Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-12-07

be undesirable II II We're not impractf
cable finally to clothe the interstate
commerce commission with general au
Ythority to fix railroad rates, I do be
lieve that as fair security to ship
pers the commission should be vested
with the power where given rate has
been challenged and after full hearing
found to be unreasonable to decide, sub
ject to judicial review, what shall be q
reasonable rate to take its place, the
ruling of the commission to take effect
Immediately and to obtain unless and
until it is reversed by the court of re.
view.
Steamship companies engaged in in.
terstatc commerce and protected in our
coastwise trade should be held to a
strict observance Of the interstate com.
merce act.
1.-THE president here discusses the
city Of Washington, making numerous
recommendations looking to its better
government. He asks that laws be
passed preventing overcrowdlng in the
tenement districts. for the abolition of
blind alleys and the proper housing of
the poor. He also recommends changes
in the criminal code, and would have
wife heaters corporally punished.l
Irrigation.
During the two and half years that
have elapsed since the passage of the
reclamation act rapid progress has
been made in the surveys and exami.
nations of the opportunities for recla-
nation in the thirteen states and three
territories of the arid west. Construc-
ton has already been begun on the lar
gest and most important Of the irriga-
ton works, and plans are being com
pleted for works which will utilize the
funds now available.
The forest policy of the government
is just now subject of. vivid public
interest throughout the west and to the
people of the United States in general.
The forest reserves themselves are of
extreme value to the present as well
rs to the future welfare of all the
western public land states. They pow
erfully affect the use and disposal of
the public lands. They are of spe-
cinl importance because they pre-
serve the water supply and the supply
of timber for domestic purposes and so
promote settlement under the reclama-
ton act. Indeed they are essential to
the welfare of every one Of the great
interests Of the west.
l have repeatedly called attention to
the confusion which exists in govern
ment forest matters because the work
is scattered among three Independent
organizations. AS have recommends
ed, all the forest work of the govern
ment should be concentrated in the de-
partment of agriculture, where the
larger part Of that work is already
done. The Canyon of the Colorado
should be made national park, and
the national park system should in
-clude the Yosemite and us many as
possible Of the groves Of giant trees in
California.
Pensions.
The veterans of tile civil war have
claim upon the nation such as no
other body of our citizens possess. The
pension bureau has never in its history
been managed in more satisfactory
manner than is now the case.
Consular Service.
Our consular system needs improve
meAt. Salaries should be substituted
for fees, and the proper classification,
grading and transfer of consular Of
f1cers should be provided. am not
prepared to say that competitive sys-
tenn Of examinations for appointment
would work well, but by lew it should
be provided that consuls should be
familiar, according to places for which
they apply, with the French, German,
OR Spanish 'langaa @ and should pos
sess acquaintance with tie resources of
the United States.
1t is desirable to enact u proper ma.
tional quarantine law.
call your attention to the great
extravaganza in printing and binding
government publications and especially
to the fact that altogether too many OF
these publications are printed.
Currency.
The attention of the congress should
be especially given to the currency
question and that the standing commit.
tees on the matter in the two houses
charged with the duty take up the mat.
ter Of our currency and see whether II
is not possible to secure an agreement
IN the business world for lettering the
system. The committees should con,
slider the question of the retirement OF
the greenbacks and the problem of Sc.
curing in our currency such elasticity
as Is consistent with safety. Every
silver dollar should be made by law re.
deemable in gold at the option of the
holder.
Merchant Marine.
especially commend to your immedi.
ate attention the encouragement of oul
merchant marine by appropriate legis.
lation.
The growing Importance of the orient
as field for American exports drew
from my predecessor, President Nc,
Kinley, an urgent request for its spe.
cial consideration by the congress.
The Importance of securing proper
information and data with view to
the enlargement Of our trade with Asia
Is undiminished. Our consular repre-
sentatives in China have strongly
urged place for permanent display of
American products in some prominent
trade center of that empire, under gov
eminent control and management, as
IN effective means of advancing our
export trade therein. call the atten-
ton of the congress to the desirability
Of carrying out these suggestions.
Immigration and Naturalization.
In dealing with the questions Of i'm
migration and naturalization it is in
dispensable to keep certain facts ever
before the minds of those who share
In enacting the laws. First and fore
most, let us remember that the ques-
ton Of being q good American has
nothing Whatever to do with mans
birthplace any more than it has to do
with his creed. In every generation
from the time this government was
founded men of foreign birth have
stood in the very foremost rank OF
good citizenship, and that not merely