Saint Mary's beacon., 1904-10-13
EXCLAMATION OF ARID LAM !.

/ RECLAMATION or ARID LAM :.
\ vast expense OF country In tie
West. portions OF which are TO be
found In each Of the sixteen States
and Territories. mentioned In the law.
Is directly affected by the National
x;atute-the outcome OF intelligent and
persistent efforts of leading citizens,
I 7r ridlng for the reclamation OF the
/ ar.d lands for the benefit OF homeseek-
/ erS. During the years OF the develop
ment % tIe measure which finally re-
ceived the vote OF every member OF
the upper house OF Congress. it en-
couniered opposition. based TO a large
extent upon the view that the aim or
| its promtcrs was 10 seccre the benefits
OF irrigation to private owners at Gov
ernment expense. The aim OF the stat
! ute Is, however, to enable this vast ter
| ritory TO reclaim its arid lands without
calling upon the taxpayers OF the coun-
| try at large TO pay for 10. Whether the
| purposes OF the bill will be fully ac-
complished must depend In sarge meas
ure upon the ability, sobrieiy OF judg-
ulent. independence and honesty OF the
officers OF the Interior Department
having this great work sn charge.
In 1902 the main canals and bitches
In the region affected aggregated more
than $1,000 miles and the work OF re-
clamation is but In its infancy. The
total cost of construction OF the neces-
sary head-gates, dams main canals.
ditcaes, reservoirs and pun ping sta
! tions at that time wa II tie over
$y3, 100000. which of itself suggests
the hundreds of millions that may
eventually be invested In the territory
| covered by the statute. The magnitude
or the conception, and the enormous ex-
pense its carrying out involves, make
US realize the overwhelming impor.
! tance of broad. capable aud honest
administration of the work luthoriz "a
by the statute. ID effect IS TO be given.
10 that part Of the plan that relieves
the country ut large frai. ultimate iia-
bility.
NATIONAL FAITH BROKEN.
An lsthmian canal has long been the
| hope OF our statesmen. and tTc ayowed
aim OF tile two s-eat parties. as their
Platforms in the past show. The Fan
| anna route having been selected, The
building of the canal should be- pressed
| TO completion with nj. reasonable ex-
pedition.
The methods by which the Execu.
tive acquired the Panama Canal route
and rights are a source OF regret TO
many. To them the statement that
thereby great public work WAS as
sured 10 the profit of our people Is not
sufficient answer TO the charge OF
violation OF National good faith. They
appreciate that the principles aud
| healthy convictions which in their
working out have made us free ami
great, stand firmly against the argti-
ment or suggestion that we shall be
blind TO the nature OF the means EN-
ployed to promote our welfare. They
hold that adherence to principle.
whether X works for our good or III,
will have more beneticent influence
on our future destiny than all Our ma
terial upbuildlng. and that we should
ever remember that the idea OF dong
wrong to a smaller. weaker nation
| than we, or even all mankind. may
have a resultant good is repugnant to-
the principles upon which our govern
ment was founded.
Under the laws OF the United States.
the duty is imposed on the Executive
to proceed with due diligence in the
work OF constructing the Canal. That
| duty should be promptly performed.
Our commerce In American bottoms
amounts to but nine per cent. OF our
total exports and imports. For forty
years prior to 1861. when the Republl-
can party came into power. our mer-
chant marine carried an average OF
eighty per cent. OF our foreign COM
merce. BY 1877 1t had dwindled to
twenty seven per cent Now we carry
a nF
our exports and imports.
American shipping in the foreign trade
was greater by almost one hundred
thousand tons in 1SlO-nearly n hundred
years ago-than IL was last year. In
the face OF the continuous decline in
the record OF American shipping DUR
ing the last forty-three years, the
promise OF the Republican party 10 re-
store Ii is without encouragement
The record OF the Democratic party
gives assurance that the task can be
more wisely entrusted TO II.
1t is an arduous task 10 undo the ef-
feet OF forty years of decadence, and
requires the study and investigation
OF those best fitted by experience to
find the remedy-which surely does not
lie in the granting Of subsidies. wrung
from the pockets OF all the taxpayers.
Recent disclosures. couD pied with the
rapid augmentation OF government ex-
penditures. show a need OF an investi-
CATION OF every department Of the
government. The Democrats In Con-
gress demanded II. The Republican
majority refused the demand The
people can determine by their vote In
November whether they wish an hon
est and thorough Investigation. A
Democratic Congress and Executive
will assure II.
ARMY AND NAVY.
We are justly proud OF the officers
and men OF our Army and Navy. Both.
however, have suffered from the per.
sistent injection OF personal and poIiti,
cal influence. Promotions and appoint
ments have been frequently based on
favoritism instead Of merit. Trials
and cOurt-martials have been set
aside under circumstances indicating
political Interference These and other
abuses should be corrected.
USURPATION IN PENSION ORDER.
The National Democracy fay0rs lib
eral pensions to the surviving soldiers