The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1905-12-14

ance Of their hazardous duty and yet to give
them no sort Of reward.
The Philippine stands.
During the past year the Philippine ISL
ands hav been slowly recovering from
the series of disasters which, since Ameri-
can occupation, have greatly reduced the
amount of agricultural products below
what was produced In Spanish times. The
war, the rinderpest, the l~ocusts, the
drought, and the cholera have been united
perity much needed in the islands. The
income of the Philippine government has
necessarily been reduced by reason of the
business and agricultural depression In the
islands. and the government has been
obliged to exercise great economy, to cut
down its expenses, TO reduce salaries, and
In every way to avoid a deficit. Il
has adopted an nternal-revenue law
imposing 0na 6;st,,1 taxes on cigars; e asoIissIns
the old Spanish industrial taxes. The
come derived from il has partly made up
for the reduction in customs revenue. There
has been a marked increase In the number
of Filipinos employed in the civil service.
and a corresponding decrease in the num-
Der Of Americans.
Improvements Of harbors, roads, and
bridges continue, although the cutting down
OF the revenue forbids the expenditure Of
any great amount from current income for
these purposes Disturbances have all now
been suppressed, and IL Is hoped that with
these lessons local governments can be
formed which Will secure quiet and peace
to the deserving inhabitants. The Incl
dent Is another proof of the fact that IL
there has been any error as regards giving
sen-goyernment In the Philippines IL has
been in the direction Of giving il too quick
ly, not too slowly.
The agricultural conditions of the islands
enforce more strongly than ever the argu-
ment in favor Of reducing the tariff on the
prodIcts OF the Philippine Islands entering
the United States. L earnestly recommend
that the tariff now imposed by the Dingley
Dill upon the products OF the Philippine ISL
ands be entirely removed, except the tariff
on sugar and tobacco. and that that tariff
rates under the Diagley act; that after
July /, 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.
Problems of Hawaii.
In my judgment immediate steps should
be taken for the fertilization OF Hawaii.
This is the most important point In the Pa
ciic to fortify in order to conserve the In
lily taxed. Laws should be enacted setting
aside for a period of. say, twenty years, %
per cent Of the internal revenue and Gus
toms receipts from Hawaii as a special fund
to be expended in the islands for educa-
tional and public buildings, and for harbor
improvements and military and naval de.
lenses. Hawaii has serious commercial and
Industrial problems to reckon with; but no
measure of relief can be considered which
looks to legislation admitting Chinese and
restricting them by statute to field labor
and domestic service. The status of ser.
Witty can never again be tolerated on Amer
lean soil.
Porto RIcan Affairs.
I earnestly advocate the adoption Of leg
islation which will explicitly confer Amer
lean citizenship on all citizens of Porto
Rico. The problems and needs Of the island
are industrial and commercial rather than
political.
InsuIar Affairs in General.
/ wish also to call the attention OF the
Congress to one question which affects
our insular possessions generally; name.
ly, the need Of an Increased liberaIity in
question in these stands. In the proper
desire to prevent the islands being ex-
plotted by spectators and to have
them develop in the interest OF their
fusing to grant sufficiently liberal terms To
induce the investment of American capital
in the Philippines and in Porto Rico. We
have been paying all possible heed TO the
political and educational interests of the
Islands, but. important though these OBJ.
jects are, 1t Is not less important that we
should favor their industrial development.
Admission to statehood.
l recommend that Indian Territory and
Oklahoma be admitted as one State and
that New Mexico and Arizona be admitted
as one State. There is no justification for
further delay; and the advisability of max
ing the four territories into two States has
been clearly established.
The 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
ratification by the United States Senate
on Feb. %, 1904. The canal properties OF
the French Canal Company were trans
ferred to the United States on April Is.
1904, on payment OF 100000 eco to that
company. Active work in canal construc-
ton, mainly preparatory, has 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.
First, the question Of route; the canal will
be built on the Isthmus OF Panama. Sec
Ond, the question of feasibility; there are
no physical obstacles on this route that
American engineering skill will not be abls
to overcome without serious difficulty, oil
that will prevent the completion OF the
canal within a reasonable time and at 6
reasonable cost.
The point which remains unsettled is the
question of type. whether the cacal shall
be one of several locks above sea level. O,
at sea level with q single tide lock. Or
this point l hope TO lay before the Con
gress at an early day the findings Of the
advisory board Of American and European
engineers, that at my Invitation have been
considering the subject, together with the
report OF the commission thereon: and such
comments thereon or recommendations In
reference thereto as may seem necessary.
The American people are pledged to the
speediest possible construction of n cana.
adequate to meet the demands which thu
commerce Of the world will make upon IL
and 1 appeal most earnestly to the Con
gress to aid in the fulfllment of the
pledge. Gratifying progress has beer
made during the pdst year and especially
during the past four months. The greater
part Of the necessary preliminary worl
has been done. Actual work Of excavation
could be begun only on a limited scale till
the canal zone was made q healthful place
to live in and to work in. The isthmus had
so thoroughly accomplished that yellow
fever has been virtually extirpated from
the isthmus and general health condition.
vastly improved.
| satisfactory quarters are being provided
Of supplying them with wholesome
food at reasonable prices has beer
| lished and equipped that are with,
| out superiors Of their kind anywhere
During the past year a large portion OF
the plant with which the work is to be
| lone has been ordered. 1t Is confdently
| believed that by the middle of the ap
| proachfng year a sufficient proportion o,
this plant will have been installed to en-
| able us to resume the work Of excavation
on a large scale.
What IS needed now and without delay Is
| an appropriation by the Congress to meet
| the current and accruing expenses Of the
commission. The first appropriation of So.
100000, out of the S135, 100000 authorized
by the Spooner act, was made three year:
ago. 1t Is nearly exhausted. There is
| barely enough Of it remaining to carry the
commission to the end of the year. I'm
less the Congress shall appropriate before
| that time all work must cease, and there
will be Generalization of the forces, here
ond IN the iSfhmus. now WORKING so har