Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1903-12-12

maze anu the COnQ1LlOu OF the lSlduQ-
ers already has been materiaHX1ad-
vanced
Receipts of General Land Office.
On the subject OF the public lands
of the country the message says:
The cash receipts of the General Land
nf6ce for the last fiscal year were Sl1.-
ez4. 4365. an increase of 4.7S2.S l647 over
the preceding year OF this sum. approx
imately, S, 46l 493 will go to the credit
of the fund for the reclamation of arid
land, making the total of this fund. up
to the 30th of June. 1903. approximately.
$16,1e1. $50.
A gratifying disposition has been
evinced by those having unlawful in
closures of public land to remove their
fences Nearly TWO million acres SO in
closed have been thrown open on 0e-
mand- In but comparatively few cases
has it been necessary to go into court
to accomplish this purpose. This work will
be vigorously prosecuted until all unlaw-
full Enclosures have been removed.
Irrigation.
Tie 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. The corps of
engineers known as the Reclamation
Service. which is conducting the surveys
and examinations, has been thoroughly
organized, especial pains being taken to
secure under the civil-service rules q
body Of skilled, experienced. and efficient
men. Surveys and examinations are
progressing throughout the arid states
and territories, plans for retaining works
being prepared and passed upon by
boards of engineers before approval by
the Secretary of the Interior. In Arizona
and Nevada, in localities where such
work is pre-eminently needed construc-
ton 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 agree
ments or understanding as regards rights
of way or acquisition of real estate Most
Of the works contemplated for construc-
ton are of national Importance. involv-
ing interstate questions or the securing
of stable, self-supporting communities in
the midst of vast tracts of vacant land.
The Nation as a whole is of course the
gamer by the creation OF these homes,
adding they do to the wealth and sta
bllity CT the country. and furnishing a
home market for the products of the East
ana South. The reclamation law, while
perhaps not ideal. appears at present to
answer the larger needs for which it is
designed. Further legislation is not rec
commended until the necessities of change
are more apparent.
Preservation of Forests.
The President points out the neces-
sity Of taking steps for the preserva-
ton of our forests, especially at the
headwaters of streams. OF the cotton
weeyil he says:
The cotton-growing States have re-
Gently been invaded by weevn that has
done much damage and threatens the
entire cotton industry. I suggest to the
Congress the prompt enactment of such
remedial legislation as its judgment may
approve.
TbS- PL;Iian;nae .ad R0.&a P;eA
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 in 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
1t would, of course, be impossible sud-
denly 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 caution and moderation shown
in developing them have been among
the main reasons why this development
has hitherto gone on so smoothly. Scru-
pulouS care has been taken in the choice
of governmental agents, and the entire
elimination of partisan politics from the
public service. The condition OF the
than ever before. while their govern
mental, intellectual, and moral advance
has kept pace with their material adj
vance. No one people ever benefited an
other people more than we have bene-
fitted the Filipinos by taking possession
of the islands.
Isthmian Canal.
The causes leading up to the estab-
lishment of the new republic of Pan
anna, and it's recognition by the
United States are given in much de-
tail, as follows:
BY the act of June g. 1902, the Con-
gress authorized the President to enter
into treaty with Colombia for the build
ing of the canal across the IsthmHs of
Panama it being provided that in the
event of failure to secure such treaty
after the lapse of a reasonable time, re-
course should be had to building a canal
through Nicaragua. 1T has not been
necessary to consider this alternative as
I am enabled to lay before the Senate
a treaty providing for the building of the
canal across the Isthmus of Panama.
This was the route which commended
itself to the deliberate judgment of the
congress and we can now acquire by
treaty the right To construct the canal
over this route. The question now, there
fore is not by which route the isthmian
canal shall be built. for that question
has been definitely and irreyocably de-
not we shall have isthmian canal
When the Congress directed that we
should take the Panama route under
treaty with Colombia, the essence OF the
condition, OF course, referred not to the
Government which controlled that route
but to the route itself; to the territory
across which the route lay, not to the
name which for the moment the territory
bore on the map. The purpose of the law
was to authorize the President to make
a treaty with the power in actual control
of the Isthmus of Panama. This purpose
has been fulfilled
In the year 1876 this Government en-
tered into a treaty with New Granada.
the predecessor upon the Isthmus of
the sRepublic of Colombia and of the
present Republic of Panama, by which
treaty it was provided that the Govern
ment and citizens of the United States
should always have free and open right
of way or transit across the Isthmus of
Panama by any modes of communication
that might be constructed, while in re-
turn our Government guaranteed the
perfect neutrality OF the above-m mentioned
isthmus with the view that the free tran
sit from the one to the other sea might
not be interrupted or embarrassed The
treaty vested in the United States a
substantial property right carved out Of
the rights of sovereignty and property
which New Granada then had and pos
sessed over the said territory. The name
of New Granada has passed away and its
territory has been divided Its successor.
the Government of Colombia. has ceased
to own any property in the IStnmus. A