Omaha daily bee., 1905-12-06

| AhteE legal eiEniuCanCe OF tho Andiana
auction into citizenship This has made
itself manifest not only In great access
OF litigation in which the citizen Indian
hgures as party defendant and in a more
widespread disposition to levy local taxa
uon upon his personality. but In decision
OF the United states supreme court which
Struck away the main prop on which has
| nltherto rested the government's benevolent
! enort TO protect him against the evils Of
..ntemperance The court holds. In effect,
| mat when an Indian becomes by virtue Of
IN allotment of land to him. a citizen Of
VIC state IN which his land u situated. he
passes from under federal control in such
matters as this, and the acts OF the con-
$3.50 prohibiting the sale or gift TO him OF
IntoNicants become substantially inopera-
| i've. II ts gratifying 20 note that the states
anu municipalities Of the west which have
most AT stake in the welfare of the Indians
are taking up this subject and are trying
10 supply. In n measure al least the al,di.
cation OF its trusteeship forced upon the
Ieoerai government. Nevertheless. I would
urgently press upon tho attention of the
congress the question whether some amanda
men. OF the internal revenue laws might
Rot De OF aid in prosecuting those malefac-
tors, known In the Indian country as boot
ieeseis' who are engaged at once IN de-
irauding the United States treasury OF
axes ana, what is far more important IN
aebauching the Indians by carrying LIQUORS
lhcitly into territory still completely under
federal jurisdiction.
Among the crying present needs OF the
INDIANS are moro day schools situated IN the
MIDST OF their settlements. more effective
instruction in the industries pursued on their
own farms, and more liberal extension
OF the Held matron service, which means
the education of the Indian women In the
arts OF home making. Until the mothers
are wen started In the right direction we
can not reasonably expect much from the
children, who are soon TO form an inter7al
part OF our American citizenship. More
over the excuse continually advanced
by male adult Indians for refusing offers
OF renumerative employment at a distance
from their homes Is that they dare not
leave their families too long out of sight
one effectual remedy for this state of
things is TO employ the minds and
strengthen the moral fiber OF the Indian
women-the end TO which the work of the
field matron is especially directed. trust
that the congress will make its appropria-
tions for Indian day schools and field
matrons as generous as may consist with
pressing demands upon its providence"
The Philippines.
Conditions In the Philippines are reviewed
at some length with reference to the mis-
fortunes piled upon the Philippines by the
succession of war, the rinder pest the
locusts, the drouth and the cholera, calling
for generous treatment at the hands OF our
government in order to restore complete
prosperity. The most encouraging feature
Of the whole situation" declares the pres
indent, has been the very great Interest
taken by the common people in education
and the great increase in the number of en-
rolled students in the public schools This
increase was from 100000 to 100000 pupils"
He says further, that, the agricultural
conditions of the islands enforce more
strongly than ever the argument in favor
OF reducing the tariff on the products of
the Philippine islands entering the United
States. 1 earnestly recommend that the
tariff now imposed by the Dingley bill upon
Philippine products be entirely removed
except on sugar and tobacco, and that the
tariff be reduced to % per cent Of the
present rates. That after July /, 1902 the
tariff on tobacco and sugar be entirely
removed and free trade between the islands
and the United States in the products Of
our country then be provided for by law"
Hawaii and Porto Rico.
The president expresses the opinion that
immediate steps should be taken to fottify
Hawaii He also declares that Hawaii is
too heavily taxed, and while there are
great obstacles in the way of building up
a representative community in Hawaii.
many an American commonwealth has
been built up against odds equal to those
He advocates American citizenship for the
people of Porto Rico and various improve
ments in Porto Rico to be undertaken at
the expense of our government 1u
ID This Is followed with a. special plea for
for more liberal treatment OF the question
of franchises in our island POSSESSIONS
In the proper desire to prevent the Islands
being exploited by spectators, an error
has been made in refusing TO grant SUM-
GENTLY liberal terms to induce the invest
ment of American capital in the Philip
pines and in Porto Rico.
For Alaska the request is made that It
be given an elective delegate and govern
nlent assistance in the construction OF
railroad to the Yukon river.
Admiration to Statehood.
soao,,u,aAd that Indian Territory and
Oklahoma be admitted as one state and
that New Mexico and Arizona be admitted
as one state There is no obligation upon
us TO treat territorial subdivisions. which
are matters of convenience only. as bind
ing us on the question of admission to
statehood Nothing has taken up more
time In the congress during the last few
years that the question as to the statehood
to be granted to the four territories above
mention, and after careful consideration of
ali that has been developed in the discus
sions of the question recommend that
they be Immediately admitted as two states.
There is no justification for further delay;
and the advisability of making the four
territories into two states has been clearly
established
On some of the territories the legislative
assemblies issue licenses for gambling. The
congress should by law forbid this prac-
tice, the harmful results or which are OBJ
vious at a glance"
The Panama Canal.
The president recites the recent history
OF the Panama canal project and declares
that 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; second. the
question Of feasibility-there are no phys
zeal obstacles on this route that American
engineering skill VIII not be able ito over
come" He continues: 1.-The point which
remains unsettled is the question or type
whether the canal shall be one of several
locks above sea level or at sea level with
single tide lock. On this point hope 10
lay before congress at an early day the
findings Of the advisory board OK engineers
and such comments thereon or recon-
mendations In reference thereto as may
seem necessary" He refers 10 the work
of sanitating the isthmus and concludes
on this subject; What Is needed now, and
without delay, is an appropriation by con-
Rress TO meet the current and accruing ex-
penses OF the commission. The first appro-
prtation OF 100000, made three years ago, =
Is nearly exhausted Unless congress appro-
pirates before the end OF the year all work
must cease To arrest progress for any
length OF time now. when matters are ad-
vancing 30 satisfactorily. would be de-
plorable.
The Department of state.
1T recommend more adequate provision
H. he's baan t,4ada herefofora for