Purchase Exposition. HIS eNPostAi'i commemorates the Louisiana purchase, which was the first great step m the expansion which made us continental nation.
 Lewis and Clark Exposition.
 The ewpedition of Lewis and Clark across the continent followed thereon and marked the beginning of the process of exploration and colonization when thrust our national boundaries to the fa- cihc The acquisition of the oregon country. including the present state ol Oregon and Washington. was a fact Of immense importance in our history first giving us our place on the Paelhe sea aseendencv in the commerce of the great hoard. and making ready the way for our est of tha oceans. The centennial of our establishment upon the western coast by the expedition of Lewis and Clark Is to be celebrated at Portland, Oregon, by an exposition in the summer of 1905. and this event should receive recognition and sup port from the national government.
 Department of Alaska.
 I call your special attention to the ter ritorv of Alaska The country is devel- oping rapidly. and 1t has an assured fu- tlre. The mineral wealth IS great and has as yet hardk' been tapped. The fisheries, if wisely handled and kept under national control will be a business as permanent as any other, and of the ut- most importance to the people The forests if properly guarded will form an- other great source of wealth. Portions of Alaska are filter for farming and stock raising. although the methods must be adapted to the peculiar conditions Of the country Alaska is situated in the far hut and Sweden and Finland; and Alaska can prosper and play its part in the new world just as those nations have prespered and played their parts in the old world. Proper land laws should be enacted and the survey of the public lands immediately begun. Coal-land laws should be provided where bv the coal-land entryman may make his location and secure patent under methods kindred to those now prescribed for home stead and mineral entrymen. Salmon hatcheries: exclusively under government control, should be established. The cable should be extended from Sitka westward Wagon roads and trails should be built and the building of railroads promoted in all legitimate ways. Lighthouses should be built along the coast. Atten- ton should be paid 10 the needs of the Alaska Indians; provision should be made for an officer, with deputies, to study their needs, relieve their immediate wants and help them adapt themselves to the new conditions.
 Alaskan Salmon Fisheries.
 The commission appointed to investl- gate, during the season of 1903. the condi- ton and needs of the Alaskan salmon fisheries has finished it's work in the field. and Is preparing a detailed report thereon A preliminary report reciting the measures immediately required for the protection and. preservation of the salmon industry has already been sub mitted to the secretary of commerce and labor for his attention and for the needed action.
 Hawaii.
 I recommend that an appropriation be made for building lighthouses in Hawaii. and taking possession of those already built. The territory should be reimburs- ed for whatever amounts 1t has already expended for lighthouses, The governor should be empowered to suspend or re- move any official appointed by him, with out submitting the matter to the legisla- ture.
 The Philippines and Porto Rico.
 Of our insular possessions. the Philip pines and Porto Rico, it is gratifying to say that their steady progress has been such as to make it unnecessary to spend much time in discussing them. Yet the congress should ever keep fin mind that a peculiar obligation rests upon us to further in every way the welfare of these communities. The Philippines should be knit closer to us by tariff arrangements. If would, of course, be impossible sudden ly to raise the people of the island 10 the high pitch of industrial prosperity and of governmental efficiency to which they will in the end by degrees attain: and the caution and moderation shown in de- veloping them have been among the main reasons why this development has hith- erto gone on SO smoothly. Scrupulous care has been taken in the choice of gov ernmenta agents, and the entire elmina- ton of partisan politics from the public service. The condition of the islanders is in material things far better than ever before. while their governmental, inteilec- tual, and moral advance has kept pace with their material advance. No one people ever benefited another people more than we have benefited the Filipinos by taking possession of the islands.
 Receipts of General Land Office.
 The cash receipt of the general land office for the last fiscal year were sll- O24 743. 50. an increase of $i,762s16.4I over the preceding year. Of this sum. approx imately $S, 461,493 will go to the credit Of the fund for the reclamation of arid land, making the total of this fund, mp to the 30th of June, 1903, approximately, $l6- 1s1. .S36
 Removal of Fences About Public Lands
 A gratifying disposition has been evinced by those having unlawful enclos- ilres of public land to remove their fences Nearly two million acres so enclosed have been thrown open on demand In but com paratively few cases has 1t been neces- sary to go into court to accomplish this purpose This work will be vigorously prosecuted until. all unlawful inelosures have been removed.
 Necessity for Revision of Land Laws.
 Experience has shown that in the west ern states themselves as well as in the rest of the country, there is widespread conviction that certain of the public land laws and the resulting administrative practice no longer meet the present needs. The character and uses of the remaining public lands differ widely from those of the public lands which congress had espe- cially in view when these laws were passed. The rapidly increasing rate of disposal of the public lands is not fol- lowed by corresponding increase in home building There is a tendency to mass in large holdings public lands, espe- ciany timber and grazing lands, and thereby to retard settlement. l renew and emphasize my recommendation of last year that so far as they are available for agriculture in it's broadest sense, and to whatever extent they may be reclaimed under the national irrigation law, the re- mainng public lands should be held rigid l,,f fo,. ba horne bnil6pr The attention of