The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1905-12-13
what II once was or whit 1t might easily
We again under careful regulation.
Eayors Merchant Marine.


IT, tho snread of our trade In peace and
the defense of our flag in war a great ana
PROSPEROUS merchant marine is lnolspensl.
HE, we should have ships OF our w n
saamen of our own to convey our goods 70
neutral markets, and In case OF need 70
reinforce our battle line. 1t can not put
be a source of regret and uneaslness 70 u
that the lines Of communlcatlon WIT ouS
sister republics of South America shoulo
be chiefly under foreign control. 1T is NOT
a good thing that American merchanta
and manufacturers should have TO seno
their goods and letters TO SCUM Amefn ~
via EdIrope IL they wish security and ois-
natch. Even on the Pacific, where our
ships have held their own better IMAM on
the Atlantic, our merchant nag is now
threatened through the liberal ald pc
slowed by other governments on their own
steam lines. l ask your earnest consider
alton of the report with which the Mer-
chant Marine commission has followed itS
LONG and careful inquiry.
The immigration Question.
The question of immigration is of vital
interest to this country. In the year enc,
ing June 80, 1905, there came to the uniteo
States 1,026, 600 alien immigrants. In otnet
words, in the single year that has just
elapsed there came to this country
greater number Of people than came mere
during the one hundred and sixty-nine
wears of our colonial life which inter-
vened between the fist anding at James
town and the Declaration or ndepeno
enCe. 1t Is clearly SHOWN III the IepOi VI
the commissioner general of Immigration
that while much OF this enormous imml-
grafton is undoubtedly healthy and natur-
al, a considerable proportion is undesirable
from one reason or another; moreover, q
considerable proportion of 1t, probably q
very large proportion, including most OF
the undesirable class, does not come her5
Of its own initiative, but because OF tne
activity of the agents Of the great trans
portation companies. These agents are
distributed throughout Europe, and by the
offer Of all kinds Of inducements they
wheedle and cajole many immigrants, often
against their best interest, to come mere.
The Chinese Question.
The questions arising in connection
with Chinese immigration stand by them
selves. The conditions in China are such
that the entire Chinese coolie class. that
is, the class of Chinese laborers. skilled
and unskilled, legitimately come under
the head of undesirable Immigrants 10
his country, because Of their numbers;
their low standard Of living. Not only IL
1t to the interest Of this country to keep
them out, but the Chinese authorities do
not desire that they should be admitted:
At present their entrance Is prohibited
by laws amply adequate to accomplish
this purpose. These laws have been, are
being, and will be, thoroughly enforced
The violations of them are so few in
number as TO be infinitesimal and can be
entirely disregarded. There is no serious
proposal to alter the immigration law
as regards the Chinese laborer. skilled or
unskilled, and there is no excuse for any
man feeling or affecting to feel the
slightest alarm on the subject.
For Pure Food Law.
I recommend that a law be enacted to
regulate interstate m in misbrand-
ed and adulterated foods, drinks, and
drugs. such law would protect legiu-
mate manufacture and commerce, ana
would tend to secure the health and well
fare of the consuming public. Traffic In
foodstuffs which have been debased or
adulterated so as to injure health or to de-
ce.ve purchasers should be forbidden.
The Philippines.
During the last year the Philippine
islands have been slowly recovering, from
the series of disasters which, since Amer
lean occupation, have greatly reduced the
amount Of agricultural products below
what was produced in Spanish times. The
war, the rinderpest, the loCusIs, the
drought, and the cholera have been unit
ed as causes to prevent a return OF the
The most serious is the destruction by
the r~inderpest Of more than 70 per cent.
of the draft cattle, because 1T Will take
several years of breeding to restore the
necessary Number of these indispensable
aids to agriculture.
The most encouraging feature OF the
whole situation has been the very great
interest taken by the common people in
number of enrolled students In the pub
lie schools. The increase was from 300. 900
10 nalI a HlllllOn pupllS. Inc average
attendance is about 70 per cent. The only
INIT upon the number of pupils seems TO
be the capacity of the government to,
furnish teachers and school houses.
Would Reduce Tariff.
The agricultural conditions of the
the argument in favor of reducing the
tariff on the products of the Philippine
islands entering the United States. I
earnestly that the tariff now
imnOSpd nv the DinRlaV bill unnn the
products Of the Philippine islands be
entirely removed, except the tariff on
sugar and TOBACCO, and that that tariff
rates under the Dingley act: that after
July l, 1909, the tariff upon tobacco and
sugar produced in the Philippine islands
be entirely removed, and that free trade
between the islands and the United States
in the products of each country then be-
provided for by law.
A statute, in force, enacted April 10,
1904, suspends the operation Of the coast
wise laws Of the United States upon the
trade between the Philippine islands and
earnestly recommend that this suspen-
sion be postponed until July /, 1909.
The Panama Canal.
The treaty between the United States
and the republic of Panama, under which
the construction of the Panama canal was
made possible, went into effect with its
by the United States senate on
February %, 1904. The canal properties Of
the French Canal company were trans
ferred to the United States on April %,
1904. on payment Of $40, DOC, 600 to that COM
On April l, 1905, the commission
was ~reorganized, and 1t now consists OF
p. Shonts, chairman, Charles e.
Magoon, Benjamin M, Harrod, Rear-Ad
miral Mordecat T.. Endicott, Brigadier Gen.
eral Peter c. Hams, and Colonel Oswald
III. Ernst. John f. Stevens was appointed
chief engineer on July / last. Active work
in canal construction, mainly, preparatory,
mas been In progress for less than a year
and a half. During that period two points
about the canal have ceased to be open to
debate. Ffrs,, the question of route; the
canal Will be built on the Isthmus Of
Panama. Second, the question of feasibil-
ity; there are no physical obstacles on this
route that American engineering skill will
not be able to overcome without serious
dlffculty, or that will prevent the compile
uon OF the canal within a reasonable time
ana at a reasonable cost. This Is virtually