The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-12-09
DEVELOPMENT OF Alaska.

DevelC CpMent or Alaska.
l call your special attention to the
territory Of Alaska. The country is
developing rapidly, and it has an as
sured future. The mineral wealth is
great and has as yet hardly been tap
ped. The fisheries, if wisely handled
ard kept under national control, will
be u business us permanent as any 9th
er and Of the utmost Importance to the
people. The forests. if properly guard
ed. VIII form another great source Of
wealth. Portions cf Alaska are fitted
for farming and stock raising, although
the methods must be adapted to the
peculiar conditions Of the country.
Proper land laws should be enacted
and the survey Of the public lands i'm
mediately begun. Coal land laws
should be provided whereby the coal
land cntryman may make his location
and secure patent under methods kin
dred ITO those now prescribed for home
stead and mineral entrymcn. Salmon
hatcheries. exclusively under govern
ment control. should be established.
The cable should be extended from
Sitka westward Wagon reads and
trails should he built and the building
of railroads promoted in all legitimate
ways. Lighthouses should be built
along the coast Attention should be
paid to the needs Of the Alaska In
dians. 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.
l recommend that an appropriation
be made for building lighthouses in
Hawaii and taking possession Of those
already built The territory should be
reimbursed for whatever amounts it
has already expended for lighthouses.
The governor should be empowered to
suspend or remove amy official appoint
cd by him. without submitting the
matter to the legislature.
Tie Philippines ind Porto Rico.
OF our insuiar 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 spei.d much time in discussing them.
Yet the congress should ever keep in
mind that Il peculiar obligation rests
upon us to further in every way the
welfare CT these communities. The
Philippines Should be knit closer to us
by tariff arrangements 1t would. of
coarse. be impossible suddenly to raise
TIE people Of the islands to the high
pitch CT industrial prosperity and Of
governmental efficiency to which they
will in tie end by degrees attain. and
tie caution and moderation shown in
developing them have been among the
main reasons why this development
has hitherto gone on so smoothly.
ScrurllolS care has been taken in tie
choice of governmental agents and the
entire elimination Of partisan politics
from the public service. The condition
of the islanders is in material things
far better than ever before, while their
governmental. intellectual and moral
advance has kept pace with their ma
terial advance NO one people ever
benefited another people more than we
have benefited TIE I'ilipinoS Ivy taking
possession of the islands
Preservation OF Forests.
The work Of reclamation of the arid
lands of the west is pro"reSS:n.. STEADILY
and satisfactorily under ue terms ct
the law setting aside tn" proceeds
from the disposal of public lands
The study of the opportunities "f
reclamation of the vast extent OF aflu
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