Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-12-15
disputes.

Relations with Turkey and China.
Early in JEiy, having received intelligence,
winch happily turned out to be erroneous,
OF the assassination of our Vice Consul
at Beirut, / dispatched a small squadron
70 that port for such service as might be
found necessary on arrival Although the
attempt on the life of our Vice Consul
had not been successful, yet the outrage
was symptomatic of a state of excitement
anc disorder which demanded immediate at
tention. The arrival of the vessels had the
happiest result. A feeling of security at
| once took the place OF the former alarm
ana disquiet; our officers Were cordially
welcomed by the consular body and the
leading merchants, and ordinary business
resumed its activity. The Government of
| the Sultan gave a considerable hearing to
the representations of our minister; the of
nclaI VINO was regarded as responsible for
the disturbed condition of affairs was re
moved. Our relations with the Turkish
Government remain friendly; our claims
Iounded on ipequitahle Treatment of some
% our schools and missions appear to be in
process of amicable adjustment
/ Inc signing of new commercial treaty
with China, which took place at Shanghai
on the Sth of October, is a cause for salts
| faction. This act, the result of long dis
cussion and negotiation, places our COM
| merclal relations with the great Oriental
Empire on more satisfactory footing than
| they have ever heretofore enjoyed. 1t pro-
i yides not only for the ordinary rights and
| privileges of diplomatic and consular off
| GERS, but also for an important extension
]
access to Chinese ports, and for the relief
/ OF trade by the removal of some of the
obstacles which have embarrassed it In
the past. The full measure of develop
| ment which our commerce may rightfully
/ expect can hardly be looked for until the
settlement of the present abnormal state
! of things In the Empire; but the founda-
/ ton for such development has at last been
| laid.
| Rural Free Delivery.
The ruraI fraa-dalfvarv Sprvipa has haan
| steadily extended. The attention of the
| Congress is asked to the question of the
compensation of the letter carriers and
| clerks engaged In the postal service, espe-
! cially on the new rural free-delivery routes.
/ More routes have been installed since the
| hrst of July last than in any like period
In the Departments history. While due
regard TO economy must be kept in mind
| In the establishment of new routes, yet
| the extension of the rural free-deliyery
| system must be continued, for reasons of
| sound public policy. No governmental
| movement Of recent years has resulted in
| greater immediate benefit TO the people of
| the country districts. Rural free delivery,
| taken In connection with the telephone,
| the bicycle, and the trolley, accomplishes
| much toward lessening the isolation of
| farm life and making 1t brighter and more
attractive: Rural free delivery is not only
good thing in itself, but Is good because
| 1t is one of the causes which check this
unwholesome tendency toward the urban
concentration of our population at the ex-
the same reason that we sympathiZe with
and approve Of the policy Of building good
roads.
Alaska and Insu1ar Possessions.
l call your special attention to the Ter
ritory of Alaska. The country Is deyeloD-
Ing rapidly, and 1t has an assured future.
The mineral wealth is great and has as yet
hardly been tapped. The fisheries, If wise
ly handled and kept under national con-
trol, will be a business as permanent as
O-ler. m M
to the people. The forests If properly
guarded will form another great source of
wealth. Portions of Alaska are fitted for
farming and stock raising, although the
methods must be adapted to the peculiar
conditions of the country, Alaska is stu
ated In the far north; but SO are Norway
and Sweden and Finland; and Alaska can
prosper and play its part in the New
World just as those nations have prosper
ed and played their parts In the Old World
or our insular possessions the Philip
pines and Porto Rico 1t 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 in mind that a
peculiar obligation rests upon us to fur
Their in every way the welfare of these
communities. The Philippines should be
knit closer to us by tariff arrangements
1t would, of course be impossible sudden
" to raise the people of the islands to the
high pitch of Industrial prosperity and of
governmental efficiency to which they will
In the end by degrees attain; and the eau
tlon and moderation shown in developing
them have been among the main reasons
why this development has hitherto gone
on so smoothly. Scrupulous care has been
taken in the choice of governmental agents
and the entire elimination of partisan poli-
tics from the public service. The condi-
ton OF the islanders is in material things
far better than ever before, while their
governmental, intellectual, and moral adj
vance has Kept pace with their material
advance. No one people ever benefited an
other people more than have benefited
the Fflipinos by taking possession of the
Islands,
Public 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 prac-
tice no longer meet the present needs The
character and uses of the remaining pub
lie lands differ widely from those of the
public lands which Congress had especially \
In view when these laws were passed The
rapidly increasing rate of disposal of the
public land Is not followed by CORE
spending increase in home building There
Is tendency to mass in large holdings
public lands, especially timber and grazing
lands, and thereby to retard settlement
renew and emphasize my recommendation
of last year that so far as they are avail
able for agriculture in its broadcast sense
and to whatever extent they may be re-
claimed under the national Irrigation law
rigidly for the home builder. The atten-
ton Of the Congress is especially directed
to the timber and stone law, the desert
land law, and the Communication clause of
the homestead law, which in their onera-
tion have In many respects confilcted with
wise public-land policy.
The work of reclamation of the arid
lands of the West is progressing steadily
and satisfactorily under the terms of the
law setting aside the proceeds from the
disposal of public lands. Surveys and ex-
mi fRfaG
arid States and Territories. plans for re-
claiming works being prepared and passed
upon by boards of engineers before approx
al by the Secretary of the Interior In
Arizona and Nevada, in localities whore
such work Is pre-eminently needed. con-
struction has already been begun. In other
parts Of the arid West various projects are
well advanced toward the drawing up Of
contracts. these being delayed in part by
necessities Of reaching agreements or I'M
derstanding as regards rights Of way or
acquisition Of real estate.
During the year ended June 80 last o5.-
500 persons were appointed through COM
petitiye examinations under the civi-ser-
vice rules. This was 1852 more than
during the preceding year, and 40 per cent
of those who passed the examinations
This abnormal growth was largely occa-
stoned by the extension of classification 10
the rural free-deliyery service and the ap-
carriers. A revision of the civll-service
rules took effect on April Is last. which
has greatly improved their operation
Army and Navy.
The effect of the laws providing a Gen
eral STAFF for the Army and for the more
effective use Of the National Guard has
been excellent. Great improvement has
been made in the efficiency Of our Army
in recent years. Such schools as those
erected at Fort Leavenworth and Fort RI
ley and the Institution of fail maneuver
work accom- plish satisfactory results The
good effect OF these maneuvers upon the
National Guard is marked. and ample APP
preparation should be made to enable the
guardsmen Of the several States 10 share
In the benefit. The government should as
soon as possible secure suitable perma-
nent camp sites for military maneuyers In
the various sections OF the country. The
service thereby rendered not only TO the
Regular Army. but TO the National Guard
Of the seyercl States, will be so great as
TO repay many times over the relatively
small expense. We should not rest salts
fed WIZ what las been done. however.
The only people who are contented with a
,f tan, ~ ia